ships vested within the development of the division of labour would instate organic solidarity in society. He argued that the gaps would be filled due to new social relations: Social life, instead of being concentrated in a large number of separate, small centers, each of which resembles the other, is generalized. Social relations- or more correctly, intra- social relations- consequently become more numerous, since they extend, on all sides, beyond their original limits. The division of labour develops, therefore, as there are more individuals sufficiently in contact to be able to act and react upon one- another (Giddens, p. 151) Segments formed within societies of mechanical solidarity were formed on the basis of some likeness, and therefore beliefs, values and morals laden in one segment did not necessarily parallel other segments. According to Durkheim, this non- uniformity or differentiation was a large contributing factor to the disorganised social order. Durkheim argued that although societies would become organic in solidarity and inherently, more individualistic in their nature, it was the intra- social relations intrinsic in this system that would eventually meld the differentiation in society. Furthermore, he argued that division of labour would increase the functional dependence of societal members. Durkheim argued that human beings were essentially socialized personalities and that the human species obtains its humanistic qualities in and through society. Virtually, what makes us human is our ability to move and groove, and above all survive in a social world. Modern day society seems to present the potential for individualism within a certain degree of social regulation. In contrast to earlier forms of social organization based on a mechanical solidarity of which demanded a high degree of regimentation, in modern organic societies, social solidarity is dependent upon, rather than repressive of individualistic behaviour. It...
