)
Ferdinand Tönnies, German sociologist born in 1855, began teaching at a German
university in 1881 and in 1987 developed the concepts of Gemeinschaft
(community) and Gesellschaft (society).
|
Characteristic |
Gemeinschaft |
Gesellschaft |
|
spatial |
·
walking city with primitive modes of
transport ·
central places (plazas, parks, etc.) |
·
more advanced transportation and
communication ·
central business district with
distinct personality as center of business and government |
|
economic |
·
nonmarket economy of barter and
exchange ·
self-sustenance rather than
large-scale production and surplus ·
simple division of labor ·
wealth measured in land or animals, but no "market" value (no real estate value)
|
·
market economy emphasizing cash ·
heavy surplus and regional,
national, and international trade ·
separation of work and home ·
large factories, with assembly-line
production ·
complex division of labor ·
wealth measured in capital: money
and/or the means of production, including land, machines, labor |
|
social & cultural |
·
emphasis on kinship ties ·
strong extended families ·
close ties to neighbors ·
sense of community based on family
and neighborhood ·
face-to-face communications dominate ·
primary groups (family, neighbors)
dominate over secondary groups (e.g., fellow workers) ·
ethnic similarities and cohesion ·
similarity of culture, beliefs,
religion, language (homogeneity) ·
religious and sacred explanations
for phenomena |
·
emphasis on the individual ·
immediate family unit more important
than extended family ·
few ties to neighbors ·
lack of sense of community ·
mass communications (e.g., TV)
dominate ·
secondary groups dominate ·
ethnic differences and
discrimination present ·
differences of culture, beliefs,
religion, language (heterogeneity) ·
scientific, secular explanations for
phenomena |
|
political |
·
traditional authority based on
elders, priests, etc. ·
little bureaucracy or technocratic
expertise ·
informal sanctions and contracts ·
advancement based on family ties and
background |
·
legal/rational authority based on
legal precedence, formal rules, etc. ·
extensive bureaucracy and reliance
on experts ·
power elites, including businesses
and politicians ·
restitutive law (fines, etc.) ·
formal contracts ·
advancement based on merit and
training |
or go to:
Module I, Part I
Module I, Part IV
Lecture Guides Home Page
Class Syllabus
2006-2008
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