EMILE DURKHEIM
SAMPLE NOTES FOR SOCIOLOGY
EMILE DURKHEIM
Perspective: his perspective is called Social Realism because he
assigned reality to group & not to individuals. Keeping in view
that every science is distinct (19th century thinking); he got this
idea from Emile Boutroux.
Reality exists at multiple levels. Each level of reality is
emergent in character. When parts join in a certain relationship,
they produce a new level of reality & each level is studied by
a different science.
Social reality is sui-generis: It cannot be reduced into its
component parts. It cannot be adequately understood in terms of
causes & consequences alone. Social Reality calls for a new
science, i.e. sociology. Social reality pertains to group life.
Once a group results, a new level of reality results; i.e. social
reality which is beyond and outside individuals have its own
independent existence. Anything with independent existence is
observable. So this reality can be based on positive science.
Social reality is unified whole made of interdependent & inter
connected parts Organismic analogy.
Subject Matter: Aspects of this new level of reality are Social
facts. Facts, because they have independent existence; Social
because they pertain to group. Social facts are those ways of
acting, thinking and feeling which are capable of exerting external
constraints on individual members, which are diffused throughout a
given society & which exist in their own life- independent of
individual manifestations. Ultimate social fact is conscience
collective. Other social facts are subsets of conscience
collective.
Conscience collective: Totality of beliefs and sentiments common
to an average member of society which forms a determinate system
and has a life of its own. It is also called as totality of social
resemblances. It has its own distinctive properties, conditions of
existence and mode of development. It has a life of its own.
Beliefs and sentiments comprising conscience collective are both
moral and cognitive. They act as an agency to regulate behaviour as
well as act as means of knowing the world. It is a psychic type of
society. Durkheim argued that state derives its authority from
conscience collective and becomes its directive organ and symbol.
In a democratic polity, there exists a high degree of communication
between state and conscience collective, which renders the latter
more deliberative, reflective and critical.
Conscience collective varies in extent and force from society to
society. It is reflective of the degree of cohesion, integration or
solidarity of a society. It is distributed throughout the society.
It has specific features which make it a distinct reality. It is
independent of particular conditions in which individuals are
placed. It is spread out over the whole of the territory of a
society. It is common to all occupations or professions etc. It
links successive generations to one another. It governs the
existence of individuals. The stronger the conscience collective of
the society, the greater is the indignation against crime or
against any other violation of the social imperative.
Representations Collective: Durkheim abandons conscience
collective later on, as it was too all embracing and too static; it
failed to discriminate between cognitive, moral and religious
beliefs and sentiments. Durkheim used the concept of Representation
Collective for the first time in his study of suicide, when he
wrote that life is essentially made up of Representations
Collectives.
Representations Collectives are the states of Conscience
Collective which are different in nature from the states of the
individual conscience. They express the way in which the group
conceives itself in its relationships with objects which affects
it.
Representations Collective refers both to the mode of thinking
and conceiving what is perceived. Representations Collectives are
collective in the sense that its origin determines its mode and
form in its reference to object. They are collective also in that
Representations collectives are socially generated and they refer
in some sense to society. By using the analogy of the individuals
mental states which are intimately related to their substratum
brain cells, from whose activity they result. Durkheim argued that
representations collectives result from the substratum of
associated individuals. They cannot be reduced to & wholly
explained by features of individuals; they have sui-generis
characteristics.
Representations Collective is either a concept or thought held
in a sufficiently similar form by many persons to allow effective
communications. These collective symbols have force because they
have been jointly created and developed e.g. flag is a political
representative and sacred texts are religious representations.
Durkheim wanted a separate branch of sociology to be devoted to
the study of representations collectives to be called as Sociology
of Knowledge. This examines the social origin, reference, social
functions and forms of cognitive thoughts.
Rules of Social Method
Durkheim was explicitly concerned with outlining the nature and
scope of sociology. Durkheim laid down the general conditions for
the establishment of social science.
Science dealt with a specified area or a subject matter of its
own, not with total knowledge.
Science is concerned with things, objective realities.
Science describes types or classes of subject matter.
Classification helps in arriving at general rules & discovering
regularities of behaviour.
The subject matter of science yields general principles or laws.
If societies were not subject to regularities, no social science
would be possible.
There is continuity between the natural & social world, the
sociology is as distinctive & autonomous a sphere of subject
matter, as either the biological or physical.
To discover the uniformities, types & laws of society, we
need a method. The methods of science applicable in the field of
natural sciences are valid within the social field.
The social method: The social method rests firmly on the
experience of biology, which had emerged by then as a science of
living beings. The rules of social method are: Observation,
Comparison & Classification, and Generalization.
Rules of Observation
Treat social facts as things;
Leave preconceived notions; observation of social facts should
be restricted to observable & verifiable aspects.
Voluntaristic aspects should not be perceived before hand;
observation should be in their collective manifestation.
Observation should be as definitive as possible.
Rules of Classification
Durkheim built a classificatory typology of social facts. For
this each society should be studied in its entirety & then
compared- Classification distinguishing normal social facts from
abnormal social facts. Any social fact which leads to the
improvement of society is normal & that deteriorates the
society is pathological.
Rules of Explanation
Social facts can be explained causally & functionally. The
causes which give rise to social facts must be identified
separately from whatever social function it may fulfill. Although,
cause & function have a separate character, this does not
prevent a reciprocal relation between the two & one can start
either way.
The determining cause of a social fact should be sought among
the social facts preceding it and not among the states of
individual consciousness or non social facts. The consequences or
functions should be seen in terms of our society as whole.
Social Facts: Characteristics:
Exteriority: External to and independent of individual members
of the society. They develop as a result of collective living and
their origins cannot be traced to organismic or psychic aspects of
individual consciousness.
Generality: Social facts are diffused throughout the
collectivity and are commonly shared by most of the members.
Constraint: Social facts exercise a coercive power over
individual members of the society by which they shape and regulate
their behavior. True human freedom lies in being properly regulated
by the social norms.
TYPES OF SOCIAL FACT: LIE ALONG A CONTINUUM
1. Structural/ morphological: it includes number and nature of
element parts of which society is composed.
2. Institutionalized social fact: it is general in nature and
widely spread.
3. Non-institutionalized: it is not yet crystallized, have not
obtained a total objective and independent existence. they are also
known as social currents.
4. Normal social facts
5. Pathological social facts
In the study of suicide that he had demonstrated his methodology
best and the perspective of social realism was also applied. Study
of religion studied the functional consequences. Study of suicide
was the causal explanation and used the positive science approach.
This was the best study. In study of suicide, an attempt towards
theory building was done.
Suicide:
There was a sudden increase in cases of suicide in industrial
society, Therefore he was interested in this study.
All cases of death resulting directly or indirectly, from
positive or negative act of victim himself which he knows will
produce this effect is called suicide.
He collected data of 26000 cases spread over a period of 30
years. Then, he went about classifying those data. He discovered
that in every society, there is remarkable consistency in the rate
of suicide. He was interested in collective manifestation, that is
why he computed social rates of suicide. In 1841, in France, there
were recorded 2814 deaths and in 1842, 2866 deaths. In Germany,
records read 290 and 316 deaths respectively. Therefore he said
that every society has an aptitude for the rate of suicide which
more or less remains unchanged.
He said abandon all the preconceived notions. These are the
notions prevalent at that time:-
1) In winter number of suicides was more than in summer.
2) Some racial groups have higher tendency of suicide than
others.
3) Suicide is a result of hardship of life.
4) Alcoholism gives the cause.
5) It is due to psychic morbidity that the people commit
suicide.
He said these must be tested in the light of empirical data. He
said, the rate of suicide in winter and spring are the same. Racial
theories are also discarded because their rates are different in
different countries. Percentage of alcoholic who committed suicide
is not higher than the representatives of alcoholics in the general
population.
As far as psychological factors are concerned, he conceded that
psychic factors too play a role. They are predisposing factors, but
not the causal factors. There is a tendency within the social
structure driving them towards suicide. He said force is coming
from society i.e. social in origin. As long as society remains
same, the rate of suicide remains same. This is called
suicido-genic currents. It is a social force which emanates from
social structure impelling from the society. So therefore, there is
difference between social determinism and individual
predisposition. The social force here is causing suicide whose rate
is constant, so it is a social fact whose cause should also be a
social fact.
Fashion is a social fact in making. It is basically a social
current but when some fashion gets established, it will become a
social fact.
Social fact has 3 identifying features:- Exteriority,
Generality, Constraining.
In all countries of Europe
Protestants had an invariably higher rate of suicide than
catholics. It varies from society to society from 13% to 300%.
Unmarried men have more rate of suicide than married men
particularly in France.
Military Personnel has more rate of suicide than Civilians
Men have more rate of suicide than women.
In times of war/revolution e.g. in 1851, when Louis Bonaparte
led the revolution, the suicide rate was less. Wartime suicide rate
is less than peace time suicide rate. He said is the above said
cases; there is a lack of integration & cohesion. Therefore
rate of suicide is more.
In Protestant church, hierarchy is not present but Catholics
have well defined hierarchy. In Britain, there is protestant
ideology but no catholic organisation, therefore rate of suicide is
less in Britain.
Being unmarried, means loneliness and lack of cohesion. Those
issueless couples also tend to have more rate of suicide. Educated
people are more prone to suicide than uneducated. Because education
increases individualism and decreases group solidarity.
Similarly, women act like group oriented; therefore, less
suicide rate among women. Women tend to be more conformist. Study
conducted in India shows male rate of suicide is 200 times more
than the women. Therefore where identification with the group is
more, rate of suicide is less.
TYPES OF SUICIDE
Egoistic suicide: This is the situation where the individual
conscience is in variance with the Collective Conscience.
Individual asserts himself or herself by committing suicide. He
gains superiority over Conscience Collective.
Rate of suicide is inversely proportional to degree of
solidarity.
Altruistic suicide: In various societies, where the group norms
demand suicide, the rate tended to be high. In French army,
officers rate of suicide is more than that of soldiers. The reason
was sense of nationalism, patriotism, is more in officers than in
the civilians. Here in words of Durkheim, individual is totally in
tutelage of the group. Their life appears to be hindrance to
societal goals, therefore they commit suicide. There is no
individual gratification, but for the sake of group welfare suicide
is committed. Sati is an example of this. This is the suicide which
is occurring because of high solidarity, total identification with
the group. This is what he called as altruistic suicide. Group is
given priority over the self.
Types of Altruistic Suicide
1. Obligatory: Society imposes this e.g. LTTE. You must die for
the group.
2. Optional: Where the group admires suicide, no compulsion e.g.
Sati, Harakiri.
3. Acute Altruistic suicide: individual renounces his life for
the actually felt joy of sacrifice e.g. Religious suicide. kaivalya
in Jains. They are the identification of higher group solidarity
where it demands.
ANOMIC SUICIDE
He also found in the data, that there was sudden slump in the
economy e.g. crop failure etc. if then the rate of suicide
increases, he calls it anomic suicide.
In Durkheim words: True freedom lies in being regulated by the
society. When this fails, anomie results. When there is failure to
put brake on human aspirations, anomie results. Its never ending,
no limit, never satisfying, no longer guided by traditional norms
and new norms are not there, so normlessness results. Anomic
develops and normative order goes. Natural values and beliefs are
also gone. E.g Divorce ie breakdown of social regulation.
Suicide, while caught red handed while taking bribe is an anomic
suicide.
Anomie is a situation where the normative society breaks down
and anarchy is a consequence of that.
Fatalistic Suicide:
He found that married women have more rate of suicide than
married men in those parts of Europe where divorce is not
permitted. The cause is excessive regulation which leads to
suicide. Also this was the case with Roman and Greek slaves. This
kind of suicide which is called fatalistic suicide is due to over
regulation.
He finds two suicid genic currents
1) Integration
2) Regulations.
Both are social facts.
CRITICAL EVALUATION:
Gabriel Tardy has given thought on imitation as the cause of
suicides. Durkheim rejected it. He was contemporary of
Durkheim.
Imitation is not a social fact. Durkheims study of suicide is
regarded as landmark because first time, the empirical research and
theory building was done.
1. Relying on official data as the basis of its empirical
data.
2. Phenomenon being considered as an aggregate form rather than
individual acts and motives e.g. crime rate, divorce rate.
3. Trying to arrive at generalisations.
Through this, he showed that by applying the methodology, the
positive science of society can be studied. Several studies enforce
his study of suicide. e.g. In a survey it is found that there was
indeed significant variation in suicide rates. Surveys showed that
Hungary, Germany, Egypt have constant rate of suicide but rate is
different in different country. In India, Kerala had consistently
high rate of suicide. One trend in India is, Larger the city, more
is suicide. In Kerala, high rate of education and sudden spurt of
money from NRIs are the causes. Infact, southern states have more
rate of suicide than Northern states. More cohesive the family,
less will be the suicide.
In 80s in America, Breffault selected 216 counties from 50
states of U.S. He found that there is consistency in rate of
suicide in terms of family formulae.
Halbwachs also carried out the study of suicide with the same
approach as Durkheim had done. He arrived at Rate of suicide is
directly proportional to degree of complexity of the social
structure.
Criticism
Durkheim was criticized both for his positivism and extreme
social realism. 1. Positivistic stance criticized by questioning
the basis of data he collected.Anti positivists and
phenomenologists like Atkinson questioned the authenticity of data
that is it reliable. Can we treat it as a factual order. He would
say that in Europe, Coroner certifies the death as suicide. He said
it is coroner who decides on the basis of evidence found /
circumstantial evidence which is not conclusive. It is coroner who
puts the label of suicide.
Thereby, raising a doubt that phenomenon like suicide can ever
be studied like a positive science. He said official data is not
convincing. J.W.B. Douglas: He pointed out that there is built in
basis in his study of suicide. he said that in all religions in
Europe, suicide is considered as sin. If it is reported, then the
stigma will be over the whole family. And in poorly integrated
society, the suicide will be higher. Because there will be more
reporting than in the previous case.2. Extreme Social Realism:
Generally, it is accepted. But the social causes cannot be
considered sufficient. There may be contributive factors. There may
be extra social factors present which Durkheim rejected at large.
Economic Social Factor also play a role.
Douglas pointed out that individual meanings should also be
taken into account so here the meanings individual gives should be
taken into account, so explanation should not be given only in the
social causes. Individual meaning must also be taken into account.
Existing theories are based on untested commonsense judgment and
ignore actual meaning for those involved. Henry and Short: They
pointed out that individual factors have to be taken into account
with the external factors. When there will be less external
regulation and high internal regulations, that man will commit
suicide. It must be supplemented with internal regulation as well.
In 1980s, an American Sociologist, Maris adopted a slightly
modified methodology, what he called psychological autopsy, who
failed in life, failed in suicide also. This is based on an
extensive interview of those people who are the survivors of
suicide attempt. It was found that they had a suicide career. They
had tried; it was since long in their mind. Sometimes, it runs in
family.
Sociobiology: It is a branch of sociology which claims that
serotonin deficiency which causes the person to commit suicide and
in families running with suicide, may be deficiency of it is the
cause.
David Phillips questioned Durkheims claims that it cannot be
explained in terms of suggestibility. In early 70s, he found that
in those weeks in U. S., when celebrities committing suicide, those
days rate of suicide becomes more. So imitation does play a role.
Particularly, it is strong among teenagers. He said fluctuation is
by around 6%.
DIVISION OF LABOUR
The study of division of labour was his first major sociological
work published in 1893 even before he published his methodology.
Those methodological aspects are only implicit in his study. This
study of division of labour was speculative work. No empirical
research was carried out and his basic concern was to look into the
nature of modern industrial society. Peace and cohesions, stability
and solidarity in industrial society. Modern industrial society was
seen as consequences of use of modern techniques of production
process, which in turn had changed division of labour in society.
(He sees rise of Modern Industrial Society as a result of
progressive differentiation i.e. increase in division of labour) By
division of labour he meant a social arrangement by which a complex
task is divided into simpler ones and allocated among different
members of society. More the complexity of skills, more the need
for division of labour. Durkheim was not he first person to address
division of labour. This was done by Comte and Spencer.
More importantly, Classical economists Adam Smith & Ricardo
for first time studied division of labour consequences. They saw
them in terms of increased efficiency and productivity. DOL
resulted in Industrialisation. Classical economists had already
explored consequences of division of labour and consequences
resulted in economic progress and prosperity. More recently, neo
classical economists through their Principle of comparative
advantage have extended the same logic used by classical economists
to International division of labour. This is highlighted in context
of globalization i.e. different countries should go for specialized
production. This must be completed with breaking of trade barriers
and doing away with self sufficiency concept. Free flow of goods
will lead to prosperity and consumers will also be benefited by
best quality goods. Consequences of International Division of
Labour are also being explored in terms of economics
consequences.
Principles of Comparative Advantage: India followed import
substitution strategy. Japan followed export led strategy of
growth. They followed textile first approach. Instead of producing
everything, Japan started by alternative strategy. They had no raw
material, but good cotton, so they tried to better cotton growth
and exported textiles. Then ventured into ship building,
electronics etc. So profits used in other branches of. Comparative
advantage principle says that country should produce those things
which it is best suited for e.g. Hollad-Cheese, Germany-
Automobiles. Comparative Advantage principle is against self
sufficiency.
Economists look at consequences of Division of Labour in
economic terms alone. Durkheim found this kind of explanation
appropriate for economists but inadequate from social point of
view. He said it was too narrow approach because Division of labour
is phenomenon which encompasses society as a whole. There is
nothing like economic Division of Labour alone. There cannot be
specialized Division of Labour in economic sphere unless special
skills and education are available. Special skills and education
cannot be acquired by imitating family members. It is the whole
society that witnesses Division of Labour so as to have economic
Division of Labour. If Division of Labour permeates whole society,
it is a Social fact, but did not call it social fact. As he later
on said, consequences of social fact must be seen for total
society. So, consequences of Division of Labour must be seen as
encompassing whole society. How to make industrial society as a
livable place was his basic question. He wanted to acquire
scientifically valid knowledge in this concern. Idea of solidarity
was his concern. He made a critical evaluation of economists. He
suggested alternate questions like how is individual bonded to
society and other individuals?
Central issue for Durkheim was why individual while becoming
more autonomous do, depends more on society?
How can they be at once more individual and yet more solidarity?
That is he was exploring nexus between Division of Labour and
solidarity.
Other subsidiary questions:
1. What causes the change in Division of Labour?
2. How is it, there is conflict and disorganization in
industrial society? (There should be solidarity)
3. How can this be remedied?
He did not try to seek answers on basis of empirical study.
Using common sense assumptions and deductive logic, he sought
answers. He saw logical possibilities. He said two kinds of
polarities are there:
High Division of Labour
Low Division of Labour
By low Division of Labour, he meant Division of Labour is purely
ascriptive (Gender and age are always present as basis of Division
of Labour)
Achievement based Division of Labour is an e.g of High Division
of Labour.
He took them as two logical possibilities and not empirical
situation. No real society would ever resemble his model fully.
They are actually typologies. Real societies fall in between them.
So his model was a classificatory typology.
Low Division of Labour: It means people of same gender and age
performs similar tasks. It is possible only if tasks and skills are
simple and they dont call for special effort. Productivity is low,
size of the group is small. Such a group is characterized by
likeness of parts. Each one can replace the other.
How does solidarity result in such a society? Answer: By only
preserving the sense of likeness. They feel united by saying that
they are alike. Such a society by trying to preserve the sense of
likeness among the parts maintains solidarity.
The Social organisation is based on kinship bonds. They see each
other as member of same kin group. Hold of conscience collective is
very strong. Conscience Collective envelopes individual Conscience.
No scope for individual autonomy. He analyses conscience collective
in terms of four parameters: Volume, Intensity, Determinateness,
and Content. Volume: Means it is spread. Conscience collective
spreads throughout the society. All aspects of social life are
governed by conscience collective. Individual consciousness is
enveloped by conscience collective; so much is its volume.
Intensity: Force and seriousness which people attribute to
conscience collective. Shared ways of doing things are taken very
seriously e.g. marrying in own caste is more important in village
than cities.
Determinateness: How clearly, specifically is conscience
collective defined? E.g. in traditional societies, will defined
rules of dressing up otherwise, the issue is scandalized, But in
city not scandalized. Determinateness is less in cities.
Content: What is the kind of ideas which constitute conscience
collective? In Low Division of Labour societies, the primary
concern is to prevent deviations so volume is very high and
intensity is also very high. Any deviation is met with resistance.
Law tends to be repressive. All deviations are taken as criminal
deviations. The main concern of society is to prevent recurrence
and this is done by mobilizing societal force. E.g. in Saudi
Arabia, on Friday after Namaj, punishment is given like cutting
hands publicly. Determinateness is high. Each detail is worked out
properly and one has to follow norms in all its details.
Content is predominately religious so divine sanctions follow in
case of breach. Social Relations are obligatory and authority is
absolute. Only limit may be technology. He called such society
segmental society i.e. by juxtaposition of like segments and these
segments are mechanically juxtaposed and therefore he calls this
solidarity as mechanical solidarity i.e. solidarity based on
likeness of mechanically juxtaposed parts. There is no
interdependence between parts.
How does Division of labour change?According to Durkheim,
increase in material volume and material density which leads to
higher dynamic or moral density, the problems created by higher
dynamic or moral density can be peacefully resolved through
increase in Division of Labour.
Material Volume = Size of population
Material Density = Population Density
These results in increasing intensity of social interaction e.g.
urban centres grow rapidly resulting in people in lesser space
leading to increasing contacts and increased frequency and
intensity of interaction. This is called as moral density. As size
and density of population increases, competitiveness for scarce
resources increases. The conflict can be resolved by
diversification and exchange. Specialization increases efficiency
and gratifies everybodys need. When Division of Labour become
dependent on acquire special skills, parts tend to become more and
more unlike and therefore norms allow high degree of autonomy to
individuals so that they can become unlike. Unlike condition relate
to each other through contractual and optional relations. Authority
is absolute. Volume of conscience collective shrinks. More and more
aspects are left to individual choice. Intensity of conscience
collective is enfeebled i.e becomes feeble and determinateness
decreases. The conscience collective becomes generalized and
abstract. Content becomes secular. In such a society, individual
freedom is treated as venerated principle. Contractual
relationships are reconciliation of individual interests.
Individual freedom and interest also need conscience collective.
Conscience collective becomes generalized but does not disappear.
Norms become specific and codified, the values become generalized.
Laws become restitutive i.e. to restore things to earlier stage
i.e. status quo e.g. law of contract. It has special organizations
and institutions. Religion cannot be the basis of social control
because values are generalized. It leads to democratization of
authority. The norms are legitimized by a general value which
applies to a number of norms. (In simple society, values are less
general and norms are more general) The authority is delimited in a
manner that it preserves autonomy. It has new value system of
social justice and equality of opportunity. Every individual has
right to nurture as society is based on merit. Each individuals
role becomes more specialized, partial, and dependent on others.
New basis of solidarity develops i.e. interdependence. There is
unity among unlike parts because of their interdependence -Organic
solidarity. This kind of situation is obtained in high Division of
Labour which should be normal. In organic solidarity, solidarity is
structured because no part can survive without the other. In
contemporary Europe, there is pathologically high Division of
Labor. Three forms of pathologically high division of labour can be
identified as:
1. Anomic type of high Division of Labour
2. Forced type of high Division of Labour
3. High Division of Labour lacking coordination.
Anomic division of labour
He develops the concept of anomie. He says anomie literally
means normlessness. Though in actual practice, there is not any
vacuum of norms. Anomie manifests as breakdown of regulative
pattern of society because in high Division of Labour, conscience
collective is generalized and enfeebled. Unlike Marx, Durkheim did
not think that sense of anomie felt by members is inevitable.
Durkheim believed that it is only a pathological stage that
normative state has broken down. So, anomie is manifested in
industrial strife or in the violence, crime, corruption, labour
unrest etc. Solution to anomie lies in restoring normative
regulation. Human beings when left to themselves, tend to behave in
arbitrary fashion. Nothing biological or psychological puts limit
on human desires. Society can put these restrictions on human
desires and make collective life sustainable. Earlier means of
enforcing conscience collective are not effective, so alternate
mechanisms have to be created in a society based on high division
of labour. E.g. since in high division of labour different
categories of individuals are to be regulated by different set of
norms. Therefore through:
1) Professional Associations, moral regulation can be restored.
Each association should create ethical norms and regulate conduct
of members in that field.
2) Similarly industrial activity should not be a mere
contractual relationship between employees and employers, but
organization should serve as corporate and acquire community like
character.
3) Present industrial strife, because of unlimited greed on both
sides. Trade unions are not the solution as they replace individual
greed with collective greed.
Solution: By arriving at mutually accepted norms which will put
limits on profit desires of employers as well as wage desires of
workers. When such a consensus is worked out, industrial strife
would decline. In addition to fact that industrial organisation is
concerned with production; it should also be concerned with welfare
of labour and acquire character of community. This kind of
reorganization into professional Organizations and corporations
would on one hand prevent excessive centralism of power in hands of
State and therefore preserve democratic character and prevent
totalitarian state. On other hand, popularistic mass democracies
are also not healthy. It will also facilitate enactment of
realistic norms. Legislative bodies should contain members of these
professional associations. They will take into account interest of
nation as a whole and special interest of corporations. Thus anomie
can be mitigated. This will restore normative regulations. He wants
to reorganize power between civil society and State. Mob of
atomized individuals can easily be manipulated. It tends to
degenerate into populism. This is not rational and desirable so
mass democracies are also not healthy. May be these are based on
wrong morale. There is a need for ethical regulation of moral life.
Such a society cannot grow into harmonious industrial society.
Forced Division of Labour
Forced Division of Labour is there because of unjust norms.
Society based on high Division of Labour should be meritocratic. So
equality of opportunities should be there. Economic disparities are
unjust. It is not against unequal distribution of rewards, if this
is because of merit, it is just. Merit should not be denied. After
death, wealth should be devolved to State and redistributed. Let
meritorious reap fruits of labour. Denial of opportunities to the
talented leads to conflict.
Steve Fenton: Solution is guild socialism. Guild like organism
should regulate the conduct of artisans. Guilds should be
subordinate to State.
Lack of CoordinationIf specialization of task is not accompanied
by sufficient coordination, it will lead to a situation of anomie
where everything is wasted and individuals feel poorly integrated
into collective life. Proper coordination of special tasks has to
be achieved. But he did not emphasis much on it.
CRITICAL EVALUATION OF DURKHEIMS STUDY OF DIVISION OF LABOUR
One of the major achievements was for the first time that
someone explored the nexus between division of labour and
solidarity. How nature of social bonds change with changes in
division of labour. He systematically highlighted the role of
population. How population affects social organizations. New branch
of sociology i.e. sociology of occupations/ professions emerged.
Among the later day researches inspired by study of Division of
Labour, one famous is that of Elton Mayo and Coworkers Hawthorne
Study. In this study, they pointed out that it is not only economic
self interest that guides human behaviour but need of individual
for belongingness to group is important. Fredrick Taylor had viewed
the role of economic interests only. Behaviour of individual in
organization must be understood in social context.
Elton Mayos Work: Social problems of Industrial Civilization, in
this there is classification of Society into Established societies
Vs Adaptive societies. (Similar to mechanical/ organic
solidarity)
Problems of Modern Industrial Society stems out of fact that
adaptive societies have failed to create an alternative basis of
social cohesion. The basis provided by established societies is
incompatible with high division of labour. It is reflected in
increasing suicide, crime etc. Various other researches have also
been inspired, particularly researches that tried to explore,
Division of Labour at work with social cohesion.
Herald Wilensky speaks of relationship between division of
labour and social integration and examines the variable degree to
which work situations and experiences with labour force encourage
participation in, and integration into secondary social groups.
He found that those who had stable careers (e.g. 9 to 5 jobs)
had a better family life and were more integrated in community
life. Unstable career results in poor integration with community
and family life. So sociology of occupation explores how experience
at work has bearing on overall social life of individuals. This
dimension was first highlighted by Dukhreim in study of Division of
Labour. This is his lasting contribution.
Both American and British Sociology has relied on Durkheims
study of Division of Labour.
CRITICISMS1. David Lockewood: Durkheim has failed to make
distinction between two level of integration i.e. system
integration and social integration.
System Integration: Increasing interdependence of part of a
system.
Social Integration: When members come to share common beliefs
and values.
With high division of labour, society becomes solidary and yet,
says, lack solidarity. This apparent contradiction in terms of
normal and pathological can be explained. Normal is not achievable
as it is ideal state.
As per Lockewood, high Division of Labour increases system
integration and decreases social integration. Durkheims solutions
try to enhance social integration. Because of increasing autonomy,
social integration decreases and problems stem out of lack of
social integration. So anomie becomes a recurrent feature.
2. Herbert Marcusae, Weber, Marx ( Conflict Theorists
According to Durkheim the problems of industrial society can be
resolved only by ensuring normative regulations. This was
questioned by conflict theorists. Certain problems are endemic to
societies based on high division of labour. In his writings,
Durkheim uses a simpler mode to thinking. Small scale healthy and
large scale economic organizations are bad because in large Scale
Organisations, social integration is poor and relationships are
more impersonal. It is built in logic of society with high division
of labour that should increase in scale.In high division of labour,
the problem of deskilling, fragmentation of work cannot be
dispensed with. By restoring normative regulations, deskilling
cannot be avoided e.g. Assembly line production. They cannot
identify with manufactured product. Durkheim appears to glorify
high division of labour. Problems can be resolved by decreasing
inequalities and more effective regulations of conduct. But
deskilling is not rooted in either of two and is inherent to
division of labour.
3. Marxists: Durkheims use of concept of Conscience collective,
does not recognize that Modern Industrial Societies have different
classes and different classes cannot share same idea. So called
Conscience Collective represents culture of dominant class which is
forced of lower classes by coercion or indoctrination. 4. He seems
to be over-emphasizing on role of repressive law in simple
societies. This criticism has been put forth on empirical basis.
Durkheims study was speculative study. In many simple societies,
restitutive law also exists. He can be defended on ground, that he
was just constructing a typology rather than describing empirical
situation. E.g Nuers of Sudan(If someone commits murder, kin group
of murderer can pardon him in lieu of certain fine) and
Trobianders. Just as repressive laws exist in advanced industrial
societies, so do restitutive laws exists in simple societies
RELIGION
Published in 1912.His study Totemism-the elementary forms of
religious life. Durkheim demonstrated as to how a functional
explanation can be made in sociology just as in suicide, he
demonstrated causal explanationHe also wanted to make positivistic
study of religion .He argued that true nature and origin of
religious phenomenon can be understood by looking at religion in
its simplest form. So,it is elementary form of religion which is
universally present. By investigating character of simplest
religion we can understand character of great religion as well. In
case of complex religion, true nature of religion gets camouflaged
because of complexities added by priests and prophets. Religion
without priests should be investigated to understand true nature of
religion. He evaluated existing explanations of theories of
religion as was his methodology that all pre conceived notions must
be abandoned. Some of the authors titled religion as belief in
supernatural forces. Durkheim said such a definition of religion
renders:
1) Religious phenomena incapable of being studied scientifically
as realm of nature is realm of mystery.
2) There is no way we can make distinction between natural and
super-natural.
Primitive man does not make such dichotomy. It is of recent
origin and has developed in European thought. These dichotomies
i.e. like rational or irrational, natural or supernatural are
characteristics of European society. In simple societies, whole
universe including man and supernatural forces are seen as part of
single moral order. E.g. People in tribal society believe in
spirits. Spirit is also supposed to act in a way as human do. So
defining religion in this way is wrong as it will render it
incapable of being studied by positive scientific methods.
Tylor, prior to Durkheim had argued the animism is the earliest
type of religion. That animism has developed out of the existential
conundrums of primitive man. He defined animism as belief in
spiritual beings.
Durkheim says, this definition is incomplete because religion is
never a matter of belief alone. It invariably has certain practice
called Rituals.
Secondly, Tylors explanation of animism makes religion appear to
be an illusion. Tylor has tried to explain cause of religion in
human curiosity and that is how humans invented notion of soul and
then worshipped it. Religion is only make belief as per Tylor.
First create God and then worship. According to Durkheim, religion
is a real force. It is a universal phenomenon and no human society
is devoid of it. It is such a powerful force that people live and
die for it, people find meaning of life in it. An illusory entity
cannot be a universal phenomenon and survive for so long and act as
such a powerful force. Max Mueller in his book, Comparative
Mythology studied Vedic religion. He said Naturism is the first
religion. He tries to explain genesis of religion in what he called
sensuous experience- that in simple societies, forces of nature are
so powerful that they invoke fear of religion in human mind. Fear
is origin of religion as per max Mueller. They become more
significant as man is dependent on these forces. So they are
personified and worshipped. e.g. in Rig Veda, worship of Sun, Wind.
Durkheim rejected this argument also. He says this argument locates
the source of religion in fear, that out of fear, forces of nature
are given human like forms and worshipped. This is hallucination.
If animism was to be the earliest religion, then, next stage would
have been ancestor worship, but this is found only in India and
China.
He also rejects the popular view that religion involves worship
or belief in God. Many religions dont believe in God e.g. Jainism,
Buddhism.
It is not necessary that religion should have notion of God so
he did not find these views as scientifically adequate. According
to Durkheim, source of religion has to be located in something
real, permanent and transcending because religion is real,
permanent and transcending i.e. superior. Because religion involves
attitude of surrender, so religion deals with superior agency.
Then, he developed his own theory of religion. Because of the
nature of life experience, human life experience is dualistic and
because of duality there develop thought categories which are also
dual i.e. thought categories of sacred and profane. Mans thought is
consequence of social life experience. He further questions Emanuel
Kants idea that human mind has certain intrinsic thought categories
like time, space, cause. These thought categories were deemed to be
intrinsic to human mind by Kant. Durkheim rejects it and says
social life experiences result in development of these categories.
Space is a sequential arrangement of objects. When objects are
arranged in sequence, they give a notion of space. Notion of space
is fundamentally rooted in human perception of objects in a
sequential way. It is with respect from some point of reference.
This is how man starts thinking especially in terms of space.
According to Durkheim, when people started living in groups and
some place became their camp and from that they started viewing
other objects in relationship to it and that is how notion of space
developed. Time is a sequential arrangement of events. Some event
is taken as a frame of reference. You are bound to think
sequentially. See rising of sun as an event and time between two
risings is quantified as a day. Even sequential thinking of events
is a result of social life experience that primitive man, as he
lived in camps, must have assembled in group for feasting etc., and
they become significant events. They started relating other events
to these and they become frame of reference and thus developed
notion of time.
These might have been linked to natural phenomenon like rain. So
this is not intrinsic but result of social experience. Similarly,
when people assemble in groups and had animated interaction, it
created a sense of well being and effervescence. They started
equating it with desirable forces. They started thinking in terms
of sacred and profane.
Sacred: What is set apart and forbidden. They were segregated
and separated. It was treated with awe and respect. Sacred ideas
were those which were to be treated differentially and they were
separate from profane because it was believed that profane defies
sacred. Access to sacred is strictly regulated and forbidden.
CRIME AND ANOMIE
Crime is a deviation from legal norms. When groups were
structured, their happiness in assemblies was referred to totem. So
thought categories are product of social life. Sacred demands
special reverential treatment through certain rituals. On the basis
of this classification, he tried to develop his positivistic
definition of religion. Profane defies the sacred. Religion is not
only beliefs but also practices. Practices are means of approaching
sacred. Religion is a unified set of beliefs and practices related
to sacred things that are to say, things which are set apart and
forbidden. Unified means belief and practices are interrelated.
Beliefs provide legitimization of practices while practices provide
concretization of beliefs. Only these things are sacred which are
set apart and forbidden. There is nothing intrinsic about an object
which makes it sacred. Sacredness is super imposed. Sacredness is
non-utilitarian, non-empirical, cannot be empirically validated, so
sacredness is often defined in ambiguous way that sacred can be
benevolent and malevolent at same time. Sacred rarely follows
rationale. If a human being behaves wrong, he is held responsible
but God never considered responsible. Sacred is looked at in
ambiguous ways. Society imputes superior powers to the sacred and
therefore is seen as strength giving, elicits respects, makes
ethical demands on the believers and reciprocates and fulfillness
of those demand leads to reciprocation. The empirical data for
study were provided by some of the ethnographic accounts that were
provided in descriptive accounts of way of life late 19th and early
20th century. Spencer and Gillan had published ethnographic account
of Central Australian tribes particularly Aruntas.Benjamin Howitt:
Native tribes of S.E. Australia described social structure and
religious practices. Durkheim went on to claim that totemism is the
earliest religion and the most elementary form because totemism is
found in simplest of societies. It is not animism or naturism, but
totemism. Then, he goes on to observe totemic worship. He says all
members of totem group refer to themselves by a tribal name or a
common name, even though, they are not blood relatives. Therefore,
totem worship binds them as if they were family members. Totem
compels them to recognize duties and obligations towards each other
like reciprocal aid, particularly in common mourning, vengeance,
obligation not to marry amongst themselves. Totemic beliefs involve
a system of prohibition and taboos which keep the totem away from
profane things. Totemic belief also consists of ideas which
represent it as a causal force. Totem was seen as possessed with
real force. They are even material forces which mechanically
engender physical consequences. Durkheim says it provides
underlying basis of religion experience and its powers compel
individual to render pious duties. It creates moral obligation. It
remains continuous over time while individuals keep changing.
Therefore the consequence of totem as sacred object is: to unify
and bind totem group together.
- it creates a set of moral obligations towards sacred object
and therefore it acts as emblem of the society. So, source of
religion should be real transcendental. Sacred is symbolization of
society and so sacred is not make belief, but religion is worship
of society. The central thesis of Durkheims theory of religion is
that through history, men have never worshipped any other reality,
whatever the form of totem or God, than the collective social
reality transfigured by faith. Religion- Definition: These beliefs
and practices bind into a moral community called church, all
regulatory those who adhere to them. That is where, he provides
final explanation of religion.
1. It is explanatory force for all things.
2. It is unifying force.
3. It regulates their conduct.
Religion is nothing but indirect way of expressing individuals
dependence on his society through an emblem.
Believes in religion is not either a victim of illusion or
hallucination. Rather, believer is nothing but law abiding member
of society because real God is society. So he says society created
God in its own image and therefore society based on high division
of labour cannot have traditional religion because common belief
cannot regulate diversity. So nationalism is new religion, may be
humanism tomorrow. Secular ideology can also perform same role as
religion ideology does as is to show mans dependence on
collectivity. Durkheim believed that he had solved the religion
Moral dilemma of modern society. If religion is nothing Modern
population need only express their religion feelings directly
towards sacred symboilsation of society but indirect worship of
society. The source and object of religion- Durkheim pointed out
are collective life. A secular sociological definition of religion
would say that the individual who tells dependent on some extent
moral powers is no a victim of hallucination, but a responsive
member of society. The substantial function of religion is the
creation, reinforcement and maintenance of social solidarity.
Religion is not only social creation, but social division. The
deities which men worship are only projections of the power of
society. The disapproval of trade religion need not herald the
decision of society. All that is required of modern man is to
realize their direct dependence on society which earlier was
recognized through medium of religion. On the most general plane,
religion as a social institution gives meaning to mans existential
predicaments, by trying the individual to that super-individual
sphere of transcendent values which is ultimately rooted in his own
society. Thus, he advocated a new humanistic religion for the
modern society.
CRITICAL EVALUATION
1. Total demystification of religion because religion is nothing
but society divinised.
2. Secondly, it is in this study that he developed final
explanation of social fact. And therefore it had a profound effect
on ideas and approaches that developed subsequent particularly
Radcliffe Brown, Malinowski, Parsons, Merton, K. Davis. So
Durkheims study laid the foundation of functionalism.
3. In French Anthropology, there developed another approach of
structuralism by C. Levis Strauss because of Durkheims influence.
Durkheim therefore correspond between thought Structuralism and
social Structuralism. He went on to influence the rise of
Structuralist approach.
Structuralism: One of the way of understanding social Structure
is to approach it through thought Structuralism, in relationship to
ideas as they are crystallized to society. By looking at structure
of these ideas, we can understand society. These ideas are in terms
of binary ideas. Based on analysis of thought Structuralism, we can
believed social Structure and explain social behaviour.
One of the disciples of Levi Strauss, Louis Dumont applied
Structuralist approach to understand caste system in book
Homo-Hierarchious. Concept of purity and pollution. This can be
used for explaining Structure of caste system. To analyses social
phenomena in terms of ideas. Basis is ideas resemble reality. There
is correspondence between thought and social Structure. This idea
was carried on further by Levi Strauss. 4. Durkheims view that
sacred is symbolic representation of society has been tested
empirically by certain social anthopologists particularly, Mary
Douglas.
He found correspondence between nature of distribution of power
and religion. Douglas also tested it empirically by making certain
contribution like Group concept and Grid concept. She meant how
clear is demarcation between insiders and outsiders in the society.
Some societies are high group societies in which there is clear cut
distinction. Low group societies in which there is no clear cut
distinction. Grid: if a society has very distinct regulation of
conduct
High Grid ( Strict Regulation
Low Grid ( Autonomy
Societies which are high group and high Grid have high
ritualism.
Low group and low Grid ( lower ritualism
Criticism1. He claims that by looking at character of religion
in simplest pristine form, we can understand the complex form. This
assumption breaks down as modern industrial societies are plural
societies, while societies studied by Durkheim are simple
societies. Religion divides are also in plural societies. This
aspect has been ignored. E.g. Indias partition.
2. Durkheims study displays extreme form of social realism i.e.
he is looking at religion purely from collectivitys point of view.
It has consequences for the individual as per Malinowski. The
consequences are of different kinds because individual needs are
different from collectivity needs. At the level of individual,
religion provides security, relieve anxiety. At societal level it
gives solidarity. He has adopted deterministic view point and
subordinated individual to collectivity.3. Durkheim said that in
advanced industrial societies, religion will disappear. Yet
religion has not disappeared because it continues to satisfy
individual needs. It answers the unanswerable.
Fundamental limitation of science is that it cannot explain why
but just how & What. More the change of complexity of society,
more the weakening of social bond and society. More the uncertainty
and anxiety, more the need for religion. Now, religion in
privatized and this has led to pluralism but has not
disappeared.
4. He made absolute distinction between sacred and profane.
Edmund Leach pointed out that in reality no absolute dichotomy it
is more of a continuum and in between two exists mundane neither
sacred nor profane. So it is false at both empirical and conceptual
level. 5. Religion exists to provide solidarity. Critique says
instead of explaining what causes religion, he is explaining what
religion causes. At best, his explanation tells us that once having
emerged, what keeps religion going. But doesnt tell us what led to
creation of religion in first place. So it is illegitimate
teleology. Teleology means explaining something for purpose.
6. Tautology : in his book, at places he says society exists
because of religion and at other places, vice versa. So it is
circular reasoning.
7. Worstey has criticized Durkheims explanation of religion
beliefs and rituals. The explanation for actual religious system
are not accounted for at all, but treated as if say the choice of
the sacred object or of the actual ritual prescription were
arbitrary and unimportant. This is especially regrettable in case
of ritual since it has been argued that rituals infact always
contain important matter bases in agriculture technique of tribe or
group which implies there.
Teleology is a way of explaining anything in terms of
purpose.
Lestewards concept of Telesis is similar consequence can only be
a cause if it existed for a purpose. E.g. coming to class with
previous purpose of learning sociologys consequences. On the most
general plane, religion as a social institution serves to give
meaning to mans existential predicaments by tying the individual to
that supra individual sphere of transcendent values which is
ultimately rooted in his own society. Thus, he advocated a new
humanistic religion for the modern society.
POLITICAL PROCESSES
Working of democratic political system in a traditional
societiesTotalitarian system in Russia is centralized democracy and
totalitarian system, in Iran is Islamic democracy. Democracy has
become value.
Political system based on liberal ideologyLiberal democracy is
seen as manifestation of political modernization. In west, such
kind of system evolved gradually as consequences of social and
economic modernization. It was preceded or accompanied by social
and economic modernization e.g. universal adult suffrage, which was
established in Britain by 1949. Till 1927, there was manhood
suffrage. By that time advanced capitalist society had emerged.
Such political system developed as evolutionary process.
In India, we have traditional form of society, social and
economic modernization had not taken place, when democratic
political system was adopted. Even now, this democratic political
system is not fully through social and economic modernization.
Still we are socially and economically modernizing society and
traditional structure are still persisting. Traditional political
system which developed in India had been feudal monarchical ties.
Liberal democratic system was adopted as result of contact with
west, through elite preference. Not natural evolutional growth, nor
result of peoples preference. Western educated elites who
spearheaded the freedom movement adopted liberal democratic
political system. While political superstructure has become
modernize. Whereas, microstructure remained traditional one, it has
generated its own consequences.
Paul Brass
While modern political system in India tries to modernize
traditional society. The traditional society at the same time tries
to traditionalize the political system.
Salient feature of liberal democratic system that we adopted
from west, particularly from Britain:
1. Egalitarianism: Manifested in rules like eg. Equality before
law, equal protection of law, equality of opportunity.
2. Individualism: liberal ideology is conceived in society as
constituted by autonomous individuals, individuals who enjoy
certain inalienable rights eg. Fundamental Rights. Individual is
the end. State and society exist for the sake of individual. Only
certain reasonable restrictions make individual rights and freedoms
compatible with human living.
3. Secularism: One of the fundamental features of liberal
democracy (Hindutva/Islamic democracy- antithetical to secularism).
In plural societies, political system can not be religious based
democracy. Rise of liberal democracy in west followed
secularization of social life. State should not govern according to
any religious principle. It should be seen on the basis of rational
humanistic principles, should not discriminate against any religion
(Religious parties can exist in secular state but it is a private
matter).4. Federalism: the feature of federalism is very important
in liberal democratic system.
5. Representative and responsible government: Egalitarianism and
individualism can be made functional through representative and
responsible government.
6. Universal adult suffrage.
First instinct of politician is survival, so popular and not
ration decision are taken. Poor were gradually brought into
suffrage. When they were educated, minimal equality had been
achieved. This is fundamental contradiction that political process
includes poor and economic process excludes. In Britain, they were
able to avoid this contradiction, as only when this contradiction
disappeared, they allowed poor to vote.
In Germany- democracy form of govt. stable after world war-II.
After world war-I, Weimer constitution failed by 1930s and Nazi
party came into power. In Italy, democracy is not stable so
far.
Pre-requisite for smooth functioning of liberal democracy:
1. Establishment of certralised nation state, which can
effectively enforce the law and maintain order. In Britain,
sequences of events are like strong state led to Nation State and
finally reached at Democracy. Absolutist monarchy of 16th century
was first stage which repressed all lawlessness. Centralised means
single authority. In medieval times, multiple centres of authority
existed such as religious authority, political authority which was
separated. Henry VIII brought religion under control of king. If
there are other centres of authority, they function under delegated
authority of centre.
2. Liberal democracy emerged with the break down of a social
order based on institutionalized ascriptive inequality. In England,
blacks death in 14th century resulted in mass deaths. So,
hereditary relationship between serfs and lords broke. Wage-labour
relationship started developing. 100 years war between nobles
sacked strength of feudal order. It drained finances. Private
armies paid in cash. Henry VII realized monarchy should be
financially strong, militarily strong. So, custom tax encouraged
merchants. They heavy handedly suppressed nobles and established
rule of law. Inequality was based on achievement, meritocracy
principle were evolving. Germany and France took time to destroy
feudal order, so democracy did not grow.
3. Liberation of individual from control of corporate groups
based on primordial ties like caste, lineage, ethnic ties etc.
Groups based on contract relationships. Hindu votes, Muslim votes,
upper caste and lower caste votes- show existence of primordial
ties. Imam of Jama Maszid asked to issue statement before
elections.
4. Secularisation of social life so that religion becomes a
private affair and social life is governed by rational humanistic
principle. This can be facilitated by spread of secular education
which fosters rational outlook.
5. An effective welfare state which ensures that basic needs of
all sections of population are met because liberal democratic
system operates on peoples consent. People will preserve existing
order, if their needs are met, otherwise questions legitimacy.
6. A consensus regarding basic values: without consensus
democracy cannot work. Within consensus there can be
disagreements.
7. Subsystem autonomy: Every sub-system should be able to
function autonomously.
8. Differentiation of interests among diverse groups and
articulation of interests of these diverse groups through formation
of interests groups.
9. Rise of special avenues for political participation i.e.
political parties. They provide channel for articulation of those
interests and legitimate seeking of power.
To what extent do these pre-requisite exist:
In case of India, both the nation state and democracy emerged
simultaneously unlike west where nation state preceded democracy by
more than 100 years. India still has numerous sub-nation identities
on the basis of religion, linguistic, regional etc. So India is
still a nation in the making. Therefore, compulsions of democracy
i.e. need for political mobilization leads to strengthening of
these identities separatist tendencies exist eg. Kashmir, Punjab,
North-Eastern states. It is generating centrifugal tendencies. Only
virulent regionalism is antithetical not regionalism as such.
Democracy is respect for India surviving as a nation. Regionalism
dies out if democracy sustains eg. Issac Muivah came to negotiation
table (Russia, Yugoslavia broke down because of absence of
democracy).
On economic front: democracy remains liability. No land reforms,
agriculture remains neglected. Democracy depends upon popular
support. Redistribution of incomes is major failure. Poverty could
not be vanished. State failure led to reforms unable to take
rational but unpopular decision.
At political front: because of failure of development of
institution of party system which gave rise to vote bank politics.
It has also resulted in criminalization because consensus has not
been developed.
In India, forged consensus has been developed among diverge
segments to form nation. Basis for consensus has to be worked out.
Over a period of time, the consensus has broken down. New consensus
has to be worked out. But, consensus is being worked on petty
methods like regionalism, religion etc. Political fragmentation
engenders unprincipled opportunistic alliance. Primordial ties are
being used. Even after 50 years literacy rate is less than 75%. In
1950, China was far behind India but now has move ahead. Population
control, anti poverty programs have failed. This kind of liberal
democratic system in west was consequences of economic
modernization. In India it is vice versa. In traditional society,
it will not in line with rational elite. But it cannot act in
unpopular manner.
Day to day matters of decision making is being decided by
executives. Un-executive offices are acting rationally e.g. Supreme
Court, High Court etc. Judicial activism i.e. it is a distortion of
democracy. No accountability. So system is becoming dysfunctional
because of lag between democratic system and traditional
system.
Political parties and their social base and social structural
helps in origin of political elites and their orientation:
It means that with social strata or with segment of society, the
political elite are recruited from and consequences how does it
influence their orientation like political attitude, goals and
ideological orientation. Elite means those who excel in particular
set of activities or a particular set of values. There can be
different types of elites such as business, artistic, sports,
political elites etc.
Political elite can be defined as group of high stratum decision
maker in political structure, which exercise political power,
influences major policies and occupies position of political
command. In this context of present day India, political elite
include those who are elected to central and state legislative
bodies and are recruited to executive/ministerial positions.
Secondly, those who occupy important positions in the political
parties both at the National and the State level and also those
individuals who do not hold any formal position either in
government or in political parties but still exercise political
influence eg. big Industrialists, businessmen, journalists,
intelligentsia etc.
Traditional Political Parties:
Traditionally political elites in India were feudal monarchical
in character and they were recruited from rather narrow social base
i.e. Khatriayas and Brahmins. Kings were from Kshatriyas and
councilors, advisors and priests from Brahmins although, kshatriyas
were not closed category.
Pannikar: No such things as true kshatriyas. Any group which was
able to capture political power successfully at local level and
sustain it long enough came to be reckoned as kshatriyas. In
principle, the rule continued to be ascriptive that their
descendants occupied power as kshatriyas eg. Marathas are from
Kunbis (peasant) became mercenary soldiers then became feudatories
eg. Maurayas, Nandas were Sudras, Satvahanas were Brahmins, Guptas
were Vaishyas and Huns & Sakas (tribal people) were Rajputs.
From time to time different sections of society were recruited into
rank of kshatriyas. They were traditionally oriented and therefore,
mainly pre-occupied with preserving status quo and lacked of
progressive orientation.
After 12th Century
Composition of elites changed in most parts of India. Kshatriyas
and Brahmins combination lost power to Muslim leaders. Ashroff
muslims became new elites, the traditional Indian elite who were
parochial in their outlook, mindset confined to local parochial,
clannish loyalties, lacked of pan-India outlook.
Unlike them, the Muslim elites tended to have Pan-India vision
though this pan-India vision did not lead to formation of National
identity because their pre-occupation was political expansion
through military conquest than brining social-economic
transformation which would facilitate pan-India identity.
Economic and social hierarchy continued to be stagnant and rigid
and therefore did not produce modernizing consequences. Though
created innovation like new system of administration, standing army
to create pan-India empire. But tied to ascriptive principles,
authoritarianism etc. Failed to bring economic changes that could
have facilitated economic modernization because political
centralization is pre-requisite of modern society, means of
transport and communication did not develop control was weak. They
did not institutionalize rational system. Everything depended on
personality of emperor. So shortly after the death of Aurengzeb,
everything collapsed.
After 1857 with consolidation of British rule in India, the
feudalistic monarchical elite witnessed decline. In second half of
19th century, new type of elite emerged. These elite were recruited
from urban middle classes and with a professional background,
western education and western outlook. Caste background remained
continued as a dominant factor. Urban elites were from upper
class.
As a result of their exposure to western education, they were
influenced by human, liberal ideas, socio-religious reform
movements eg. Debendra Nath Tagore, Brahmo Samaj, so they were
committed to Nationalist ideas, egalitarianism and humanism,
freedom, industrialism and therefore they became the agents of
modernization in Indian society and part of modernization.
Anti-colonial struggle was modernizing change, so first they
created idea of nation. This was facilitated from their common
cultural background belonging to pan-India great tradition.
Non-dvijas had localized and parochial identities. Ashroffs had
common Persian culture, access to western education. The elite
became agent of modern economic and political growth and
development. Well before independent, National Planning Committee
created by Congress in 1930s.
Social modernization looked at their society with western eyes
and were able to identify social evils. These elites were
fundamentally different in terms of strong commitment to
transformation. Evident from various sacrifices revealed that they
were against British rule. Thus, they developed a charismatic
personalities. They came to be identified with Nation community.
They represented nation consensus and aspirations. They came to be
called as modernizers. In provincial parliament of 1947, people of
such professional background constituted 85% of part. As late as
1962, they constituted 73% and just participation in freedom
movement not only fostered consensus among them but also fostered
consensus on nation good and democratic ethos. These elites were
able modernize people by forging a nation consensus and this
consensus was represented in the various policies identified after
independent for nation buildings. These elites lasted till 1960s.
By mid 1960s, situation changed, new type of elite started rising.
Charan Singh left Congress and became Chief Minister of U.P. and
leader of Bhartiya Kranti Dal. Change was result of policies
implemented by Congress itself. Rise of new elite from middle
classes that started in mid 1960s and established its dominance by
early 1980s. These elites arose as a result of policies like
abolition of zamindari as kshatriyas witnessed low mobility and
upper classes like jats had high mobility and prolonged democracy
led to their politicization. That is what Rajni Kothari called as
Ascendant castes. They challenged entrenched upper castes. This was
last phase of dominance of earlier elite when modernizing elite
which led freedom movement continued domination in Indian political
system because of Green revolution, land reforms and politicization
of people because of functioning of modern political system, new
elite from middle class started emerging.
New elite lacked access to western education. They had risen by
appealing to local, parochial ethnic, regional (Shiv Sena) etc.
Rather than trying to forge alternative consensus at pan-India
level which would have facilitate principled pursuit of political
goals, they appealed to pre-modern ties to gain expediency based
pursuit of political goals. Machevillian approach says ends are
more important than the means.
Over a period of time, such pursuit of political goals will lead
to loss of legitimacy of state itself. Even traditional upper class
elite who were earlier committed to democratic ethos have also
expedience based pursuit. So unprincipled means for modern goals,
resulting in communalism, criminalization and riots.
Regionalism, Pluralism and Nation unity:
Regionalism:
A region is a geographically contiguous area characterized by
distinctive cultural identity, even a distinctive social order,
shared economic interests & problems and often also a shared
history, common language, religion, castes, kinship patterns,
economic aspiration and problems. Region comes close to a nation.
Regional identity is sub-nation identity.
Robert Stern: Castism is least harmful problem, India has. Caste
can not constitute nation, region can be used for separation.
Regionalism is a manifestation of concern for the region. When
people express social concern for their region because of its
distinct character, this process is called as regionalism. It can
have different forms or expressions like moderate and virulent
regionalism.
Moderate: group identifies with regionalism but its interests
specific to region are not antithetical to nation interests. Though
there is identification with region. People believe regional
interests can be acts within the framework of nation identity.
Virulent: regional interests seen as antithetical to nation
interests eg. NSCN in Nagaland, Hurriyat in Kashmir.
Causes for the prevalence of Regionalism:
Parties like Shiv Sena, Akalies, TDP are regional in nature,
strongly identify with regional identity. Demand for autonomy or
separate statehood like Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Telangana,
vidharbha, Harit Pradesh, Khalistan. These are manifestation of
regional aspiration. Violence in Bihar and Assam is due to
regionalism. It has both moderate and virulent expressions in
India.
Factors
1. India is a plural society and never developed homogenous
nation identity, historically. Process of nation building
strengthened regional identities rather than weakening. Linguistic
re-organisation of status is acceptance of so many regions.
Regional identities are a fact. Federal structure of Indian union
must be preserved. It is healthy, otherwise result in Balkanisation
of India. India is surviving because of regionalism. Regional
identities are historically established identities. Regions became
stronger as nation building was attempted.
2. Secondly, excessive centralization. Blatant use of Article
356. Protest against tendencies towards distortion of
federalism.
3. After independence, economic development has been uneven.
Some areas progressed more than other areas, inspite of avowed
balanced regional planning, North vs South, FDI go to south and
west. These conditions of disparity will contribute to regionalism
because regional disparities create conditions similar to colonial
equation. So regionalism grows as a process against uneven growth
eg. Telangana is still backward, Coastal A.P. is prosperous.
4. Regionalism is also a result of rise of new groups who have
aspirations for political power. Regionalism is populist stance
they adopt to stop entrenched political parties. Other grievances
when they overlap with aspiration of emergent classes for politial
power their appeals are accepted eg. Dravid Nadu was ploy to
dislodge Congress from T.N., so it is clearly an attempt to gain
political power, so it is populism.
5. Regionalism is another short cut method of political
mobilization. Over a period of time, consensus forged during
freedom movement has broken down, this resulted in
fragmentation.
Caste based parties can only be king makers. Horizontal
mobilization gives support of any primordial group, should be
vertical mobilization which is based on consensus among different
strata. But politic lack vision, so appeal to region as regionalism
glosses over caste divisions eg. Khalistan: Sikhs in Punjab
marginal majority because Akalis had support of Jats alone.
Appealing to regionalism, they wanted to bring all Sikhs together.
Regionalism is a case of vertical mobility because of
fragmentation, voting public ends up being faction.
6. Changes that have taken place in India because of which needs
of different sections have become divergent from formed
consensus.
Moderate regionalism is not antithetical to nation unity and
must be respected. Regional aspirations should be accommodated to
maintain Indian entity. Federal structure must be preserved.
Decentralization of Power: Panchayti Raj and Nagar Palikas:
Decentralization of power has been considered as crucial for
bringing about social development. Though the constitutional
assembly debated role of local self government institutions, but
did not consider it so vital for future India. Local self
government were only included in DPSPs in Article 40 which leaves
it to the states to take steps to organize village panchayats and
endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to
enable them to function as units of self government. DPSPs are
non-justiciable, lack of commitment in constitution itself. It was
a state subject. Different states may think differently. Only two
ties: federal and state. High degree of centralization of power is
in the hands of bureaucracy at the local level. Although leaders
like M.N. Roy and even Gandhi talked about Gram Swaraj and autonomy
for village communities i.e. not only administration
decentralization but also devolution of powers. Most of leaders who
were members of constitutional assembly did not feel need for grass
root democracy. After independence, we thought in terms of rural
development and therefore community development programs launched
in 1952 during first five year plan. Numerous studies including
those conducted by local government found largely a failure. Its
benefits accrued to relatively better sections of rural society.
Whole program was envisaged to function on principle of active
community participation. But no such participation took place, lack
of institutional structure led to this. Bureaucracy was ill-suited
for mobilizing community, suspicion and distrust of community. Some
members of constitutional assembly including Ambedkar were opposed
to any attempt at devolution of power because they suspected
legitimization of land owning upper class and exploitation. Though
bureaucracy would act in unbiased manner and deliver benefit for
all. Numerous studies have shown this. Bureaucracy tends to
identify with vested interests. This is what happened to community
development programs, worked for entrenched upper classes.
Balwant Rai Mehta Committee:
This committee was appointed by government to review functioning
of community development programs. It strongly recommended that
community participation can only take place if there is an
institutional framework to facilitate such participation by the
people. Therefore, the need for grass root democracy was
emphasized. Various other studies in other countries like Brazil,
Jordan, South Africa, Botswana and States like Kerala, W.B, M.P.,
Karnataka etc. have clearly shown the various advantages of
decentralization.
Advantages:
1. Faster response to local needs. First hand knowledge of real
problems of local people. Administrative delays, when decision
making is centralized and correct identification of peoples
need.
2. Greater transparency and accountability. If decision making
is easily accessible to people, transparency and efficiency
increases. Most of primary schools in villages had improved
attendance of primary school teachers.
3. Better information flow: Decentralisation provides
administration with early warning of potential disasters.
4. Decentralisation makes planning more realistic and
development projects become more sustainable as local people get
actively involved in design, execution and monitoring the projects.
There is participation budgeting and accounting.
5. Peoples motivation increases as they are stakeholders.
6. Local self government act as nurseries of political
leadership, provide opportunities for participation. Nurseries of
training future political leaders.
7. It acts as safety valve to terrorism, secessionism and other
kinds of protest.
Decentralization of power is essential for speedy and effective
development of national unity, law & order. This was realized
after Balwant Rai Mehta Committee report.
Recommendations
1. Establishment of a three tier Panchayati Raj Sytem i.e. Gram
Panchayat at village level, Panchayat Samiti at Block level and
Zila Parishad at District level.
2. They should be linked through indirect elections. Village
panchayats should have direct elections, whereas Panchayat Samiti
and Zila Parishad should have indirect elections.
3. All planning and developmental activities should be entrusted
to these bodies.
4. Panchayat Samiti should be an executive body while Zila
Parishad should be advisory and supervisory body.
5. Power and responsibility should be transferred to these
bodies and adequate resources must be provided to enable them to
discharge functions.
6. District Collector should be chairman of Zila Parishad.
7. System must be evolved for progressive devolution of powers
and responsible in future.
Developmental programs should be instituted and planned at local
level. As a result of this, on 2nd Oct., 1959, first Panchayat was
inaugurated by Nehru in Nagaur, Rajasthan, followed by another on
at Shadnagar near Hyderabad.
It was left states to design the structure of local self govt.
and timing of their elections. By mid, 1960s almost all parts of
India established Panchayti Raj System. Many of them showed
encouraging result eg. AVARD in 1962: people felt that they had
sufficient powers to mould their futures. Privileges earlier
enjoyed by Block Development Officers have come under their
control. Attendance of primary school teachers improved in these
areas. People were freely able to voice their grievances to
pradhans and also had remedies implemented.
Planning Commission conducted all India level study: 114
villages as sample:
Significant change in nature of rural bodies. Younger and more
educated leaders were emerging as village Sarpanch. It also
contribute to cooperation among groups which were earlier hostile
to each other.
Yogendra Singh conducted studies in six villages in U.P.
Although, Local Self Government continued to be in hands of land
owning dominant castes but they lost normative basis of right to
rule. Now, they rule by winning elections, appease numerical
dominance. However, because it was a state subject more than dozen
committees were appease in different states to implement
recommendation of Balwant Rai Mehta committee. These changes were
not appreciated by political elite at state level. They would not
like their monopoly over political power to be shared.
In T.N., sixteen times elections were postponed and reasons
which were sighted for postponing elections were equally true for
state assembly election, but they were not postponed. Where
elections were held, there was no power or resources. First general
panchayats proved to be a case of failure.
Even central government showed cynicism to panchayati raj
institutions. In mid 1960s, idea of community development
disappeared. Intensive area development programs were launched
instead of Community Development Programs.
In 1967, loss of power of congress in most states (DMK, BKD,
Communist party in Bengal) because of three successive rain
failures. Indira Gandhi resorted to this by populist politics
Garibi Hatao. Bangladesh war won, lot of anti poverty programs,
rural development programs, centrally sponsored schemes,
bureaucratic administration.
In 1977, Janta party tried to many populist things. Ashok Mehta
Committee was appointed. This committee gave its report in 1978 and
its recommendations were:
1. Two tier system should be there where population is between
15,000 to 20,000 i.e. Zila Parishad at District level and Mandal
Panchayat at group level.
2. Zila Parishad was to consist of elected representatives with
elected chairman.
3. Panchayat elections to be fought on party level.
4. Panchayats should be given the right to raise their own
resources by taxation.
5. In case of supercession of any panchayats elections must be
held in six months.
6. Judicial decentralization i.e. Nayay Panchayat should be
established.
7. Developmental functions at village level should be inferred
to zila parishad.
8. Every state should have ministry for Panchayti Raj
Insititution.
9. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes must have
representation at both levels in proportion to their
population.
In 1977, in Bengal CPM government came to power. It went on
massive drive for establishment base at grass root level. Shortly
afterwards, in early 1980s, in Karnataka and A.P. also non-Congress
governments came to power. W.B. followed by A.P. and Karnataka
where Ashok Mehta Committee recommendations were adopted. In
Karnataka, genuine attempts were made for infer of resources to
panch. Again debate surfaced for need of Panchayti Raj Insitution.
Because became obvious that tip heavy structure with centralization
will collapse. Development delivery through bureaucracy controlled
institutions became very insignificant.
In later 1980s, debate surfaced again. In 1985, at AICC session
in Bombay, Rajiv Gandhi pointed out how poor are being exploited by
power brokers. Bureaucratic administration developmental programs
can not succeed. Political compulsions of elections in 1989, he
gave employment to 20,000 dalits in govt. services in two months
though no services needed. By the President orders, declared funds
would be given to village Sarpanch directly and Panchayti Raj
institution would be revived. So in 1989, it was realized
constitutional support is must. Third generation panchayat with
73rd and 74th amendment bills, Narsimhan Rao passed 73rd and 74th
amendment.
73rd and 74th amendments:
Articles 243 to 243 (O), contain the provisions regarding
panchayti raj system. In 1996, according to Bhuria Committee, these
provisions were amended to extend them to tribal dominate states.
Now, uniform system of Panchayti Raj institutions has been
established.
Provisions:
This constitutional amendment is not automatically binding. It
envisages that every state will pass conformity Act, whereby i