What is society? The question is simple, but answering it is not easy, because the concept is quite broad and is used both in sociologists and in psychology, political science, political economy, history, and jurisprudence. And each of the listed sciences approaches this definition on its part and, accordingly, gives its own interpretation. Let us try to highlight the signs of society from an extensive kaleidoscope of theories and definitions. So...
The first signs of society are a common territory. This is a kind of physical space where there are connections and their development (both between social communities and between individuals). Geographical location, along with climatic conditions, significantly affects traditions, living standards, and value orientations. It is important to understand: the territory was not always a sign of society. Our ancestors, who lived many centuries ago in caves, often changed the place in which they lived (the territory of residence). But society already existed then, since even then a certain community and agreement in actions were traced: together they were basking in a fire, they were hunting together. Here it is already quite possible to talk about a certain combination of interacting and interconnected actions, or rather, about the beginning of the development of social culture. And these are also signs of society.
Of course, today this social structure looks different: social communities, social institutions interact, relations are established. There are divisions into social groups with similar features and similar interests: middle class, poor, upper class (or students, retirees, doctors, workers). And each social society occupies a special, individual place, performing its inherent functions. For example, the functions of the worker class lie in the production of certain products, the political elite is occupied by the political management of society, students acquire knowledge, doctors help the sick. And they are all interconnected. And social institutions of the family, education, property, state, production, culture, religion regulate these relations.
Each such social institution has the role of regulating relations between individuals and social societies in the sphere of their life.
The institution of the family, for example, regulates family-marriage relations, the institution of the state - political relations. And the interaction of all these institutions defines a multifunctional and already unified sphere. The division of labor is supported, the individual is socialized, and the continuity of values with the norms of culture is ensured.
Social relations unequivocally depend on the positions occupied by social communities, on their functional significance. In a totalitarian society, for example, the institution of the state dominates, imposing its will. The ruling elite is concerned about their own interests and, accordingly, the interests of all other communities are violated. In social relations, relative stability (stability) prevails. They reflect the social position of interacting communities (the balance of class forces), and it changes with a change in positions (social statuses).
The following signs of society are autonomy with self-sufficiency.
Autonomy implies the possibility of self-government. As a rule, a society has its own history, management system, territory and is able to independently create social ties by integrating incoming social communities. What is needed here is self-sufficiency — the possibility of self-regulation without additional outside interference: ensuring the continuity of one’s own culture, reproduction of the population, satisfying the needs (both spiritual and material) of all members of this society.
Autonomy with self-sufficiency - the concepts are far from abstract. In addition, these are perhaps the main features of society. Lack of self-government will necessarily require outside intervention.
Sociocultural unity, or community of culture - are also signs of society. However, refinement is still required here. Complex social systems with different ethnic, confessional and other communities (USA, Russia) somewhat distort the community of culture as such. Here, it will be more correct to understand community as a process embracing, uniting, integrating. The main signs of the existence of sociocultural unity lie in the commonality of language, social institutions, the unity of moral values (we are Russians), the unity of behavior patterns.
In sociocultural unity lies a huge integrating force, giving the ability to socialize new generations.