At the end of this topic, you will be able to:
- Understand the meaning of a society in relation to a country and a community
- Explain the unique features of a society
- Use examples to illustrate the meaning of a society
What is a society?
A society is made up of people who agree to live together in a geographical territory with a shared understanding of beliefs, culture, tradition, and with a feeling of identity.
The success of a society lies on the people to co-inhabit without a rancour or acrimony and their ability to differentiate between what is right from what is wrong for peace to reign.
When this understanding is lacking in a society, there may be acrimony, riot, and break down of law and order.
Its origin
The word society has a Latin origin “socius”, meaning association, togetherness, and group of people.
Many political scientist and sociologists have defined society in a more elaborate manner, one of them is Kathy Stolley:
“A society is an autonomous grouping of people who inhabit a common territory, have a common culture (shared set of values, beliefs, customs and so forth) and are linked to one another through routinized social interactions and interdependent statuses and roles.”
Stolley 2005
Society in relation to a country
From a concept of a country, Nigeria is a society with a multi-ethnic groups and diverse people with different traditional delicacies, languages, music, dance, attire, and literature.
One interesting about this is that most times, when, for instance, a Yoruba lady who visits her Hausa friend in Sokoto when they are celebrating local festivals, the visitor knows that abiding by the rules and culture of her host will not only make her host happy, but will also feel like she is one of them.
And if displaying her Yoruba tradition is her choice, by the spirit of togetherness, her host feels okay with it. This is called togetherness and respect for one another, which is one of the features that make a society unique and what it is.
Understanding society in relation to a community
Let’s even simplify the concept of a society to where we live, our community. From this perspective, a society means a certain population, group, or a community who live together harmoniously.
In some cities across Nigeria, some areas that used to be streets have been segmented into communities, not just for easy management, but they also agree to live together by agreeing to comply with laid down rules and regulations.
Some communities today come together, contribute money and resources to maintain their roads, buy transformers, (due to the failure and ineptitude of the power distribution companies and their managers), employ security personnel to protect them and their properties etc.
To even take care of exigencies, they have monthly or yearly dues, which each member of the community contributes. They do all these without rancour and even when there is disagreement on some issues, they devise better ways of resolving them amicably.
The basic characteristics of a society
Cooperation
As earlier pointed out, a society come together, cooperate to achieve a common goal. In terms of security, the people need to cooperate. There may be an issue if one of them allows an outsider to pollute their cooperation.
In some communities, where there is an entrance gate, they usually agree on a specific time when the gate will be opened and closed. They all abide by these rules, this is cooperation. A society that doesn’t cooperate cannot achieve a common goal.
Distinct culture
The members of a society share a common and distinct culture, which sets them apart from other other population groups. An Igbo society will have a distinct culture that differentiate it from Hausa society. Even though they all live within the same geographical territory (country), they respect each other’s culture.
Independence
A society is autonomous and independent. It has all the necessary social institutions and organizational arrangements to sustain the system.
Even as it is independent, a society has a comparative advantage which it uses for its sustainability, however, it seeks cooperation with other societies in other areas to achieve its goals. No society is an island, a society in-relate with other societies economically, politically, and even culturally.
Conflict management
Managing conflict is another distinct feature of a society. Where more than one person lives, there will definitely be some issues that could cause disagreement. Their ability to manage crises and continue to coexist is what makes a society.
Togetherness
A society works in a group. There are rules that guide their ability to live together in defined territory and space. This also means that the population that makes a society makes them have an area they call their own.
Feeling of Identity
Related to the togetherness is that the people who make up a society have the feeling of identity. This feeling emanates from their pattern of their routine social interaction. In relation to a community, existing residents can easily spot a stranger in their midst.
Common origin
According to Professor Nduka Nwabueze and Dr Okechukwu Augustine Agugua of the Department of Sociology (University of Lagos), “Members of a society are considered to have a common origin and common historical experience. They feel that they also have a common destiny.”
Social works
Part of social works of a society include filling of potholes within their jurisdiction, collectively securing their location. We saw this happen during the COVID-19, when a group of people within an area come together in the middle of night to protect other members by making a routine obligation.
Common mother tongue
Members of a society may speak a common mother tongue that serves as a national heritage. In instances where they have multi-languages or dialects, they devise a way of understanding one another. Sometimes, they inter-speak each other’s language.
Helper to one another
A society is a problem-solver. The people co-exist not just to occupy a space, but also to rise up in protection of one another in terms of need.
Tolerance
There cannot be peace among people in a society that do not tolerate one another. Even when your neighbour doesn’t do things the way you would have loved it done, you still have to be tolerant and accept him for who he is.
Likely questions
- Define a society in two different perspectives
- List and explain the features that make a society unique.
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