The concept of a traditional society covers the great agrarian civilizations of the Ancient East (Ancient India and Ancient China, Ancient Egypt and the medieval states of the Muslim East), the European states of the Middle Ages.Dzidziguri Tamara.

The basis of human life is labor, in the process of which a person transforms the substance and energy of nature into objects of his own consumption; the basis of life is manual agricultural labor using simple tools, providing a person with only the most necessary, and even then under favorable weather conditions.For example Lena.

The lovingly caring attitude of a person to nature as a source of life, from which it was not supposed to draw too much. The perception of nature as a living being that requires a moral attitude towards itself. Labor activity was subject to the eternal rhythms of nature. Humanity will always depend on nature and its condition.At this stage, society needs to reconsider its careless attitude towards the outside world and stop doing irreparable harm to it day after day.Vlasovets Christina.

In a traditional society, people of the same social class or estate were bound by relationships of solidarity, honesty, trust, and collective responsibility. Spiritual life was much deeper and more important for the consciousness of the individual. This was the basis for relationships with family and loved ones. Social relations were built in the form of the strictest obedience to age-old traditions - no individualism.Kapustina Yanina.

“Extra-economic coercion” is a form of coercion to work based on relations of personal dependence of workers on exploiters, (a person who uses others) direct domination and subordination. It is characteristic of a slave-owning and feudal society. Personal dependence gives rise to non-economic coercion to work on the basis of personal power based on direct violence.Kapustina Yanina.

Traditional society developed forms of everyday resistance to the exploitation of labor: refusal to work for the master (corvée), evasion of payment in kind (tire) or cash tax, escape from one's master, which undermined the social basis of traditional society - the relationship of personal dependence. Kononova Daria.

The traditional society has formed high moral qualities: collectivism, mutual assistance and social responsibility, which are included in the treasury of the civilizational achievements of mankind! The man of the Ancient East completely subordinated himself to the clan and caste standards of social group life, “dissolved” in them.Brazhenko Sergey.

To answer this question, let's turn to the definition of the concept of "personality":
Personality - a concept developed to reflect the social nature of a person, to consider itas a subject of socio-cultural life, defining it asbearer of individuality, self-revealing in the context of social relations, communication and objective activity.A person in a traditional society simply did not feel like a person opposing or competing with others, but perceived himself as an integral part of his village, community, policy. The principles of collectivism suppressed in man his own "I". Kononova Daria.

A traditional society is a society that is regulated tradition. Preservation of traditions dominates development in it. The traditional society was regulated not only by laws, but also by tradition, that is, a set of written rules, patterns of activity, behavior and communication. The social habits of people have hardly changed for many generations. Organization of life, ways of housekeeping, communication norms, etc. - everything that we call everyday life was brought up in the family and passed down from generation to generation. Many generations of people have been forced to share the same social structures, modes of action and social habits. The subordination of traditions explainshigh stability of traditional societieswith their stagnant-patriarchal cycle of life and extremely slow pace of social development.Dzidziguri Tamara.

The social status of a person in a traditional society was determined not by personal merit, but by social origin. The rigidity of the class-estate partitions of society kept it unchanged throughout life.Brazhenko Sergey.

The people to this day say: "It is written in the family." In a traditional society, social status was determined not by personal merit, but by the social origin of a person. And this social status remained with this person for life. The proverb means that someone is already destined to be in this or that social status, this is predictable and is the result of circumstances and reasons that do not depend on the will of the person. Pyatkova Daria.

The daily life of traditional society was remarkably stable. It was regulated not so much by laws as by traditions. Social habits (organization of everyday life, ways of housekeeping and norms of behavior, rituals, etc.) of people have hardly changed over many generations.Vlasovets Christina.

At an early stage of traditional society, there was an early variation of patriarchy, which developed into an absolute monarchy. At the head was the ruler, who, according to the ideology, was the vicar of God on earth. The people were believers, and therefore obeyed the ruler.For example Lena.

1. The church occupied one of the main positions in traditional society. First of all, they believed that the power of the sovereign of divine origin. "The Sovereign is the vicar of God on earth." There are also many cases where the head of state personally stood at the head of the church (the English church). Theocracy (that is, the personification of spiritual and political power in one person) ensured the dual subordination of a person to the state and the church. Religion gave traditional society even greater stability. Pros: strong centralized power, high morale.For example Lena.

   
   

Traditional society is a kind of society, which has its own characteristics. What are the characteristics of a traditional society?

Definition

A traditional society is a community in which everything is governed by values. Much more attention is paid to the preservation of numerous traditions in such an estate than to the development of the partnership itself. A characteristic feature of a traditional society is the presence of a rigid hierarchy and the existence of a clear division into classes.

The traditional community is agrarian. This can be explained by the fact that the work on the land is part of the long-term values ​​that are characteristic of this type of social order. In its original form, the traditional caste is preserved in some states of Africa, Asia and the East.

signs

The characteristic features of a traditional society are:

1. The basis of life is agricultural activity. This way of life is characteristic of the Middle Ages. To date, it has been preserved in some states of Africa, Asia and the East.
2. Class-corporate social system. This means that the public is clearly divided into several classes, which do not overlap in any way in the course of their activities. Such a system originated many millennia ago.
3. The traditional society is characterized by the value of the human person, since a person is a continuation of God. For this reason, spiritual life is placed higher than material wealth. Also, a person feels a close relationship with the land on which he was born, and his estate.
4. Established traditions that clearly regulate human behavior from birth, family relationships and values. The ruler thus has undeniable power.
5. Low life expectancy, which is associated with a high birth rate and no less high mortality.
6. Two features characteristic of a traditional society are respect for one's own culture and ancient customs.

To date, researchers have agreed that the traditional society is deprived of a choice in terms of spiritual and cultural development. This significantly hinders his progress.

Features

What are the characteristics of a traditional type of society? Let's list them in order:

1. A patriarchal way of life, in which the man plays the main role, and the woman is a secondary member of society.
2. A sense of collectivism and belonging to a particular community.
3. Since the traditional society is built on agriculture and primitive crafts, it is characterized by complete dependence on the forces of nature.
4. The desire of a person to earn no more than is necessary to meet basic needs.
5. The purpose of this type of state is not the development, but the maintenance of the human population. That is why countries with such a way of life do not have the desire to produce goods.

The traditional type is the earliest, as it arose with the public. At first glance, it may seem that there is no development in it. However, it is not. It's just that this type of community develops in a slightly different way than other varieties.

Development

In economic terms, traditional society is characterized by development based on agriculture. At the same time, material goods are distributed depending on the social status of a person.

For a society of a traditional type, the value of redistributive relations is characteristic, when rights and obligations are distributed depending on the social status of a person. At the same time, a person has no chance to improve his social position, since it is inherited, as well as the choice of activity. For example, the son of a blacksmith will also be a blacksmith. In addition, marriages between people from different social strata of society are strictly prohibited.

Traditional society is characterized by division into communities. For example, it can be a merchant guild, an order of chivalry, or thieves' corporations. A person outside the community is considered an outcast, so expulsion from it has always been one of the worst punishments. Man is born, lives and dies on the same earth.

culture

A traditional society is characterized by a culture built entirely on the observance of legacies that have been laid down over many decades. Traditions are an intangible part of the culture of society, which is passed down from generation to generation. The task of the traditional community is to preserve and honor their own culture.

Religion plays a very important role in this type of society. A person is a servant of God or gods and therefore is obliged to perform certain religious rituals.

Traditional culture tends to develop over many centuries, like Chinese or Indian culture.

Values ​​of traditional society

In this type of state, labor is regarded as a duty. Among the least prestigious and difficult are agriculture, trade and handicrafts. The most respected are the clergy and military affairs.

What values ​​are characteristic of a traditional society?

1. The distribution of material wealth does not depend on whether a person works for the benefit of the state or the city. It depends on the position of the person. For example, a citizen from a higher class has an order of magnitude more privileges.
2. The desire to obtain material benefits that are not due to this estate causes misunderstanding among the public.
3. Traditional social mechanisms are aimed at maintaining stability, not development.
4. The administration of the state belongs to rich people who do not need to take care of the food of the family, which means they have free time. Whereas people from the lower classes were constantly occupied with the question of how to satisfy basic needs.

The basis of the traditional society is the middle class - people who have private property, but do not seek excessive enrichment.

The division of society into classes

Class division is the basis of traditional society. An estate is a group of people that has certain rights and obligations. Belonging to a particular class is passed down from generation to generation. Among the estates of traditional medieval society, the following can be distinguished:

1. Noble people, clergy, warriors - the highest class of people. They do not need to work on the land to meet their needs. They have property by birthright, as well as servants.
2. Independent entrepreneurs - merchants, millers, artisans, blacksmiths. They need to work to maintain their material wealth, but they are not in someone's service.
3. The serfs are completely subordinate to the master, who regulates their lives. The duties of the peasant have always included cultivating the land, maintaining order on the estates, and fulfilling the instructions of the master. The owner had the opportunity to punish the peasant for wrongdoing and monitor all aspects of his life, down to personal and family relationships.

Such foundations of traditional society have not changed for centuries.

Life in a traditional society

As already noted, each layer of traditional society had its own rights and obligations. Thus, the upper classes had access to any benefits of civilization that society provided. They had the opportunity to show off their wealth through the possession of luxurious housing and clothing. In addition, the nobility often brought gifts to the clergy, the military, donated funds for the needs of the city.

The middle class had a stable income, which was enough for a comfortable life. However, no one had the right and opportunity to boast of wealth. The lower strata of society were forced to be content with only small benefits, which were hardly enough to meet basic needs. At the same time, their rights were often regulated by the upper classes. For example, there could be a ban on the use of any household items for the poor or the consumption of a certain product. Thus, the social gap between the strata of society was emphasized.

Traditional societies of the East

Some signs of the traditional type of society have been preserved in the eastern countries to this day. Despite the industrialization and development of the economies of countries, they retained the following features:

• religiosity - most of the states of the East are Muslim, which means that religion plays a very important role both in the life of society and in the life of an individual;
• reverence for old traditions is strong in the powers not only of the East, but also in Asia (China, Japan);

• the possession of material values ​​depends on class affiliation.

In the modern world, there are practically no traditional societies in the classical sense. States evolve and develop in economic, spiritual, political directions, thereby gradually replacing the values ​​inherent in traditional society.

A person in a traditional community

A traditional society is characterized by the perception of a person as a part of the public, in which everyone has a certain role, personal ties predominate, since family, neighborly, clan relations can be observed within society. This is especially evident in the example of the noble strata of society, where everyone knew everyone personally.

At the same time, everyone has a social role that he adheres to throughout his life. For example, a landowner is a patron, a warrior is a protector, a peasant is a farmer.

In a traditional society, it is impossible to obtain wealth through honest work. Here it is inherited, along with position in society and private property. It is assumed that power gives wealth, and not vice versa.

a brief description of

Traditional society is characterized by the following features:

1. Dependences of private and social life on the religious ideas of society.
2. Cyclic development.
3. The absence of a personal principle, the predominantly collectivist nature of society.
4. Undeniable recognition of any power, patriarchy.
5. The predominance of tradition, not innovation.

In traditional society, special attention is paid to the family, as it is aimed at procreation. It is for this reason that traditional society families have many children. In addition, society is characterized by conservatism, which significantly slows down its development.

Introduction

The relevance of the research topic is due to the fact that for several years now the question has been what approach to the analysis of social phenomena should be chosen: formational or civilizational. It is necessary to analyze this approach in the study of traditional society and the state, to identify all the pros and cons of the civilizational approach.

The theoretical elaboration of the topic is fixed in the works of many scientists such as A. Toynbee, O. Spengler, P. A. Sorokin, G. Jellinek., W. Rostow.

This approach was studied by such scientists V.S. Stepin, V.P. Karyakov, A. Panarin.

Traditional society in the civilizational approach is studied by D. Bell, O. Toffler, Z. Brzezinski.

Relevance and theoretical elaboration make it possible to single out the object of study and the subject.

The object is the initial stage of the civilizational process (pre-industrial (agrarian)), considering which we will come to a more detailed knowledge of the subject of research.

Subject: Traditional society and agrarian state in the civilizational approach of the typology of states.

The object and subject allow you to outline the goal and objectives.

The purpose of the study is to consider in detail the development of a traditional society and an agrarian state within the framework of this approach.

Research objectives:

1. Traditional society and agrarian state;

2. Study of the problem of the civilizational approach in the typology of states

The solution of the tasks set is planned to be carried out using the following methods: analysis, method of systematization of the historical base.

The structure of the course work is determined by the goals and objectives of this study and includes the following parts: an introduction, two main parts and a conclusion, a list of sources and literature used. .

traditional society civilization state

Development and formation of traditional society

A traditional society is a society governed by tradition. The preservation of traditions is a higher value in it than development. Public contribution in it is characterized by a rigid class hierarchy, the existence of stable social communities (especially in the countries of the East), a special way of regulating the life of society based on traditions and customs. This organization of society seeks to preserve the socio-cultural foundations of life unchanged. The traditional society is an agrarian society.

For a traditional society, as a rule, are characterized by:

1. Traditional economy

2. The predominance of the agrarian way;

3. Structure stability;

4. Class organization;

5. Low mobility;

6. High mortality;

7. Low life expectancy.

The traditional person perceives the world and the established order of life as something inseparably integral, holistic, sacred and not subject to change. A person's place in society and his status are determined by tradition (as a rule, by birthright).

In a traditional society, collectivist attitudes prevail, individualism is not welcome (because the freedom of individual actions can lead to a violation of the established order, time-tested). In general, traditional societies are characterized by the predominance of collective interests over private ones, including the primacy of the interests of existing hierarchical structures (state, clan, etc.). It is not so much individual capacity that is valued, but the place in the hierarchy (bureaucratic, class, clan, etc.) that a person occupies.

One of those who have studied traditional society is the American economist and political thinker Walt Whitman Rostow. In his works Stages of Economic Growth and Politics and Stages of Growth, he describes traditional society as one of the stages in the development of socio-economic trends. At the same time, the level of development of productive forces is taken as a basis. For a "traditional society", W. Rostow believed, it is characteristic that over 75% of the able-bodied population is engaged in food production. The national income is used mainly unproductively. This society is hierarchically structured, with political power held by the landowners or the central government Rostow W. The Stage of Economic Growth. A Non-communicative Manifesto. Cambridge, 196O. See also: Rostow W. The Process of Economic Growth. 2 ed. Oxford, 1960. P. 307-331.

In a traditional society, as a rule, relations of redistribution rather than market exchange prevail, and elements of a market economy are tightly regulated. This is due to the fact that free market relations increase social mobility and change the social structure of society (in particular, they destroy estates); the system of redistribution can be regulated by tradition, but market prices are not; forced redistribution prevents "unauthorized" enrichment/impoverishment of both individuals and classes. The pursuit of economic gain in a traditional society is often morally condemned, opposed to selfless help.

In a traditional society, most people live all their lives in a local community (for example, a village), ties with the “big society” are rather weak. At the same time, family ties, on the contrary, are very strong.

The worldview (ideology) of a traditional society is conditioned by tradition and authority.

Traditional society is relatively stable, industrial society is constantly enlivened by change. This does not mean, as some journalists write, that history is accelerating. Everything is going the way it should go, it's just that an industrial society is created for change and can change while remaining itself; traditional society is changing relatively slowly, but very profoundly.

The traditional society, as a rule, is small in number and is located in a relatively limited area. The expression "mass society" emphasizes the gigantic dimensions of industrial society, contrasting them with the relatively small dimensions of traditional society. From this follow specialization and diversity, which are more characteristic of social units (groups and individuals) within a social society.

There are many traditional societies and they are all different; they say that they have one thing in common - that they are not modern. Modern societies in their basic structures and manifestations are the same.

The concept of a traditional society covers a huge historical era - from a (conditionally) patriarchal-clan society with a dominant mythological consciousness to (also conditionally) the end of the feudal period, which was characterized by the dominance of a subsistence economy, the division of society into estates with their privileges, with fairly rigid, including legal, inter-class partitions, monarchical hereditary power.

A traditional society is characterized by a slow growth of the means of production, which gives rise to an idea of ​​the limitedness of the benefits of life available to society (the stereotype of a permanent pie), and the possibilities of nature as a source of benefits. Therefore, an important concern for society is the observance of the usual measure of distribution of the available means of subsistence.

The production of a traditional society is oriented towards direct consumption.

In traditional society, kinship is the main form of social organization, in modern society it has ceased to be such, and the family has not only separated from the kinship system, but also isolated itself from it. Most contemporaries do not know by name their distant relatives, say second cousins. Close relatives also gather less often than before. Most often, the occasion for their meeting is anniversaries and holidays.

In a traditional society, an individual cannot change the position given to him at birth.

Pre-industrial sociality is based on interpersonal relationships. In the scientific literature, when applied to non-market relations, the use of different terms is accepted: communocratic, communalist, solidaristic, collectivist, associative relations. Each of them is justified to a certain extent, although it implies a specific version of such relations or some side of them. The definition of these relations as communal or traditional turns out to be too vague or partial, not reflecting the essence of the situation.

Egalitarianism in traditional societies coexisted in a complex interweaving with the principles of hierarchism, clearly fixed in the minds. The degree and nature of hierarchism changed dramatically depending on the level of social differentiation. Rank, caste, class divisions, formalized by external signs and norms of behavior, became in consciousness the embodiment of the inner value of individuals. Such a system develops not only obedience, but also admiration, servility, flattery towards superiors and attitudes towards dominance and contempt towards inferiors. Dominance and submission are perceived as components of the solidarity of one's own, in which a big person (a good monarch, landowner, leader, official) provides obligatory patronage, and a small person repays him with obedience.

Distribution in a traditional society is closely related to the egalitarianism and hierarchism of traditional society and consciousness.

Wealth in a traditional society is also closely related to the system of interpersonal relations and is necessary for its maintenance. As mentioned above, material well-being served as a confirmation of social status and the implementation of the duties associated with it.

Wealth in traditional societies is not associated with labor and economic enterprise. Entrepreneurship, too, as a rule, is not associated with economic activity. The traditional nobility, possessing great wealth, considers farming an unworthy occupation, incompatible with their status, and disdains entrepreneurial pursuits. The peasantry and artisans in a traditional economy are not able to produce so much to get rich and increase their business activity, and they do not set themselves such a goal. This does not mean that in traditional societies there is no thirst for wealth and profit and enterprise at all - they exist always and everywhere, but in traditional societies every passion for profit, every thirst for money seeks its satisfaction outside the process of producing goods, transporting goods, and even more. part and trade in goods. People run to the mines, dig treasures, engage in alchemy and all sorts of magic to get money, because they cannot be obtained within the framework of everyday management. Aristotle, who most deeply cognized the essence of pre-capitalist economy, therefore quite correctly considers the acquisition of money beyond the limits of natural need, which does not belong to economic activity.

Trade in traditional societies has a different meaning than in modern capitalist. First of all, commodities are not mere exchange values, but buyer and seller are impersonal participants in the exchange. Commodities are use values ​​that bear the mark of those social relations that in pre-bourgeois societies are associated with the consumption of material goods, and these relations, symbolic and prestigious, primarily determine prices.

Exchange in traditional societies extends beyond goods. Service is the most important element of traditional interpersonal relations.

If in a traditional society social control rested on unwritten rules, then in modern society it is based on written norms: instructions, decrees, decrees, laws.

Thus, traditional societies are often the most stable as long as they do not change. But as soon as norms and values ​​begin to be questioned, people experience a sharp devaluation of their aspirations. Some scholars call this situation a revolution of rising expectations. It is known, for example, that revolutions do not arise where people are poor, but where living conditions improve. The thing is that in parallel with the improvement of living conditions, the desires and needs of people are significantly expanding. Revolutions and other uprisings are most likely when periods of improvement in living conditions are interrupted and a gap is created between increasing needs and falling opportunities for their implementation.

Recall that traditional societies are characterized not only by zero economic growth, the desire for a kind of egalitarianism, but also by a rigid religious (or specific) so-called village value system, morality, customs, which serve as the basis for a sense of national community. The highest values ​​within the traditional model are stability and order, as well as the immutability of moral values ​​passed down from generation to generation. The essential characteristics also include the isolation of the social structure, the stability of customs and traditions.

The most important characteristic of the economy of traditional societies is that consumption, both physically necessary and prestigious, is determined by social status. At the same time, status in a traditional society is also a vital need for an individual, and the level of consumption is intended to demonstrate it.

The value of labor within traditional societies is not unambiguous. The reason for this is the existence of two subcultures (ruling and producing classes) and certain religious and ethical traditions. But by and large, forced physical labor has a low social status. Changes in the value of labor are associated with the spread of Christianity. To medieval theologians, work already seems to be a necessary occupation, since it contributes to a righteous way of life. Labor is recognized as worthy of praise as the mortification of the flesh, the expiation of sin, but it should not be accompanied even by the thought of acquiring, enriching. For Saint Benedict, work is an instrument of salvation, because it allows you to help others (monastic alms) and because, occupying the body and mind, it drives away sinful temptations. Work is also valuable for the Jesuits, for whom it is good to work - the mission that the Lord has entrusted to us on Earth, a way to participate in the divine creation of the world. A person is obliged to work, and the purpose of labor is to satisfy needs, eliminate idleness and charity.

In a patriarchal system (traditional society), practically all norms of economic behavior, up to the quantitative parameters of the production and distribution of specific goods, are almost unchanged. They are formed and exist literally as an integral part of the economic entity itself.

That is why the bazaar in traditional societies is not just a place of trade. First of all, this is a place of communication, where not only deals are made, but also interpersonal relationships are established.

The purpose of economic activity in traditional societies is not only to provide themselves with the necessary products, but also (at least at the level of normative ethics) moral improvement, the purpose of distribution is to maintain a stable social (divine) order. The realization of the same goal is served by exchange and consumption, which to a large extent are of a status nature. It is not surprising that enterprise and economic activity are not values ​​for this culture, since they undermine the order established by God, violate the foundations of order and justice http://www.ai08.org/index (Electronic resource) .Great technical dictionary ..

As it became clear to us, a traditional society is an agrarian society, which is formed in agrarian-type states.

Moreover, such a society can be not only landowning, like the society of ancient Egypt, China or medieval Russia, but also based on cattle breeding, like all the nomadic steppe powers of Eurasia (Turkic and Khazar Khaganates, the empire of Genghis Khan, etc.). And even fishing in the exceptionally rich coastal waters of Southern Peru (in pre-Columbian America).

Characteristic of a pre-industrial traditional society is the dominance of redistributive relations (that is, distribution in accordance with the social position of each), which can be expressed in a variety of forms: the centralized state economy of ancient Egypt or Mesopotamia, medieval China; the Russian peasant community, where redistribution is expressed in regular redistribution of land according to the number of eaters, etc.

In the modern world, types of agrarian states are still preserved. The pre-industrial type of organization of society dominates today in most countries of Africa, a number of countries in Latin America and South Asia.

In the next chapter, we will consider the agrarian society in the civilizational approach of the typology of states. The importance of the agrarian state in this approach.

The concept of traditional society

In the process of historical development, a primitive society is transformed into a traditional society. The impetus for its emergence and development was the agrarian revolution and the social changes that arose in connection with it in society.

Definition 1

A traditional society can be defined as an agrarian society based on strict observance of traditions. The behavior of members of this society is strictly regulated by the customs and norms characteristic of this society, the most important stable social institutions, such as the family, the community.

Features of a traditional society

Let us consider the features of the development of a traditional society by characterizing its main parameters. The peculiarities of the nature of the social structure in a traditional society are due to the appearance of surplus and surplus products, which in turn means the emergence of grounds for the formation of a new form of social structure - the state.

Forms of government in traditional states are basically authoritarian in nature - this is the power of one ruler or a narrow circle of the elite - a dictatorship, a monarchy or an oligarchy.

In accordance with the form of government, there was also a certain nature of the participation of members of the society in the management of its affairs. The very emergence of the institution of state and law necessitates the emergence of politics and the development of the political sphere of society. In this period of development of society, there is an increase in the activity of citizens in the process of their participation in the political life of the state.

Another parameter of the development of a traditional society is the dominant nature of economic relations. In connection with the appearance of a surplus product, private property and commodity exchange inevitably arise. Private property remained dominant throughout the entire period of development of traditional society, only its object changed in different periods of its development - slaves, land, capital.

Unlike a primitive society, in a traditional society, the structure of employment of its members has become much more complicated. Several sectors of employment appear - agriculture, crafts, trade, all professions associated with the accumulation and transfer of information. Thus, we can talk about the emergence of a greater variety of areas of employment for members of a traditional society.

The nature of settlements has also changed. A fundamentally new type of settlement arose - the city, which became the center of residence for members of society engaged in crafts and trade. It is in cities that the political, industrial and intellectual life of traditional society is concentrated.

The formation of a new attitude to education as a special social institution and the nature of the development of scientific knowledge dates back to the time of the functioning of the traditional era. The emergence of writing makes it possible to form scientific knowledge. It was at the time of the existence and development of traditional society that discoveries were made in various scientific fields and the foundation was laid in many branches of scientific knowledge.

Remark 1

An obvious disadvantage of the development of scientific knowledge in this period of the development of society was the independent development of science and technology from production. This fact was the reason for the rather slow accumulation of scientific knowledge and its subsequent dissemination. The process of increasing scientific knowledge was linear in nature and required a significant amount of time to accumulate a sufficient amount of knowledge. People engaged in science, most often did it for their own pleasure, their scientific research was not supported by the needs of society.

Society is a complex natural-historical structure, the elements of which are people. Their connections and relationships are determined by a certain social status, the functions and roles they perform, the norms and values ​​generally accepted in this system, as well as their individual qualities. Society is usually divided into three types: traditional, industrial and post-industrial. Each of them has its own distinctive features and functions.

This article will consider a traditional society (definition, characteristics, foundations, examples, etc.).

What it is?

To a modern man of the industrial age, new to history and social sciences, it may not be clear what a "traditional society" is. The definition of this concept will be discussed below.

Operates on the basis of traditional values. Often it is perceived as tribal, primitive and backward feudal. It is a society with an agrarian structure, with sedentary structures and with methods of social and cultural regulation based on traditions. It is believed that most of its history, mankind was at this stage.

The traditional society, the definition of which is considered in this article, is a set of groups of people who are at different stages of development and do not have a mature industrial complex. The determining factor in the development of such social units is agriculture.

Characteristics of a traditional society

Traditional society is characterized by the following features:

1. Low production rates that meet the needs of people at a minimum level.
2. Large energy intensity.
3. Non-acceptance of innovations.
4. Strict regulation and control of people's behavior, social structures, institutions, customs.
5. As a rule, in a traditional society, any manifestation of individual freedom is prohibited.
6. Social formations consecrated by traditions are considered unshakable - even the thought of their possible changes is perceived as criminal.

The traditional society is considered agrarian, as it is based on agriculture. Its functioning depends on growing crops with a plow and draft animals. Thus, the same plot of land could be cultivated several times, resulting in permanent settlements.

The traditional society is also characterized by the predominant use of manual labor, the extensive absence of market forms of trade (the predominance of exchange and redistribution). This led to the enrichment of individuals or classes.

Forms of ownership in such structures, as a rule, are collective. Any manifestations of individualism are not perceived and denied by society, and are also considered dangerous, as they violate the established order and traditional balance. There are no impetuses to the development of science and culture, so extensive technologies are used in all areas.

Political structure

The political sphere in such a society is characterized by authoritarian power, which is inherited. This is explained by the fact that only in this way can traditions be maintained for a long time. The system of government in such a society was quite primitive (the hereditary power was in the hands of the elders). The people had virtually no influence on politics.

Often there is an idea about the divine origin of the person in whose hands the power was. In this regard, politics is in fact completely subordinated to religion and is carried out only according to sacred prescriptions. The combination of secular and spiritual power made possible the ever greater subordination of people to the state. This, in turn, strengthened the stability of the traditional type of society.

social relations

In the sphere of social relations, the following features of a traditional society can be distinguished:

1. Patriarchal device.
2. The main purpose of the functioning of such a society is to maintain human life and avoid its extinction as a species.
3. Low level
4. Traditional society is characterized by division into estates. Each of them played a different social role.

5. Evaluation of the individual in terms of the place that people occupy in the hierarchical structure.
6. A person does not feel like an individual, he considers only his belonging to a certain group or community.

spiritual realm

In the spiritual sphere, traditional society is characterized by deep religiosity and moral attitudes instilled from childhood. Certain rituals and dogmas were an integral part of human life. Writing in traditional society as such did not exist. That is why all legends and traditions were transmitted orally.

Relationship with nature and the environment

The influence of traditional society on nature was primitive and insignificant. This was due to low-waste production, represented by cattle breeding and agriculture. Also, in some societies, there were certain religious rules that condemned the pollution of nature.

In relation to the outside world, it was closed. The traditional society by all means protected itself from intrusions from the outside and any external influence. As a result, man perceived life as static and unchanging. Qualitative changes in such societies took place very slowly, and revolutionary changes were perceived extremely painfully.

Traditional and industrial society: differences

Industrial society arose in the 18th century, as a result primarily in England and France.

Some of its distinguishing features should be highlighted.
1. Creation of a large machine production.
2. Standardization of parts and assemblies of different mechanisms. This made mass production possible.
3. Another important distinguishing feature is urbanization (the growth of cities and the resettlement of a significant part of the population on their territory).
4. Division of labor and its specialization.

Traditional and industrial society have significant differences. The first is characterized by a natural division of labor. Traditional values ​​and patriarchal structure prevail here, there is no mass production.

It is also necessary to highlight the post-industrial society. The traditional, in contrast, aims to extract natural resources, and not to collect information and store it.

Examples of Traditional Society: China

Vivid examples of a traditional type of society can be found in the East in the Middle Ages and modern times. Among them, India, China, Japan, the Ottoman Empire should be singled out.

China has had a strong state power since ancient times. By the nature of evolution, this society is cyclical. China is characterized by a constant alternation of several eras (development, crisis, social explosion). It should also be noted the unity of the spiritual and religious authorities in this country. According to tradition, the emperor received the so-called "Mandate of Heaven" - divine permission to rule.

Japan

The development of Japan in the Middle Ages and in also allows us to say that there was a traditional society, the definition of which is considered in this article. The entire population of the Land of the Rising Sun was divided into 4 estates. The first is the samurai, daimyo and shogun (personified the highest secular power). They occupied a privileged position and had the right to bear arms. The second estate - the peasants who owned the land as a hereditary holding. The third is artisans and the fourth is merchants. It should be noted that trading in Japan was considered an unworthy business. It is also worth highlighting the strict regulation of each of the estates.

Unlike other traditional eastern countries, in Japan there was no unity of the supreme secular and spiritual power. The first was personified by the shogun. Most of the land and great power were in his hands. Japan also had an emperor (tenno). He was the personification of spiritual power.

India

Vivid examples of a traditional type of society can be found in India throughout the history of the country. The Mughal Empire, located on the Hindustan Peninsula, was based on a military fief and caste system. The supreme ruler - the padishah - was the main owner of all the land in the state. Indian society was strictly divided into castes, whose life was strictly regulated by laws and sacred regulations.