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Unit-15: Division of Labour in Society–Mechanical and Organic Solidarity

societies, there is dominance of restitutive laws. In primitive societies, repressive laws are found notes
which have the power of group consciousness. Suck laws connect the person with the group in evident
form, but in modern societies, because of the dominance of labour division and specialization more
variations are found. These variations encourage personal independence and also weaken the feeling
of group consciousness. This is the reason that individual in not evidently joined with the group and
here more importance is given to the mutual relations of the people only; in modern society full of
variations people, for fulfillment of their needs have to depend upon each other. Because of division
of labour and specialization each person is a specialist of only one job and for other jobs he has to
depend on other members of the society. This mutual dependence of the members of the society and
variation developed through specialization, forces them to come close to each other because of which
a special type of solidarity is established in the society which Durkheim calls as ‘organic solidarity’.
Manifestation of organic solidarity is done through restitutive laws. They do not evidently connect
the individual with the society but connect through any mediating institutions and representatives
like court, Panch, judge, lawyer etc.
Organic solidarity is like physical solidarity. Body is made of various parts like hands-legs, eyes, ear,
nose, mouth, stomach, head etc. jobs of these various body parts are also different, but all these body
parts may do their jobs only until they are mutually connected. Eyes and ears cannot do their jobs,
being severed from the body. In this manner we see that mutual solidarity is found between various
body parts that have occurred because of the mutual dependence. In modern societies also, such
solidarity is found. On increase of population, there is also an increase in the requirement of people
for fulfilling which division of labour and specialization becomes necessary in the society. In division
of labour and specialization one person is assigned only one type of job; in it importance of the person
increases because he fulfill a specific requirement of the society. Because each person can do only one
type of job (like the parts of the body) hence he has to depend upon others. This dependence gives
birth to cooperation and solidarity which Durkheim calls organic solidarity.
Durkheim has told that solidarity and organization that is found in family, business government etc
is not because of the similarities found in people related to all these. This solidarity is just like the
solidarity which is found in various parts of any organism. Various body parts of an organism do
various types of physical works. Unity thrives with the help of these tasks because of which balance
is maintained in the entire organism, and it active. Durkheim has given this unity only the name of
organic unity. Its reason is that solidarity comes from the division of labour and support found among
various parts of any organism. In modern societies, organic solidarity is found because of division of
labour and restitutive law expresses this solidarity only. Durkheim’s belief is that organic solidarity
occurred from division of labour is in reality the function of the division of labour.

characteristics of organic society

Durkheim has mentioned the following characteristics of an organic society:
1. complex process of discrimination: When there is increase in density of population and
ethical density of mechanical society, it progresses towards organic society. Requirements of
organic society also increase. What are the requirements of Delhi city; they are not the same for
Jaipur. In such society, specialism also increases as a result of which discrimination increases.
Because of division of labour, there is an increase in the amount of discrimination.
2. increase in interdependence in the society: In organic society, because of division of
labour and specialization division of work happens in many parts, but all these parts are
functionally dependent on each other. In a textile factory, spinning of thread, coloring and
printing, weaving cloth and packing of cloth is done by separate departments, but all these
are dependent on each other.

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