Society – a diverse, difficult and uniform organism which development happens under certain laws. All people of the planet in the progress to progress pass through the same stages. Thanks to it there is a history, general for all civilization. Division of societies into types can be carried out on several bases.
Marxist approach to typology of society
In the typology of society the founders of Marxism proceeded from the materialistic understanding of history developed by them. The way of production of material benefits characteristic of this society was initially the basis for division. This characteristic causes unity of history and integrity of a civilization. When determining what type any given society treats, the Marxists consider character and the level of development of productive forces and also superstructures.
Karl Marx entered a concept of a socioeconomic structure which frame is made by human relations in the course of production into scientific use. It is considered that in the development the society consistently passes through five such formations: primitive-communal, slaveholding, feudal system, capitalism and communism. Each of these types of society at the stage performs progressive function, but gradually becomes outdated, slows down development and naturally is replaced by other formation.
From traditional society – to post-industrial
In modern sociology other approach according to which are allocated traditional, industrial and so-called post-industrial types of society became widespread. Such classification transfers emphasis from consideration of a way of production and the public relations dominating at the same time to tenor of life, characteristic of concrete society, and the level of development of technologies. Agrarian way is characteristic of traditional society. Social structures do not differ in mobility here. The relations between members of society are under construction on the established and taken roots traditions long ago. The most important public structures – family and community. They guard traditions, stopping any attempts of radical social restructurings. Industrial society – much more modern type. Deep division of labor is characteristic of economic activity in such society. The status of members of society is defined, as a rule, by social functions of the personality, its profession, qualification, education level and experience. In such society, special governing bodies, control and the coercions forming the statehood basis are allocated. In the middle of the last century the western sociologists put forward the concept of so-called post-industrial society. The necessity of such approach was caused by rapid development of information systems, increase in a role of information and communications in life of society. For this reason post-industrial society is also often called information. Human activity in the post-industrial world is less connected with production of goods. The basis of life is formed by processing, storages and information transfers. Modern society, sociologists consider, is at a stage of active transition to this type.