The modern world is characterized by several types of societies that differ in many respects, both explicit (culture, language of communication, geographical location) and hidden (degree of social integration, level of stability, and many others). Currently, there are stable and widespread types of society that are divided into traditional, industrial, post-industrial.
The very concept of society implies a social community that has historically developed in the process of human life, satisfying the vital needs of people. Society and its features have a number of significant differences from other communities. Firstly, it has a common territory, which forms the basis of social space. It is characterized, in addition to living, by the interaction, formation and development of the relationships of all its members. It also has a second distinguishing feature, characterized by a generally accepted system of norms and values, a system of culture, which is the basis of human relations. Society socializes every generation, subjecting it to current standards. The third difference is the support and constant restoration of the high intensity of internal relationships, ensuring the sustainability of social entities. The fourth feature is characterized by autonomy, self-regulation, self-development provided by institutions and organizations on the basis of principles, norms, traditions, values that arise in society itself. It is able, without outside interference, to create for people forms of organization, as well as the living conditions necessary to satisfy their needs, self-realization and self-affirmation.
Types of society have significant differences from each other. The traditional is dominated by subsistence farming, sedentary structures, and the class hierarchy. This is a society with its inherent agrarian system. It is characterized by low rates of production development, satisfying only the minimum needs of people. For a traditional society, the highest value is the preservation of traditions, and not its development itself. It is distinguished by its traditional economy, the predominance of its agricultural structure, structural stability, low mobility, and high mortality. For a person belonging to a traditional society, the perception of the world and the established order of life is sacred, not subject to change. Individualism is not welcome, as this can lead to a violation of the established order. In such a society, collective interests prevail over private interests, and any manifestation of individual freedom is suppressed. This is a characteristic of traditional society.
Analyzing other types of society, it is worth noting their significant differences from the foregoing. Such, based on an industrial method of managing using flexible, dynamic and modifiable structures, is called industrial. It is distinguished by a developed division of labor, mass production of goods, and automation of production.
Describing the types of society, we should dwell in more detail on the postindustrial, sometimes called informational. Post-industrial society is developed on an information basis. The extraction and processing of natural products inherent in traditional and industrial society are replaced by acquired and processed information, as well as the predominant development of the service sector. As a result, the structure of employment and the ratio of vocational qualification groups are changing. According to available forecasts, in the near future half of the workforce will be employed in advanced countries in the field of information, a quarter of it will be in the sphere of material production, the other quarter will be connected to the production of services, most of which are information.
In modern sociology, there are other social classifications. It all depends on the criterion underlying each of them.