What Holds Societies Together

Macionis, John J. Sociology. 14th (New York: Pearson, 2012)
What holds Societies together?
Lenski: members of a society are united by a shared culture, although cultural patterns become more diverse as a society gains more complex technology. As technology becomes more complex, inequality divides a society more and more, although industrialization reduces inequality somewhat.
Marx: not unity but socially divided based on class position. From his point of view, elites may force an uneasy peace, but true social unity can occur only if production becomes a cooperative process.
Weber: the members of a society share a worldview. Just as tradition joined people together in the preindustrial societies, so modern societies have created rational, large-scale organizations that connect people’s lives, bureaucracies take on a key role
Durkheim: Solidarity. he contrasted the mechanical solidarity of preindustrial societies, which is based on shared morality, with modern society’s organic solidarity, which is based on specialization.
How do Societies change?
Lenski: through technological innovation; sociocultural evolution that over time transforms an entire society. Societies differ mostly in terms of changing technology. Modern society stands out from past societies in terms of its enormous productive power.
Marx: historical differences in productivity (mode of production), with continuing social conflict (except simple hunters and gatherers). Modern society is distinctive mostly because it brings that conflict (class struggle) out into the open. He highlights the struggle between classes as the engine of change,
Weber: ideas contribute to social change. Members of preindustrial societies have a traditional outlook; modern people take a rational worldview. A particular worldview—Calvinism—set in motion the Industrial Revolution, which ended up reshaping all of society.
Durkheim: an expanding division of labor as the key dimension of social change. Traditional societies are characterized by mechanical solidarity based on moral likeness; modern industrial societies based on organic solidarity characterized by the productive specialization.
Where are the societies headed?
Lenski: Greater specialized people processing information
Marx: class conflict pushing societies toward revolution; socialism. Capitalism would generate the seeds of its own destruction.
Weber: iron cage, with growing rationality creating an ever spreading «disenchantment» with the world.
Durkheim: new forms of associations would bind highly differentiated people together and resolve anomie