Types of society

The modern world is characterized by several types of societies that differ in many respects both explicitly (culture, language of communication, geographic location), and hidden (the degree of social integration, the level of stability, and many others). Currently, there are stable and widespread types of society, which are divided into traditional, industrial, postindustrial.

The very concept of society implies a social community that has historically evolved in the process of human life, satisfying people's vital needs. The society and its signs have a number of significant differences from other communities. First, it has a common territory, which forms the basis of social space. It is characterized, in addition to living, interaction, formation and development of the interrelations of all its members. It also has a second distinctive feature, characterized by a generally accepted system of norms and values, a system of culture that is the basis of human connections. The society socializes each generation, subjecting it to current norms. The third difference is the support and constant restoration of high intensity of internal interrelations, ensuring the sustainability of social entities. The fourth sign is characterized by autonomy, self-regulation, self-development, provided by institutions and organizations on the basis of principles, norms, traditions, values emerging in the society itself. It is able without outside interference to create for people the forms of organization, as well as the living conditions necessary to meet their needs, self-realization and self-assertion.

Types of society have significant differences from each other. In the traditional dominates the subsistence economy, inactive structures, class hierarchy. It is a society with an inherent agrarian way of life. It is characterized by low rates of development of production, satisfying only the minimal needs of people. For traditional society, the highest value is the preservation of traditions, and not its development itself. It is distinguished by the traditional economy, the predominance of the agrarian structure, structural stability, low mobility, and high mortality. For a person belonging to a traditional society, the perception of the world and the established life order is sacred, not subject to change. Individualism is not welcome, as this can lead to a breach of the established order. In such a society, collective interests prevail over private interests, and every manifestation of individual freedom is suppressed. This is the characteristic of traditional society.

Analyzing other types of society, it is worth noting their significant differences from the above. Such, based on the industrial method of managing using flexible, dynamic and modifiable structures, is called industrial. It is distinguished by a developed division of labor, mass production of goods, automation of production.

Describing the types of society, we should elaborate on the post-industrial, sometimes called informational. The postindustrial society is developed on an information basis. The production and processing of nature products that are inherent in the traditional and industrial society are replaced by the acquired and processed information, as well as the primary development of the service sector. As a consequence, the structure of employment and the ratio of vocational skills groups are changing. According to the available forecasts, in the near future in the advanced countries half of the workforce will be occupied in the sphere of information, a quarter of it will fall in the sphere of material production, while another quarter will be connected to the production of services, mostly information.

In modern sociology, there are other social classifications. Everything depends on the criterion that is the basis of each of them.