Thursday, February 5, 2009

Mechanical versus Organic Solidarity and their Appearance in Public High School

This memo reveals the differences between mechanical and organic solidarity. Also it discusses how mechanical and organic solidarity operates and fails to operate in public high schools.
Posted by at

4 comments:

  1. RenaFebruary 5, 2009 at 5:54 PM

    Mechanical versus Organic Solidarity: How They Manifest in Public High Schools

    For Durkheim, the most fundamental difference between mechanical and organic solidarity is the first is predicated on likeness, while the latter is predicated on complementary differences or interdependence (16). However, both are extreme model types of solidarity. Mechanical solidarity (in extreme form) exists in a society with no division of labor. Everyone acts the same, looks the same, wears the same clothes, and is engaged in the same type of work. There is virtually no individuality. The individual is linked directly to society because the collective consciousness is held by everyone. The collective consciousness takes precedence over the individual; thus leaving no individual differences. The Amish, monks in a monastery, stereotypes of the military or white suburbia are examples of mechanical solidarity. The way to measure this type of solidarity is through repressive law (29). These laws are based on punishment for a violation of the collective consciousness of a society. Crime is created by society in regards to their collective consciousness. Punishment aims to reaffirm the collective consciousness. The role of the state is to defend and embody the collective consciousness. The state ensures that punishment is public, passionate, and organized.
    In societies with organic solidarity, the division of labor is present. This is because organic solidarity is based on people having different individual roles, duties, jobs (specialization). Specialization leads to interdependence. Not everyone is doing every task, but all in relation to one another in order to perform all functions of a society. Thus, individuals are indirectly linked to society. Individuals are linked to society by their relations with others in the division of labor. Individual consciousness dominates the collective consciousness, due to specialization. Durkheim uses the example of marriage to reveal organic solidarity. He asserts that women and men perform different functions that help the family unit sustain, thus dependent and attracted to one another (20). He is describing the gender division of labor. Organic solidarity is measured through restitutive laws. These laws create sanctions that restore the previous state of affairs in order to restore the relations of the division of labor (29). Durkheim asserts the role of the state is to coordinate functions of society. The state reminds us of common solidarity by regulating through laws and coordinating institutions. This reminds us that we are in the division of labor (173).
    Public high schools prepare people for entrance into the division of labor. Students are placed into different educational tracks, such as vocational or college prep. Students are placed into these tracks largely by class origin. Usually students will join similar ranks in the workforce as their parents with some exceptions. This is a forced division of labor that does not generate solidarity in society as Durkheim claims. Public High schools have racial, class, and gender biases and inequalities that reproduce class origin and force people into a certain place in the division of labor. This seems to produce no solidarity between classes. As Marx would assert, this reproduces class conflict. There can be solidarity among each class, but of a mechanical character. Children of capitalists are trained to be capitalists by entering advanced placement courses and children of proletariats are trained to be proletariats by entering the vocational track. Class, race, and gender divides are created, not a sense of common solidarity and one cohesive society.
    However, within the school itself, there are aspects of mechanical and organic solidarity. Teachers unions possess mechanical solidarity because they all have the same profession and share common goals. Different groups of students experience mechanical solidarity because they conform to each other and possess similarities. Organic solidarity exists between teachers, administrators, janitors, counselors, and students because they all have a specific role in the functioning of the school and are interdependent. In order for the school to function successfully all these different positions are needed and people enter into relations with each other.

    ReplyDelete
  2. pwinickiFebruary 8, 2009 at 2:18 PM

    I think you brought up an important point regarding Durkheim when you discussed how the different educational tracks correlate with classes in this country. He assumes that it is “we who choose our profession…”(174) without considering that our "individual" choices are shaped and restricted by our place in society.

    ReplyDelete
  3. NickPFebruary 8, 2009 at 10:41 PM

    Nice analysis. I look forward to hearing your critiques of Durkheim.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Justin TaFebruary 8, 2009 at 11:10 PM

    Hey Radiant Rena,

    I liked your analysis. I had a very similar perspective on the types of solidarity generated in education. For the school to function, it operates on organic solidarity, sort of like a hierarchy, (i.e. the principal, the teachers, janitors, etc.) all of these members in this organization have specific roles in order for the school to be functional. However, students in a classroom replicate mechanical solidarity as they are all taught the same, have the same amount of work in that class, and are graded on the same criterion.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)