Durkheim What is Modernity? Sociological Imagination and Investigation Week 7

What does ‘Modernity’ mean? (Very broadly) it is used to cover the complex of: The Enlightenment conviction that human reason can understand and improve social forms Urbanization (slowly replacing rural life) with the development of trade/crafts in towns. Mercantile capitalism, preceding - Industrialization as the new mode of production based upon the division of labour - capitalism

In The Division of Labour ‘Modernity is seen as new (but undated) It can only be understood by comparison with what it replaces. So, he presents a two-part theory  Old (primitive/traditional) segmental societies gave way to:  New (roughly post-feudal) co-operative societies The transformation from one to the other is his account of Modernity’s development

Segmented Societies Their three main features A lack of differentiation (of institutions, groups, and people), rooted in low division of labour – only some sexually-based differences Social integration is very high, because not enough material differences to lead to conflict Similarity to one another (individuality almost nil) because insufficient cultural differences to pull the group apart – reinforced by elementary religion

Limited division of labour in ‘segmented societies’ (primitive)

Generates ‘Mechanical solidarity’ based upon similarities Society is like ‘a jumble of juxtaposed atoms’, united because almost identical The index of ‘mechanical solidarity’ (an unobservable) is the extent of REPRESSIVE LAW (criminal law), which is observable Public punishment of deviants reinforces social rules and similarity of behaviour

Outside Newgate Prison, London Regular public entertainment

Co-operative society in Modernity Main characteristics: Specialization of occupations Differentiation of institutions Individuation of personalities All three look as if they would pull society apart – so what promotes co-operation?

Division of Labour promotes co-operation because of interdependence Specialization allows different people to attain different ends in the same city We become interdependent with others to the extent that we are doing different tasks (jobs) This generates ‘organic solidarity’ Proportion of Restitutive law is its index ‘the contract is, par excellence the expression of co-operation’ [Torts, company law, law of contracts]

The interdependencies of one person doing a particular job Farmers Shop-keepers Doctors/dentists Public utilities Entertainers Publishers Transport workers Full-time teacher depends on

Transition from ‘mechanical’ to ‘organic’ solidarity Segmental societies declined under population pressure (?) Movement to towns increased ‘dynamic density’ i.e. frequency and intensity of interaction [NOTE ‘Explaining one social fact by another] Initially there is competition, but DIFFERENTIATION permits harmoneous CO-OPERATION

Reintegration in Modernity on basis of ‘Organic Solidarity’ T1 Integration (mechanical) T2 Differentiation T3 Reintegration (organic) time

Do all live happily ever after? [Read ‘Pathologies of the Division of Labour’ – last chapter] Pathologies, NOT found in organisms, casting organic analogy into doubt: FORCED division of labour – Class conflict i.e. unfair fit between natural abilities and occupational rewards ANOMIC division of labour – work as means and as ends become dislocated (e.g. pointlessness of job – Fordism) Neither are found in ‘early’ societies

How to cure Modernity through Social Engineering Durkheim is optimistic that Modernity can be ‘cured’ of its pathologies By introducing: common education; meritocratic appointments; abolition of inherited wealth; universal franchise and democracy and occupational associations Unlike Marx and Weber, both of whom held Modernity’s defects inerradicable