UNIT 2

LESSON 1: SOCIETY

LEARNING OUTCOMES: The learners are expected to:

1. Demonstrate understanding about culture and society as anthropological and sociological

concepts;

2. Appreciate the nature of culture and society from the perspectives of anthropology and
sociology; and

3. Explain anthropological and sociological perspectives on culture and society

LEARNING CONTENT:

SOCIETY

A society is a group of people interacting with each other and having a common culture; sharing
common geographical or territorial domains, and having relatively common aspirations.

THEORIES ON HUMAN SOCIETY

Even before sociology was born there have been many concepts developed focusing on human
society. In the beginning of human civilization, early philosophers have already dealt with society,
looking into its structure in the attempt to solve its variety of problems that emerge every time.
Social philosophers have already predicted, since then, that a study on behavior would someday
emerge.

In his Republic Plato (427-347 BC) laid his standards for an ideal society ruled by philosopher-
kings assisted by equally and intellectually gifted “guardians.”

In his work Politics Aristotle (384-322 BC) stated that man is self-sufficient and that those who
are unable to live in society and have no needs in life must be either “beasts” or “gods.”

According to St. Augustine (354-430 AD) as stated in his City of God he described society’s
ultimate pilgrimage towards the kingdom of God which is closely identified with the church, the
community that worshipped God.

In his masterpiece Utopia, (1516), Sir Thomas More (1468-1535) coined the word "utopia" that
refers to the ideal, imaginary island nation whose political system he described.

TYPES OF SOCIETIES

Different societies are categorized according to methods of subsistence, the ways by which
humans apply technology to meet their own needs. Anthropologists, on the other hand, have
classified different societies throughout human history according to the degree to which different
groups within a society have access to resources, prestige, or power. In general, sociologists have
placed societies in three broad categories, namely: pre-industrial, industrial, and post-industrial
societies.
A. PRE-INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES

During the pre-industrial society, the main economic activity is food production carried out
through the utilization of human and animal labor. Particularly, these societies are subdivided
according to their level of technology and their method of producing food. These are the hunting
and gathering societies, pastoral societies, horticultural societies, agricultural societies, and feudal
societies.

1. HUNTING AND GATHERING SOCIETY

In these societies, the main method of food production is the collection of wild plants and the
hunting of wild animals on a daily basis. Humans gather and hunt around for food as nomads.
They do not establish permanent villages nor have a variety of artifacts. They usually form small
groups such as bands and tribes. However, some hunting and gathering societies in areas where
resources abound lived in larger groups and formed complex hierarchical social structures such
as chiefdoms. Due to the necessity for constant mobility these societies are of limited sizes. These
societies generally consist of 60-100 people. Social statuses within the tribe are relatively equal,
and decisions are reached through general consensus. The ties that bind the tribe are more
complex than those of the bands. Leadership in tribal societies is personal and based on charisma
used only for special purposes

2. PASTORAL SOCIETY

The prevailing method food production during this period is through pastoralism, slightly more
efficient than the subsistence method. Instead of searching for food on a daily basis, the members
of a pastoral society depend on domesticated herd of animals to meet their need for food. The
pastoralists move their herds from one pasture to another. Since their food supply is far more
reliable, pastoral societies can now support larger populations. Since there are more available
foods, fewer people are required to produce food. In effect, the division of labor, the specialization
by individuals or groups in the performance of specific economic activities, has now become more
complicated.

3. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

The horticultural societies have learned how to raise fruits and vegetables grown in garden plots
that have provided them their main source of food. Their level of technology and complexity is
similar to pastoral societies. Some horticultural groups practice the slash-and-burn method or the
kaingin system to raise crops. This was how the system goes. Wild vegetation is cleared, cut and
burned, and then the ashes are used as fertilizers. Horticulturists make use of human labor and
simple tools to cultivate the land for one or more seasons. When the land becomes arid and
unproductive, horticulturists clear a new plot and leave the old plot to revert to its natural state.

4. AGRARIAN SOCIETY

Societies which applied agricultural technological advances to cultivate crops over a large area
are known as agrarian societies. Sociologists use the phrase agricultural revolution to describe
these period about 8,500 years ago, characterize this period to the technological changes that
occurred leading to extensive cultivation of crops and raising of farm animals. Increases in food
supplies translated to larger populations comparatively bigger than previous societies. The greater
surplus resulted in the emergence of towns that became centers of trade. These societies made
the tasks of rulers, educators, craftspeople, merchants, and religious leaders less demanding that
they did not have to worry about viable sources of food and economic sustenance. Consequently,
greater degrees of social stratification appeared in these agrarian societies.

5. FEUDAL SOCIETY

As an offshoot of the increased food production, several groups become wealthy and able to
acquire lands and declared these as their own domain. This is being described as feudal society
based on ownership of land. Unlike today's farmers, vassals then under feudalism were bound to
cultivating their feudal master's land. In exchange for military protection, the feudal masters
exploited the peasants into providing food, crops, crafts, homage, and other services to the
landowners. The estates of the realm system of feudalism were often multi-generational which
means that the families of peasants may have cultivated their lord's land for generations.

B. INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES

A new economic system emerged between the 15th and 16th centuries began to replace
feudalism. This is capitalism, the predominant economic system of industrial societies. Capitalism,
characterized by free competition, free market and the right to acquire private property, emerged.
The introduction of foreign metals, silk, and spices in the market stimulated greater commercial
activity in European societies. Industrial societies which rely heavily on machines powered by
fuels in the production of goods became dramatically increased and efficient. The increased
efficiency of production of the industrial revolution produced an even greater surplus than before.
Hence, the surplus was not just agricultural goods but also manufactured goods.

C. POST-INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES

More advanced societies, called post-industrial societies, dominated by information, services, and
high technology, surfaced. These hallmarks of these societies were beyond the production of
goods. Advanced industrial societies are shifting toward an increase in service sectors over
manufacturing and production. These service industries have been used in government, research,
education, health, sales, law, and banking and in almost all sectors of society.

D. MODERN SOCIETIES

Our highly industrialized modern society is characterized by mass production of all essential
products such that the subsistence level of food production is now a thing of the past. Products
are sold in markets in large quantities. People nowadays typically do not need to subsist on their
own and instead buy items they cannot personally produce to live. Modern societies show a
cultural, liberal growth as well.

With the use of a new commodity-money- as a medium of exchange, trade and commerce have
become more efficient. With the shift to a money-based economy came the vast expansion of
financial institutions. While banks exist in pre-modern societies, they play a much larger role in
modern societies, serving not only as a safe repository for saved money, but also as a source of
unearned money. The modern worker soon discovered that banks would enable them to spend
money that they had not yet earned and to take out long-term loans to make major purchases.
Modern societies inevitably become communities of debt and money becomes the most valued
entity in these societies.