Dawn Love
Blog – 4
Zopf
Soc. 385
Division of Labour Crime and
Punishment
Durkheim’s first works, The Division of Labour, was Durkheim’s general approach to explore the concept of social solidarity, common consciousness, systems of common morality, and forms of law, which included: Mechanical solidarity and Organic solidarity, and the causes and conditions of the division of labour (Durkheim 23-47). Here we will discuss his theories of mechanical and organic solidarity, define them, and apply them to some form of society past or present.
Mechanical Solidarity is defined according to Durkheim as the totality of beliefs and sentiments common to average members of the same society, which forms a particular system with alife of its own. Durkheim’s refers to this as the collective or commonconsciousness (Durkheim pg. 27). He explains that it poises certain assurances which are for the most part agreed on throughout its society. Let us apply Durkheim’s theory of mechanical solidarity to the era of hunting and gatheringa rather close-knit society, and focus on the social laws or mores of that time. As most can imagine the laws are quite different than anything that we are accustom to today. Hunting and Gathering consisted of written mores (mora laws) that society followed; there were no codified laws in that time. So, how does a society live without a system of laws set in place to protect itssociety members? If a problem arose it was taken to a high member of counsel that decided if the accusations were true, and if so, what punishment would be imposed. Punishment in the hunting and gathering era mostly consisted ofostracism (banishment) from society. In this particular era crime mostly included; revenge for a family member for what could be any number reasons, but as I understand it this era was relatively crime free due to fear of the consequences of social punishment, but these moral laws were what their society lived by for the pursuit of justice. They lived by the moral codes of their tribe because that was the norm; anything outside that norm was punishable, and if we look into our mind's eye we can imagine that the punishment more times than not was probably unjust and unwarranted.
The perceptions of law and how it is applied changes greatly throughout our time span Durkheim felt as the population grew people began to move away from closely-knit societies. The dynamic that was social cohesion moved into a newer era, so it was time for more complex ways of dealing with the issues of crime and punishment, as well as many other issues. Durkheim’s Organic Solidarity theory was what he was felt the advancement of the division of labour and it was due in part to the weakening of the collective consciousness (Durkheim). Meaning the growth of the population as a whole lead to more people having their own agenda, and or ideas of commonly shared experiences and what those experiences maybe to each individual. Durkheim postulates in each of us there are two distinct consciences, one of which is society living and acting within us, and that which represents personal and distinct individuals (Durkheim). As the common experiences and moral cohesiveness of societies grew further apart it called for a system of change.
According to Durkheim’s Organic Solidarity laws were more focused on restitutive or restorative laws. These laws bind offenders of justice to restitution for their offenses, which were mostly unheard of in the hunting and gathering era. As the modern era moved in governmental laws were put in place to deal with the rising population and with that the increase of crimes against others. Laws such as contracts binding one another to live up to their end of their business transactions, or moving into a more modern era of crime and punishment with the introduction of the prison system, and beyond that, the death penalty for crimes of a severely hideous nature. In summing up, Durkheim’s theories of the Division
of Labour Crime and Punishment included the fundamental associations and modification for the advancements of future societies. I will leave you with this quote from Durkheim.
“We note the existence of certain acts, all presenting the external characteristics that they evoke from society the particular reaction called punishment. We constitute them as a separate group to which we give a common label; we call every punished act a crime, and crime thus defined becomes the object of a special science, criminology.”(Durkheim).
Blog – 4
Zopf
Soc. 385
Division of Labour Crime and
Punishment
Durkheim’s first works, The Division of Labour, was Durkheim’s general approach to explore the concept of social solidarity, common consciousness, systems of common morality, and forms of law, which included: Mechanical solidarity and Organic solidarity, and the causes and conditions of the division of labour (Durkheim 23-47). Here we will discuss his theories of mechanical and organic solidarity, define them, and apply them to some form of society past or present.
Mechanical Solidarity is defined according to Durkheim as the totality of beliefs and sentiments common to average members of the same society, which forms a particular system with alife of its own. Durkheim’s refers to this as the collective or commonconsciousness (Durkheim pg. 27). He explains that it poises certain assurances which are for the most part agreed on throughout its society. Let us apply Durkheim’s theory of mechanical solidarity to the era of hunting and gatheringa rather close-knit society, and focus on the social laws or mores of that time. As most can imagine the laws are quite different than anything that we are accustom to today. Hunting and Gathering consisted of written mores (mora laws) that society followed; there were no codified laws in that time. So, how does a society live without a system of laws set in place to protect itssociety members? If a problem arose it was taken to a high member of counsel that decided if the accusations were true, and if so, what punishment would be imposed. Punishment in the hunting and gathering era mostly consisted ofostracism (banishment) from society. In this particular era crime mostly included; revenge for a family member for what could be any number reasons, but as I understand it this era was relatively crime free due to fear of the consequences of social punishment, but these moral laws were what their society lived by for the pursuit of justice. They lived by the moral codes of their tribe because that was the norm; anything outside that norm was punishable, and if we look into our mind's eye we can imagine that the punishment more times than not was probably unjust and unwarranted.
The perceptions of law and how it is applied changes greatly throughout our time span Durkheim felt as the population grew people began to move away from closely-knit societies. The dynamic that was social cohesion moved into a newer era, so it was time for more complex ways of dealing with the issues of crime and punishment, as well as many other issues. Durkheim’s Organic Solidarity theory was what he was felt the advancement of the division of labour and it was due in part to the weakening of the collective consciousness (Durkheim). Meaning the growth of the population as a whole lead to more people having their own agenda, and or ideas of commonly shared experiences and what those experiences maybe to each individual. Durkheim postulates in each of us there are two distinct consciences, one of which is society living and acting within us, and that which represents personal and distinct individuals (Durkheim). As the common experiences and moral cohesiveness of societies grew further apart it called for a system of change.
According to Durkheim’s Organic Solidarity laws were more focused on restitutive or restorative laws. These laws bind offenders of justice to restitution for their offenses, which were mostly unheard of in the hunting and gathering era. As the modern era moved in governmental laws were put in place to deal with the rising population and with that the increase of crimes against others. Laws such as contracts binding one another to live up to their end of their business transactions, or moving into a more modern era of crime and punishment with the introduction of the prison system, and beyond that, the death penalty for crimes of a severely hideous nature. In summing up, Durkheim’s theories of the Division
of Labour Crime and Punishment included the fundamental associations and modification for the advancements of future societies. I will leave you with this quote from Durkheim.
“We note the existence of certain acts, all presenting the external characteristics that they evoke from society the particular reaction called punishment. We constitute them as a separate group to which we give a common label; we call every punished act a crime, and crime thus defined becomes the object of a special science, criminology.”(Durkheim).