Community Essay Example

related to an individual's overall social status, and seen to be long enduring.

According to Cree (2000, P 126), relationships characterized by cultural homogeneity occur within the family and simpler small-scale societies. These relationships are often considered pre-modern. In Gemeinschaft, individuals are aware of their identity, beliefs, and values, which are well-defined and understood. As a result, they work towards maintaining the status quo and conforming. Anonymity and individual/personal values were not prominent features in such communities. The focus was on promoting traditional values, such as those upheld by the church.

Within Gemeinschaft, social mobility was limited, as individuals were expected to remain within their birth communities. The community's values were established and passed down from generation to generation by the church and family, without question (Bell and Newby, 1978, P24). Tightly knit neighborhoods allowed for the development of close friendships through shared tasks such as "work, organization, and forms of administration" (Tonnies, 2001, P28). Living in close proximity to one another led to the creation of support networks.

The roles and statuses of Gemeinschaft members were determined by social stratification, creating clear distinctions within the community. The shared belief was necessary for the community's survival, contributing to a sense of "security and safety" (Holman, 1998) and belonging among its members. However, Tonnies observed that industrialisation and urbanisation were transforming the idea of community from Gemeinschaft to Gesellschaft, characterized by less intimate, private, and exclusive living arrangements.

Life equals Gemeinschaft.

According to Tonnies, Gesellschaft represents public life and the world itself, whereas Gemeinschaft is an older concept. Tonnies viewed the move towards Gesellschaft as a positive change that would result in social benefits. In Gesellschaft, relationships are characterized

by being impersonal, individualistic, competitive, calculative and contractual - a hallmark of modern urban-industrial societies.

According to Tonnies, Gemeinschaft relationships lost their naturalness and mutuality in society characterized by formal and aloof relationships. Urbanization led to greater social mobility, both geographically and socially. This allowed people to leave tight-knit villages for better housing conditions, employment opportunities, and greater economic rewards in towns. As a result, people became individuals with equal status and opportunities, breaking away from rigid and predetermined values (Cree, 2000, Pp 126-129). Some social scientists initially argued that rural communities were Gemeinschaft communities, while urban areas were Gesellschaft communities. However, later studies claimed that although urban districts may lack some of the positive features of rural societies, they still have beneficial aspects.

Tonnies believed that Gemeinschaft was like a "living organism" and that Gesellschaft was like a "mechanical aggregate and artefact" (Cree, 2000, P127). Durkheim's essay 'The Division of Labour in Society', first published in 1893 (Cree, 200 P127), similarly distinguished between pre-industrial and industrial society. Durkheim observed that pre-industrial society was characterized by little social differentiation, an unspecialized division of labor, a segmentary structure, and a strong collective consciousness based on "mechanical solidarity." This solidarity was rooted in the similarity between members who shared the same beliefs, values, and largely similar roles.

According to Durkheim, the society is formed and its members are bonded in a closely interconnected communal life. Durkheim refers to mechanical solidarity as the most potent form of solidarity that arises from similarity. He argues that this solidarity is at its optimum when the collective conscience fully envelops the individual conscience and coincides with every aspect of it. Nevertheless, Durkheim disagrees with

Tonnies' view of Gemeinschaft, which romanticises pre-industrial society and portrays consistent harmony, as members of this society were living in collective dissent about living in a repressive state. On the other hand, Durkheim believes that organic solidarity is based on difference rather than uniformity, and unity can be compared to that of a physical organism where varying parts perform various functions while working together to sustain the organism (Haralambos and Holborn, 1995, P184).

According to Haralambos and Holborn (1995, P 184), occupational roles in industrial society are specialized but work together to maintain the society. This specialization allows individuals to live more freely, which can lead to a "state of Egoism" (Cree, 2000, P 172) where individuals distance themselves from others. Durkheim believed that specialization and cooperation were necessary for efficient production of goods and services in society, creating a dependency on other members' skills and resulting in organic solidarity (Haralambos and Holborn, 1995, P 184 - 185).

According to Durkheim, the absence of organized governance in society can cause restlessness among its members. To address this, he proposed a framework of governance where there would be a governing body to cater to the needs of each specialist occupation in each part of society. Durkheim also introduced the concept of mechanical solidarity and organic solidarity by identifying unique features to each type based on demographic and morphological factors. The community has undergone significant changes over time, with Tonnies' notions of Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft highlighting the shift from traditional communities built on blood ties and land to industrialization and urbanization. Today, informal and competitive communities dominate post-industrial relationships. Despite the contrast in Durkheim's views on community, they shared

similar features with Tonnies' writings, particularly concerning relationships and communities in the post-industrial era.

According to Cree's Sociology for Social Workers and Probation Officers, the writings of Tonnies have persisted and remain relevant to communities in the current century. Even though both the concepts of Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft are idealized, there are elements of both present in differing amounts in all societies in real life as per Kuper (1999), pages 114 - 115.