Forms of Societies

What are the different forms of societies?

The development of societies throughout history shows the development of humankind in response to changing
surroundings and historical developments. The various forms of societies that emerged include the following:

Forms of Societies
 Hunting & Gathering Society
 Pastoral Society
 Horticultural Society
 Agricultural Society
 Feudal Society
 Industrial Society
 Post-Industrial Society

Hunting & Gathering Society – This is recognized as the earliest and simplest form of society. It is generally
characterized by its small size and is composed mainly of families. They are nomadic because they spend most of
their time searching for food and thus, have no permanent territory. The hierarchy in this type of society is not very
varied. Its members are generally treated equally, and decisions are made through a consensus. Because of this, the
role of its members and the division of labor is not very clearly defined.

Pastoral Society – This type of society is characterized by the domestication of animals for food for a more stable and
predictable food supply. Pastoral communities have larger populations than hunting and gathering societies and
remain longer in one place. In addition, pastoral societies often produce surplus food and resources, which they
trade with other societies. This relative prosperity enables the people to engage in other activities apart from those
necessary for survival, such as handicrafts. This eventually leads to the emergence of specialized tasks in the
community.

Horticultural Society – A horticultural society primarily engages in the small-scale cultivation of plants, fruits, and
vegetables and the domestication of animals. Horticultural societies are semi-nomadic, which means that they travel
to another place when they have already depleted the resources in one area. In this society, roles and responsibilities
are more clearly defined with many tasks assigned according to gender. Similar to the pastoral society, there is also a
surplus of goods, which sometimes leads to inequalities among its members.

In early societies, the individuals were often very family-oriented, and their behaviors and actions were restricted by
tradition. The assignment of tasks and occupations were often based on gender, with women doing mostly domestic
work in the home, while the men engaged in hunting and farming.

Agrarian Or Agricultural Society – This type of society is a further evolution of the pastoral and horticultural
societies. Agriculture is involved in the large-scale and long-term cultivation of crops and the domestication of
animals. This society is characterized by improved technology and the use of tools to aid in farming. Improved
technology and farming methods result in increased production, giving rise to a growing population in agricultural
societies to a more structured social system that helps manage resources and its members. The increasingly complex
social organization and growing importance of territory often result in conflicts among neighboring societies over
resources and land.

Feudal Society – A feudal society is based on the ownership of land. Feudal societies arose out of developments in
Western Europe during Medieval times when kingdoms were engaged in conflict over resources, particularly land. In
a feudal society, rules grant their followers or vassals the right to manage parcels of land. These vassals, in turn, are
served by peasant workers who cultivate the land and tend to the animals on the farms. In return for their services,
they are provided with military protection. Members of the society are organized based on status. Those who own
land are considered the most powerful and influential members of society, while the peasants are considered the
lowest group. Social relations are characterized by dependence. The lord depends on his vassals to provide him with
resources, the vassals depend on the peasants for their service, while the peasants depend on their vassal
protection.

An agrarian and feudal society gives rise to individuals who value relations among family members and with other
members of the community. People are often very conscious of their place within society and are mindful of the
hierarchy. People who belong to the “higher classes” are treated with respect by the members of the community.
They are often traditional and are resistant to social change, preferring to maintain the way things are in their
community.

Industrial Society – An industrial society is based on the use of specialized machinery in the production of goods and
services. The advances in science and technology in the late 18th century resulted in the Industrial Revolution, which
in turn gave rise to new production and industrial methods, as well as innovations in transportation and
communication. These technological advances resulted in improved trade and commerce and better life conditions,
for many people. Work is done in factories and public education is more prevalent. However, the emergence of
industrial societies is characterized by greater inequalities in wealth, power, and influence. Industrial societies are
often defined by the nature of work and the prevailing industry in an area. The capitalists or business owners are
considered the most influential. This type of society is also characterized by cultural diversity and the presence of
bureaucratic forms of organization.
An industrial society is a significant departure from an agrarian society, as many of the relations are not family or
community-based. An important factor in social relations is the workplace, and people often interact with individuals
who do not come from the same family, clan, or community. Impersonal relationships prevail among individuals. The
difference between social groups is even more marked and is defined by access to economic resources and
prosperity. Alienation is common in industrial societies, as people are often seen as resources.

Post-Industrial Society – The post-industrial society is marked by the establishment of societies based on knowledge,
information, and the sale of services. Led by the human mind and aided by highly advanced technology, the trend
has shifted from industry to the generation, storage, manipulation, and sale of information. Information influences
the behavior of people and has thus become a very important commodity in the post-industrial society. Members of
this society have higher educational attainment, better training, and specialized roles. The virtual society, where
people organize themselves through communication technology and the Internet, is a product of post-industrial
society. Individuals in a virtual society often engage in complex relationships. They often have fluid identities and do
not necessarily subscribe to certain norms or established standards of behavior. The freedom allowed in virtual
worlds means that a person can engage in various activities, as well as access various kinds of information.

Other sources…

Hunting & Gathering Society

This form of society is recognized as the earliest and the simplest; small and composed mostly of families. They are
nomadic, meaning, they kept on transferring from one place to another to look for food, thus, they do not have
permanent houses. Men are tasked to hunt large animals while women are tasked with the collection of vegetables
and other crops.

Pastoral Society
 Pastoral communities have larger populations than hunting and gathering societies and remain longer in one
place.
This form of society is characterized by the domestication (raising) of animals to supply their food, especially in the
regions of the world where vegetable growing is not possible. They also engage in the buying and selling of goods
with other groups.
Horticultural Society
This form of society engages in the growing of plants, fruits, and vegetables. In this society, there is enough food
supply. Some members of the society also engage in making crafts and buying and selling goods.
 A horticultural society primarily engages in the small-scale cultivation of plants, fruits, and vegetables and
the domestication of animals. Horticultural societies are semi-nomadic, which means that they travel to
another place when they have already depleted the resources in one area.

Agricultural Society
 Agriculture is involved in the large-scale and long-term cultivation of crops and the domestication of animals.
This society is characterized by improved technology and the use of tools to aid in farming.
This form of society grows rice and other crops. They also began to farm and raise animals for food. They lived
permanently and improved the technology for farming. Money became a form of exchange for goods and services.
 The increasingly complex social organization and growing importance of territory often result in conflicts
among neighboring societies over resources and land.

Feudal Society
It is a form of society in which the ruler or lord owned all the land while the farmers or laborers farmed it.
 Feudal society centers around land ownership. Rulers grant vassals the right to manage land, and peasants
work this land in exchange for military protection. Society's hierarchy is determined by land ownership, with
the most powerful being the landowners, and the lowest group being the peasants. Social relations are
marked by dependence, as lords rely on vassals for resources, vassals rely on peasants for service, and
peasants depend on vassals for protection.

Industrial Society
This society uses types of machinery in the production of goods and services. Through innovations and technological
advances, daily activities become easier, and the lives of people become better.
 The advances in science and technology in the late 18th century resulted in the Industrial Revolution, which
in turn gave rise to new production and industrial methods, as well as innovations in transportation and
communication.
 These technological advances resulted in improved trade and commerce and better life conditions, for many
people. Work is done in factories and public education is more prevalent. However, the emergence of
industrial societies is characterized by greater inequalities in wealth, power, and influence.

Post-Industrial Society
Also known as the virtual (computer) society, people use technology and the Internet to communicate, engage in
business, and access different information that can be used to deal with daily activities.
 The trend has shifted from industry to the generation, storage, manipulation, and sale of information.
Information influences the behavior of people and has thus become a very important commodity in the post-
industrial society.
 Members of this society have higher educational attainment.
 The virtual society, where people organize themselves through communication technology and the Internet.