Durkheim sought to establish sociology as a legitimate form of science that would essentially clarify what other sciences, such as psychology or biology, could not. Whereas psychology and biology attribute behaviors to individuals, Durkheim argues that sociology is the study of social facts and institutions which both reflect and shape societal behaviors. In Division of Labor in Society, the
emergence of social facts and institutions are demonstrated. According to Durkheim, a social fact is not able to exist unless several individuals have interacted with one another. By creating a division of labor through increased specialization, individuals became increasingly dependent on one other and sustained what Durkheim referred to as “organic solidarity.” Thus, Durkheim argues that the necessary interaction among individuals in order to create social facts was in part due to the division of labor.
The social facts and institutions that emerged as a result of this social solidarity promoted the norms, values, and beliefs of its collective conscience. Despite these social facts having been created by individuals, because they embodied the collective conscience Durkheim stressed the importance of approaching social facts as independent “things.” That is they exist outside the individual because although social facts reflect societal values and norms, they also contribute in the creation and establishment of these societal norms which in turn shape our social conscience. (For example, we created schools and in these schools instilled our society’s values and norms. However, current and future students have not contributed to the creation of these schools or had any say in what values and norms should be taught. Instead, current and future students are shaped by the information taught by schools and adopt these schools values and norms as their own.)
Using a functionalist approach Durkheim argues that social conscience and social facts are necessary to society because they create regulation. He then goes on to debate the necessity of balanced regulation which leans neither too far towards fatalism nor too far towards anomie. In Durkheim’s Suicide, he demonstrates how unbalanced regulation prohibits individuals from effectively integrating into society. Using Durkheim’s theory on social facts, I will analyze the institution of government as a social fact and demonstrate how the institution was created, how it embodies the collective conscience, and how it creates regulation both within and outside itself.
When Cristopher Columbus arrived in America he wasn’t greeted by the president or politicians in suits. No, early white colonists had the task of establishing a new government. A single white colonist would not be left with the task of creating our government, instead a group of white colonists unified by their resistance to Great Britain would establish American democracy, a government which starkly contrasted with Great Britain’s monarchy. Our government was embedded with the values and beliefs of these early white colonists. Hence, our constitution demonstrates many of theirs and ours most cherished values such as the freedom of speech, and rights of equality. However, it is also the reason why much of the legislation surrounding suffrage and property ownership was racialize (again because it embodied the beliefs of early white colonists).
The institution of government was formed, and became central to establishing the norms and values of society through legislation. Fortunately, many of the discriminatory laws effecting blacks were stuck down after the civil war and blacks were, at least on paper, afforded equal rights. (Durkheim spoke briefly about how individuals could not change social facts once they were established unless it was a unified and deliberate effort. I believe that change in legislation after the civil word is a good reflection of this). Therefore, we get a brief idea of how America’s institution of government was created through interaction among individuals, how it promotes and instills
societal values and beliefs, and how it regulates it citizens through legislation. In short, the US. Government fulfills all of Durkheim’s necessary requirements to qualify as a social fact.
If we wanted to further our analysis, we could analyze how our government is currently composed. In the broadest of terms our government houses individuals who have fundamentally different beliefs about how to run our country. Many individuals make up the republican party, other the democratic party, a smaller few the tea party, etc. So although we see division (different parties) in the government, we can still observe individuals interacting and being unified not only because of a dependence on one another to perform certain job tasks, but because many maintain a vision about the future of America. Because of this unity, parties are formed and these parties present as their platform the collective conscience of the individuals it comprises, hence we have a party which presents itself as more liberal and a party which presents itself as more conservative, etc. The way that these parties exert regulation is not only by establishing regulation of citizens through legislation, but the parties also aid in regulating one another. That is the parties were systematically set up as another form of checks and balances as was the three branches of government. Again these parties illustrate societal values and norms so that some citizens proclaim themselves democratic and others republican.
It is obvious that our government functions to provide regulation, but let’s briefly regress back to Durkheim’s argument about the balance of regulation. Assuming that all of the US. government’s checks and balances actually makes for balanced regulation, what government then would have unbalanced regulation? When thinking about anomie we can assume that a country without government would have very poor regulation. So perhaps a country undergoing a revolution which has currently rid itself of the undesirable government but has yet to adopt a new form of
government. In this countries we can see instability as illustrated through mass violence, poor economy, etc. When demonstrating fatalism we think about over regulation and thus Communism would make for a good example. Over regulation may also create instability, as it may
produce a poorer quality of life for its citizens despite perhaps being able to claim economic stability – as the “redistribution” of wealth in these countries rarely if ever increases the quality of life for its citizens.
In conclusion, it is important as sociologists to understand how social facts and
institutions come into being, how they impact and reflect social behaviors and
beliefs, and what functions these social facts serve.
emergence of social facts and institutions are demonstrated. According to Durkheim, a social fact is not able to exist unless several individuals have interacted with one another. By creating a division of labor through increased specialization, individuals became increasingly dependent on one other and sustained what Durkheim referred to as “organic solidarity.” Thus, Durkheim argues that the necessary interaction among individuals in order to create social facts was in part due to the division of labor.
The social facts and institutions that emerged as a result of this social solidarity promoted the norms, values, and beliefs of its collective conscience. Despite these social facts having been created by individuals, because they embodied the collective conscience Durkheim stressed the importance of approaching social facts as independent “things.” That is they exist outside the individual because although social facts reflect societal values and norms, they also contribute in the creation and establishment of these societal norms which in turn shape our social conscience. (For example, we created schools and in these schools instilled our society’s values and norms. However, current and future students have not contributed to the creation of these schools or had any say in what values and norms should be taught. Instead, current and future students are shaped by the information taught by schools and adopt these schools values and norms as their own.)
Using a functionalist approach Durkheim argues that social conscience and social facts are necessary to society because they create regulation. He then goes on to debate the necessity of balanced regulation which leans neither too far towards fatalism nor too far towards anomie. In Durkheim’s Suicide, he demonstrates how unbalanced regulation prohibits individuals from effectively integrating into society. Using Durkheim’s theory on social facts, I will analyze the institution of government as a social fact and demonstrate how the institution was created, how it embodies the collective conscience, and how it creates regulation both within and outside itself.
When Cristopher Columbus arrived in America he wasn’t greeted by the president or politicians in suits. No, early white colonists had the task of establishing a new government. A single white colonist would not be left with the task of creating our government, instead a group of white colonists unified by their resistance to Great Britain would establish American democracy, a government which starkly contrasted with Great Britain’s monarchy. Our government was embedded with the values and beliefs of these early white colonists. Hence, our constitution demonstrates many of theirs and ours most cherished values such as the freedom of speech, and rights of equality. However, it is also the reason why much of the legislation surrounding suffrage and property ownership was racialize (again because it embodied the beliefs of early white colonists).
The institution of government was formed, and became central to establishing the norms and values of society through legislation. Fortunately, many of the discriminatory laws effecting blacks were stuck down after the civil war and blacks were, at least on paper, afforded equal rights. (Durkheim spoke briefly about how individuals could not change social facts once they were established unless it was a unified and deliberate effort. I believe that change in legislation after the civil word is a good reflection of this). Therefore, we get a brief idea of how America’s institution of government was created through interaction among individuals, how it promotes and instills
societal values and beliefs, and how it regulates it citizens through legislation. In short, the US. Government fulfills all of Durkheim’s necessary requirements to qualify as a social fact.
If we wanted to further our analysis, we could analyze how our government is currently composed. In the broadest of terms our government houses individuals who have fundamentally different beliefs about how to run our country. Many individuals make up the republican party, other the democratic party, a smaller few the tea party, etc. So although we see division (different parties) in the government, we can still observe individuals interacting and being unified not only because of a dependence on one another to perform certain job tasks, but because many maintain a vision about the future of America. Because of this unity, parties are formed and these parties present as their platform the collective conscience of the individuals it comprises, hence we have a party which presents itself as more liberal and a party which presents itself as more conservative, etc. The way that these parties exert regulation is not only by establishing regulation of citizens through legislation, but the parties also aid in regulating one another. That is the parties were systematically set up as another form of checks and balances as was the three branches of government. Again these parties illustrate societal values and norms so that some citizens proclaim themselves democratic and others republican.
It is obvious that our government functions to provide regulation, but let’s briefly regress back to Durkheim’s argument about the balance of regulation. Assuming that all of the US. government’s checks and balances actually makes for balanced regulation, what government then would have unbalanced regulation? When thinking about anomie we can assume that a country without government would have very poor regulation. So perhaps a country undergoing a revolution which has currently rid itself of the undesirable government but has yet to adopt a new form of
government. In this countries we can see instability as illustrated through mass violence, poor economy, etc. When demonstrating fatalism we think about over regulation and thus Communism would make for a good example. Over regulation may also create instability, as it may
produce a poorer quality of life for its citizens despite perhaps being able to claim economic stability – as the “redistribution” of wealth in these countries rarely if ever increases the quality of life for its citizens.
In conclusion, it is important as sociologists to understand how social facts and
institutions come into being, how they impact and reflect social behaviors and
beliefs, and what functions these social facts serve.