Thursday, February 5, 2009

Mechanical Vs. Organic Solidarity

In this essay I will discuss the differences between Durkheim's mechanical and organic solidarity and how they apply to my sorority.

2 comments:

  1. Durkheim’s mechanical solidarity is based on similarities. In mechanical solidarity society performs and functions as a machine; where members of society function as identical gears that interlock with each other to keep the machine running. The similarities of the members create a collective consciousness. This collective consciousness is made up common sentiments and morals that society upholds (39). According to Durkheim, the collective consciousness is not enough to measure solidarity. Repressive laws not only protect and uphold the collective consciousness, but to Durkheim, is a direct way to measure solidarity (25). Any violation of the collective consciousness is deemed a crime. A punishment must be administered in order to uphold the collective consciousness and to remind the members of society of the common morals. Failure to punish an attack or violation of the collective consciousness would deteriorate the strength and importance of the collective consciousness (63). Punishment must therefore be public, passionate, and organized to perform its full function. The state serves as the organization that embodies, represents, and defends the collective consciousness. It is therefore the organization’s responsibility to carry out the organized punishment in order to defend the collective consciousness.

    Organic solidarity, on the other hand, is based on complementary differences (17). Society works as body, where members are the organs that function together towards a common goal (85). Individualism is embraced in organic solidarity, for it is those differences that allow them to work together as they specialize and become interdependent. The relationships that develop from division of labor become more complex. The state must therefore intercept to regulate the relations, as if to regulate the organs in a body (166). Relations are regulated through restitutive laws. Restitutive laws are meant to restore relations that have been harmed.

    The first thought people have of sororities is that they are made up of girls that have conformed to fit the sorority. Mechanical solidarity is obvious in the sorority. Every person joins because they are interested in what the sorority stands for. The girls that join are obviously similar, since they are interested in the same issues that our sorority addresses. As a sorority we work together to maintain the morals that we live up to, our collective consciousness. Our similar interest allow us to decide what issues we direct our attention to, whether it’s a cause related to health or public education. Our collective consciousness has to be protected; however we do not have repressive laws. Instead, the sorority focuses on restoring relations, like restitutive laws in organic solidarity. As the sorority grows, it is our duty, as executive board and mine as president, to make sure that the relations in the sorority remain unharmed. Therefore, organic solidarity too exists. Every sister is different in her own way and brings a different perspective to the sorority. Although there are similarities, individualism is always encouraged and supported. Division of labor is evident through our executive board. The executive board members specialize in their task for the time given that they hold office. Each officer performs a certain function to help maintain the sorority functioning as a whole. Without one officer, the sorority does not fulfill its function. Although mechanical solidarity exists in the sorority, organic solidarity is definitely the reigning solidarity.

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  2. I can see how an organization such as a sorority has the potential of having both mechanical and organic solidarity. All must conform, as you said, to fit the sorority's views. At the same time, everyone has individual roles that they must do to maintain the organization, bringing the organic solidarity side of this institution. It's interesting to see how even this organization has a punishment type system similar to a restitutive type system that Durkheim discusses in an organic society.

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