Durkheim's Division of Labor

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Durkheim’s Division of Labor Of the major theorists, Durkheim has the most straight forward theory and what people could consider “common sense.” His notion of function was how things interrelate to each other and the consequences of those relationships. When we think of functions in society, everything and anything connects and interrelates, according to Durkheim. He believes that society is its own reality, independent of the individuals who make it up. Also, the truths a society shares have an existence independent of individual manifestations and that are capable of exerting external constraints on individuals. Durkheim pin points major points throughout this book such as “the Division of Labor,” changes in society, mechanical and organic solidarity, and the abnormal and normal norms in which our modern society is constructed around. The major topic that every idea Durkheim confronts deals with the Division of Labor. He states that it is a notion of specialized labor that’s function is to increase production. Its moral purpose, moral being the common rules that allows us to coexist together, to keep us from killing each other. Durkheim says that the means of the Division of Labor is preventing conflict and having more people live together harmoniously; another way of social organization. The Division of Labor is meant to make individuals dependant on one another because we all specialize in different types of work. With that, as society gets bigger and more evolved, we need more specialties within society; if the population is dense, Division of Labor is bigger. The growth in volume is not necessarily a mark of superiority if the density does not grow at the same time and in the same proportion. Also, the Division of Labor is greater when there is pressure to survive; we must count on others for society to work and for us to live normal lives due to

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