Emile Durkheim

(1858-1917)
IMPORTANT BOOKS:
• 1. THE DIVISION OF LABOR IN SOCIETY (1893)
• 2. THE RULES OF SOCIOLOGICAL METHOD (1895)
• 3. SUICIDE (1897)
• 4. ELEMENTARY FORMS OF RELIGIOUS LIFE(1912)
BRIEF INTRODUCTION:
• He was born on April 15, 1858 in Epinal, a small town in rural France
• Grew up in a traditional Jewish family, son of a Rabbi(Jewish teacher)
• Studied Hebrew and Old Testament, was a Catholic for short period of time
• Later became an agnostic (doubtful and uncertain about existence of God)
• During late 19th century there was no field of sociology, no school, no
departments, even professors of sociology despite of the discipline been coined
by Comte in mid 19th century
• He emphasized that sociology should be oriented towards empirical research
• He is considered as “ principal architect of modern sociology”
• He setup the first European department of Sociology at the University of
Bordeaux in 1895
THE DIVISION OF LABOR IN SOCIETY
• His first major theoretical work.
• First written during 1880s as part of doctoral requirement, later published as complete study in
1893 while at University of Bordeaux.
• This study developed the way of thinking about society in a different way-
• 1. he wanted to make a distinction between social division of labor in contrast to economic
division of labor.
• 2. to know the nature of social links connecting individuals to society and the social bonds which
connects the individual to each other.
• 3. examine the specific origin of social links and bonds to see in what way they were related to
the overall cohesion of society and how cohesion was formed within different social groups.
• 4. to know the extent to which the system of social link change as the society becomes more
complex and subject to change in division of labor.
• DIVISION OF LABOR: “it is the process of dividing up labor among individuals in a group so that
the main economic and domestic tasks are performed by different people for the purpose of the
collective maintenance of society”
• The process begins as soon as individuals form themselves into groups, where instead of living
isolated or alone, they cooperate collectively by dividing their labor and by coordinating their
economic and domestic activities for purpose of its survival.
• DOL was therefore the result of social process taking place within structure of society rather than
result of private choices of individuals
• Adam Smith had called “economic division of labor” to describe what happens in the production/
manufacturing process, increase in productivity when divided.
• Durkheim called “social division of labor” to describe the social links and bonds(social cohesion)
which develop during the process that takes place in societies when many individuals enter into
cooperation for purpose of carrying out joint economic and domestic tasks.
• These social links and bonds created a system of attachment to society which Durkheim referred
as social solidarity(a system of social relation linking individuals to each other and to society as a
whole)
• Two kinds of links and bonds- 1. dependency
2. obligation
• DOL is not regarded as something desirable of something like a luxury rather a condition for
existence of society.
• Social existence means collectivity, this is based on “collective conscience”
“ sum total of beliefs and

sentiments common to average
members of the society and
forming a system in its own
right”
• Collective conscience unites the individuals and is strongest in primitive societies.

• Durkheim identified two kinds of solidarity on the basis of division of labor, collective conscience
and set of laws in a given society.
• 1. Mechanical solidarity
• 2. Organic solidarity
MECHANICAL AND ORGANIC
SOLIDARITY
1.Large population, based on
1. Small population, based on heterogeneity(diverse),
homogeneity(similar) mentally increasing differentiation with
and morally, solidarity of individual, mental and moral
resemblance, communities are responsibility will disappear,
Based
uniform, shared values.
2. Develops out of likeness
3. Strong collective conscience
different values.
2. Develops out of differences
3. Weak collective conscience
4. Simple division of labor 4. Complex division of
5. Repressive law(strict and labor(specialization)
violent) 5. Restitutive law(cooperative and
6. Primitive societies can be restored)
6. Modern societies

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Emile Durkheim

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(1858-1917)

“ sum total of beliefs and

• Collective conscience unites the individuals and is strongest in primitive societies.

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