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Emile Durkheim Theory

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I. Summary of the theory The Division of Labor in Society is a book written, originally in French, by Emile Durkheim in 1893. It was Durkheim’s first major published work and the one in which he introduced the concept of anomie or the breakdown of the influence of social norms on individuals within a society. At the time, The Division of Labor in Society was influential in advancing sociological theories and thought. In The Division of Labor in Society, Durkheim discusses how the division of labor is beneficial for society because it increases the reproductive capacity, the skill of the workman, and it creates a feeling of solidarity between people. The division of labor goes beyond economic interests, it also establishes …show more content…

Each individual must have a distinct job or action and a personality that is his or her own. Individuality grows as parts of society grow. Thus, society becomes more efficient at moving in sync, yet at the same time, each of its parts has more movements that are distinctly its own. B. Supporting Ideas/Talking Points According to Durkheim, the more primitive a society is, the more it is characterized by mechanical solidarity. The members of that society are more likely to resemble each other and share the same beliefs and morals. As societies becomes more advanced and civilized, the individual members of those societies start to become more unique and distinguishable from each other. Solidarity becomes more organic as these societies develop their divisions of labor. The way to measure mechanical solidarity is through repressive law. 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 …show more content…

However it will limit my thoughts and abilities because if I go against the opinion of someone the punishment is more severe, because they may think of it as an act of deviance against the whole group. It’s like not having a say or own opinion for any matter at all. It actually reminds me of the book Divergent whereas the lead female character is part of a faction, she’s happy about it since her family and friends are in it but still she feels like she’s being kept from the real word that’s why during the initiation she chooses to leave her own

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