Chapter4: Ferdinand TönChapter4: Ferdinand Tönnies nies

Main points Main points

A Biographical SketchA Biographical SketchThe system of the sociology The system of the sociology Gemeinschaft and GesellschGemeinschaft and Gesellsch

aftaft

(1855-1936)(1855-1936)

Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

Distinct the Distinct the Ferdinand Tönnies ‘s Ferdinand Tönnies ‘s community community and society.and society.

The student will describe the features found iThe student will describe the features found in his/her local/personal community. n his/her local/personal community.

The student will list and describe various coThe student will list and describe various communities found in a society. mmunities found in a society.

Using the interviews to understand the life beUsing the interviews to understand the life between rural and urban.tween rural and urban.

A BiographicalA Biographical SketchSketch 1855,born ,26 July,Oldenswort in the duchy of Schleswig.1855,born ,26 July,Oldenswort in the duchy of Schleswig.

(( 德国施勒斯维希德国施勒斯维希 __ 霍尔施泰因地区霍尔施泰因地区 .. 1865,his family moved to Husum(1865,his family moved to Husum( 胡苏姆胡苏姆 ),where his fathe),where his fathe

r took up merchant banking.r took up merchant banking. 1867,he entered the local grammar school ,studied Greek,1867,he entered the local grammar school ,studied Greek,

Latin and German calssical literature.Latin and German calssical literature. 1871-77,studied at the universities of Strasbourg(1871-77,studied at the universities of Strasbourg( 斯特拉斯特拉

斯堡斯堡 ), Jena(), Jena( 耶拿耶拿 ), Leipzig(), Leipzig( 莱比锡莱比锡 ), Berlin(), Berlin( 波恩波恩 ), Kiel an), Kiel and Tubingen(d Tubingen( 图宾根图宾根 ).).

1881,An early version of Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft s1881,An early version of Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft submitted as his Habilitationsschrift at university of Kiel.ubmitted as his Habilitationsschrift at university of Kiel.

1887,first edition of Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft was p1887,first edition of Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft was published.ublished.

1913,his first permanent chair,a professorship of “econo1913,his first permanent chair,a professorship of “economic political science”,at the university of Kiel.mic political science”,at the university of Kiel.

1932,joined the social democratic party to support resist1932,joined the social democratic party to support resistance to the rise of fascism.ance to the rise of fascism.

1936,he died in Kiel.1936,he died in Kiel.

The outline of the The outline of the Gemeinschaft aGemeinschaft and Gesellschaftnd Gesellschaft

Book one: a general classification of key ideas Book one: a general classification of key ideas Section 1:the theory of GemeinschaftSection 1:the theory of Gemeinschaft Section 2:the theory of GesellschaftSection 2:the theory of Gesellschaft Book two: natural will and rational willBook two: natural will and rational will Section 1:the forms of human willSection 1:the forms of human will Section 2:explanation of the dichotomySection 2:explanation of the dichotomy Section 3:practical implicationsSection 3:practical implications Book three:the sociological basis of natural laBook three:the sociological basis of natural la

ww Section 1:definitions and propositionsSection 1:definitions and propositions Section 2:the natural element in lawSection 2:the natural element in law Section 3:inter-related forms of will _commoSection 3:inter-related forms of will _commo

nwealth and statenwealth and state

Vocabulary Vocabulary Gemeinschaft: communityGemeinschaft: community Gesellschaft: societyGesellschaft: society Essential will( natural will )_arbitrary will ( rational will)Essential will( natural will )_arbitrary will ( rational will) Lasting_ transitoryLasting_ transitory Genuine_ superficialGenuine_ superficial Gemeinschaft of kinshipGemeinschaft of kinship Gemeinschaft of localityGemeinschaft of locality Gemeinschaft of mindGemeinschaft of mind Rural _urbanRural _urban Private law_law of naturePrivate law_law of nature Pure sociology ;applied sociology; empirical sociologyPure sociology ;applied sociology; empirical sociology

Community and societyCommunity and society

In 1887, Ferdinand Tonnies, a German sIn 1887, Ferdinand Tonnies, a German sociologist, introduced in the West one ociologist, introduced in the West one of the more enduring and effective wayof the more enduring and effective ways of understanding social change. He prs of understanding social change. He proposed that we understand social chanoposed that we understand social change by distinguishing between communige by distinguishing between communities and societies. For himties and societies. For him

1) Gemeinschaft1) Gemeinschaft (community): characteri (community): characterized country village, people in rural village zed country village, people in rural village have an essential unity of purpose, work thave an essential unity of purpose, work together for the common good, united by tiogether for the common good, united by ties of family (kinship) and neighbourhood, es of family (kinship) and neighbourhood, land worked communally by inhabitants, sland worked communally by inhabitants, social life characterized by intimate, private ocial life characterized by intimate, private and exclusive living together, members boand exclusive living together, members bound by common language and traditions, rund by common language and traditions, recognized common goods and evils, comecognized common goods and evils, common friends and enemies, sense of we-nesmon friends and enemies, sense of we-ness or our-ness, humane s or our-ness, humane

2) Gesellschaft2) Gesellschaft (association): characterized l (association): characterized large city, city life is a mechanical aggregate carge city, city life is a mechanical aggregate characterized by disunity, rampant individualiharacterized by disunity, rampant individualism and selfishness, meaning of existence shifsm and selfishness, meaning of existence shifts from group to individual, rational, calculatits from group to individual, rational, calculating, each person understood in terms of a parng, each person understood in terms of a particular role and service provided; deals with tticular role and service provided; deals with the artificial construction of an aggregate of hhe artificial construction of an aggregate of human beings which superficially resembles tuman beings which superficially resembles the Gemeinschaft in so far as the individuals phe Gemeinschaft in so far as the individuals peacefully live together yet whereas in Gemeineacefully live together yet whereas in Gemeinschaft people are united in spite of all separaschaft people are united in spite of all separating factors, in Gesellschaft people are separating factors, in Gesellschaft people are separated in spite of all uniting factorsted in spite of all uniting factors

There are three types of Gemeinschaft relationships:There are three types of Gemeinschaft relationships: Kinship, Friendship, and Neighborhood or Locality Kinship, Friendship, and Neighborhood or Locality

1.1) Kinship Gemeinschaft is based on Family; the st1.1) Kinship Gemeinschaft is based on Family; the strongest relationship being between mother and chirongest relationship being between mother and child, then husband and wife, and then siblings. Gemeild, then husband and wife, and then siblings. Gemeinschaft also exists between father and child, but thinschaft also exists between father and child, but this relationship is less instinctual than that of mother s relationship is less instinctual than that of mother and child. However, the father-child relationship is and child. However, the father-child relationship is the original manifestation of authority within Gemethe original manifestation of authority within Gemeinschaft. inschaft.

1.2) Kinship develops and differentiates into the Ge1.2) Kinship develops and differentiates into the Gemeinschaft of Locality, which is based on a commomeinschaft of Locality, which is based on a common habitat n habitat

1.3) There is also Friendship, or Gemeinschaft of the 1.3) There is also Friendship, or Gemeinschaft of the mind, which requires a common mental communitmind, which requires a common mental community (eg: religion). y (eg: religion).

Gemeinschaft (traditional small communitGemeinschaft (traditional small community)y)

– People cooperate with ePeople cooperate with each other very closelyach other very closely

– This behavior being detThis behavior being determined by kinship tiesermined by kinship ties

– This behavior reinforced This behavior reinforced by the social controls of by the social controls of their neighbors and of ttheir neighbors and of the churchhe church

Gesellschaft (modern urban society)Gesellschaft (modern urban society) Individuals act for their own Individuals act for their own

self-interestself-interest– Cooperating only as much as Cooperating only as much as

required byrequired by LawsLaws ContractsContracts Public opinion that constrains tPublic opinion that constrains t

heir actionsheir actionsIn the society of his time, he perceiIn the society of his time, he percei

ved that small, close, traditional ved that small, close, traditional family-oriented communities wefamily-oriented communities were being gradually superseded re being gradually superseded (( 代替代替 )by large and impersonal c)by large and impersonal cities.ities.

communitycommunity Spontaneous Closeness of holistic social relationshSpontaneous Closeness of holistic social relationsh

ips said to be found in pre-industrial communities .ips said to be found in pre-industrial communities .and associated with moral worth.and associated with moral worth.

Exists by the subjective or essential will of the memExists by the subjective or essential will of the members:”the very existence of Gemeinschaft rests in tbers:”the very existence of Gemeinschaft rests in the consciousness of belonging together and the affhe consciousness of belonging together and the affirmation of the condition of mutual dependence”irmation of the condition of mutual dependence”

community based on mutual aid and trust –”sharcommunity based on mutual aid and trust –”shared togetherness”ed togetherness”

E.g.families, neighbourhoodsE.g.families, neighbourhoods communities were units in which people lived togecommunities were units in which people lived toge

ther and were characterized by intimacy and privacther and were characterized by intimacy and privacy. y.

Examples of communities were the family, kinExamples of communities were the family, kinship groups, friendship networks, and neighboship groups, friendship networks, and neighborhoods. rhoods.

There exists a community of language of folkwThere exists a community of language of folkways,or mores ,or of beliefs.ays,or mores ,or of beliefs.

there exists a community of ownship in fields,fthere exists a community of ownship in fields,forest,and pasture.orest,and pasture.

community is old ,in rural ,people is stronger acommunity is old ,in rural ,people is stronger and more alive;it is the lasting and genuine fornd more alive;it is the lasting and genuine form of living together.m of living together.

there are three community:community of locathere are three community:community of locality;community of mind;community of kinship.lity;community of mind;community of kinship.

societysociety. . Refers to the more instrumental .purposeful types of relationship typical Refers to the more instrumental .purposeful types of relationship typical

of industrial societyof industrial societyObjective society or association where “reference is only to the objective Objective society or association where “reference is only to the objective

fact of a unity based on common traits and activities and other external fact of a unity based on common traits and activities and other external phenomena”phenomena”

Based on rational or arbitrary will that includes rationality,individualism aBased on rational or arbitrary will that includes rationality,individualism and emotional disengagementnd emotional disengagement

e.g .ethnic community,community of speech.community of worke.g .ethnic community,community of speech.community of work There exists in the realm of business ,travel,or sciences.so of special imporThere exists in the realm of business ,travel,or sciences.so of special impor

tance are the commercial community.tance are the commercial community. socity is transitory and superficial,as a mechanical aggergate Societies, socity is transitory and superficial,as a mechanical aggergate Societies,

were "identified with the city, and is an artificial construction of an aggrwere "identified with the city, and is an artificial construction of an aggregate of human beings." egate of human beings."

It is characterized by competition and impersonality and artifact.It is characterized by competition and impersonality and artifact. Unlike a community, in a society a person may work in one part of the cUnlike a community, in a society a person may work in one part of the c

ity, go to church in another part, shop in a third section, have friends wity, go to church in another part, shop in a third section, have friends who live in a fourth part, children go to school in a fifth area, and live in siho live in a fourth part, children go to school in a fifth area, and live in sixth area. xth area.

Distinction between community and Distinction between community and society is important in understanding society is important in understanding the complex confusion of ideas the complex confusion of ideas around community studies.around community studies.

Underlies almost all sociological Underlies almost all sociological debate in this field.debate in this field.

Concept of community is Concept of community is fundamental to the world. fundamental to the world.

AssessmentAssessment