Society consists of many different elements, which are in constant interaction - from individuals, social institutions and to large communities.All this is included in the concept of social structure.In other words, saying, this is what parts, components consists society and public relations and interactions they are.In sociology, the concept of the structure of society for the first time applied Spencer, who understood this term stable relationship between the social organism and its individual parts.It is, in general, society is likened to the body.According to Spencer, the social structure - is the order, the arrangement of interconnected functional elements and relationships between them, forming an internal system object.
There are several definitions of the term.For example, one of them: the social structure - a certain way of interconnection and interaction of elements, that is, individuals who hold public positions (statuses) and perform specific functions (roles).It can be seen that the main thing in this definition - the elements of communication and interaction.Or, for example, a definition that takes into account the strata or layers of society: social structure is a set of social positions, interconnected and interacting, hierarchically ordered in terms of their stratification.
Properties social structure can be considered depending on the following variables:
1. Interdependence.
2. Constancy.
3. The fundamental measurement.
4. decisive impact upon empirically observed phenomenon.
social structure of society as a system - is the way the relationship of subsystems that interact in it and ensure its integrity.What subsystems are included in the public system?Social structure includes individuals, group of people (community), united by some criterion, their relationship, the relationship and interaction of various organizations and institutions, groups, community, norms, values and more.Each of these elements, parts of the structure can be in a certain relationship with the other, to occupy some positions and play a specific role in society.
most detailed analysis of the social structure was given by Karl Marx, who showed that the political, cultural and religious aspects of life depend on the method of production.He believed that the economic base determines the ideological and cultural superstructure of society.The followers and disciples of Karl Marx proposed a somewhat different attitude, considering the cultural, political and ideological organization relatively autonomous and dependent on the economic component only to end up.
But think of Karl Marx and his followers on social relations in the structure of society was not the only one.Thus, Durkheim wrote, in particular, that social institutions play a very important role in the integration of society, bringing together the different parts of it together.He singled out two forms of structural relations: mechanistic and organic solidarity.Weber studied and conducted an analysis of institutional arrangements in society: market, bureaucracy and politics.
T. Parsons believes that the Company is a special type of social system, which has a high level of specialization and self-sufficiency.The functional unity of society as a system is determined by the social subsystems, to which he attributed the economy (adaptation), politics (tseledostizheniya), culture (the maintenance of the sample).Integrative function of the society is determined by a system of "societal community", comprising a mainly regulatory structure.
