Such a concept as social tension has always been the case. This phenomenon can be understood at the level of common and scientific sense. If we turn to ordinary consciousness, we can give the following definition: social tension is “troubled time”. But from a scientific point of view, this is a complex phenomenon, which often acts as an object of interdisciplinary analysis. However, all this can be described in more detail.
Briefly about the concept
In simple terms, social tension is a negative state of social behavior and consciousness, a specific perception of reality. It is it that forms the favorable environment for the emergence of conflict and its development.
This phenomenon can be encountered anywhere. Social tension can be short and long-term, interpersonal, interethnic, intergroup, interreligious, and global.
What causes it? The most common prerequisites lie in a certain situation, which for a long time remains unresolved. As a rule, it is connected with one's needs, social expectations, interests. However, if something remains unresolved, unsatisfied for a long time, then this intensifies the aggression of people whom it directly concerns. Mental fatigue and irritability increase. And this leads to the emergence of the notorious social tension.
Around - a lot of examples. We can say that we live in them, exist and encounter them daily. For example, doctors and educators have long been promised a salary increase. But all these conversations for a long time remain only words - actions are not reinforced. As a result - irritability and moral fatigue of people who were promised a raise. That is social tension. However, many are familiar with this when the boss promises to raise his salary, but nothing. What is the outcome? Conflict, and then the departure of the employee in search of a better place. And there are many such examples.
The essence of the problem
Social tension is also a massive adaptation syndrome. It reflects the psychological and physiological adaptation of different categories of the population to difficulties. They are usually lower living standards and other social changes. This is manifested in many ways. Society begins to conflict, behave anxiously, ceases to trust the authorities. There is general dissatisfaction, economic and mental depression. Demographics are getting worse. And of course, all this is accompanied by a manifestation of compensatory reactions, which are the search for enemies, the hope for a miracle and massive aggression.
How is all this determined? The effectiveness of the authorities, the influence of the media, criminal structures, the opposition, the economic situation. What happens when everything is bad in a country? At first people endure, make peace, then the situation begins to annoy them little by little. Gradually, awareness comes to them - they deserve the best. And begins mass migration to other countries - abroad.
This is a simple, long-standing mechanism of social tension. People are experiencing massive dissatisfaction - they do not like that the standard of living has fallen. And if some migrate, then others organize strikes, which leads to an even greater decline in production.
Maladaptation
It is worth considering this concept in more detail. As the name suggests, maladaptation is the loss by a person or a mass of people of the ability to adapt to the conditions that surround them. This is a violation of their interaction with the environment. People cease to see themselves as part of society and cannot realize their positive social role, which is appropriate to their capabilities. From here everything goes.
There are four levels of maladaptation. The first is the bottom. Or, as it is also called, latent. It practically does not affect social stability. A person experiencing maladaptation at a lower level may not even be aware of this. This is hidden in his subconscious.
The second level is half. With him, some changes are already appearing. But it will be more correct to call them pertubations. Since they arise and disappear.
The third level is steadily incoming. It reflects the depth that is sufficient to destroy the previous adaptive mechanisms and relationships. It has a significant impact on social life.
And the last level is entrenched maladaptation. The case when the manifestation of mass discontent entails effectiveness. With it, a global disruption of social communities and institutions arises.
Most importantly, social tension in a society can fulfill two roles. The first is destructive. That is, when tension exerts a devastating effect on the state, government, economy and people. And the second is constructive. In this case, tension only mobilizes to overcome difficulties. But both in one case and in another case, it determines a powerful motivation. It's hard to argue with that.
Causes
They should also be described in more detail. Situations of social tension are diverse, but most often this phenomenon finds us in the sphere of labor relations. Moreover, sometimes in a team everything becomes so bad that it becomes unclear how to resolve everything and bring it back to normal. And is it possible? Actually yes, but you need to be aware of the essence of this phenomenon. Then it will be possible to prevent the destruction of the structure.
The causes of social tension can come from both inside and out. For starters, you should turn to the first category.
Internal factors - this is the maximum dissatisfaction of employees of the enterprise with the level and conditions of labor organization, management and the production itself. The manifestation of indifference and apathy can also affect the growth of tension, as well as the dominance of negative emotions in the team. Naturally, there is an unfavorable psychological atmosphere prevailing in the team. These are conflicts, disagreements, misunderstanding. If among the workers there is too high turnover, then we should also expect the appearance of tension. And when management loses initiative in managing the situation, this also does not end with anything good.
The external causes of social tension are more global, since they affect everyone, not just production workers. These include increased crime, negative population growth, economic differentiation, an increase in the number of divorces, suicides and marginalized people in society.
Pattern
A couple of words should also be said about it, touching upon the problems of social tension. A pattern exists, and it manifests itself in several aspects at once.
So, the more unevenly the distribution of material resources occurs, the stronger the conflict of interests becomes . In particular, this applies to subordinates and managers. If, say, the salary is not unfairly increased for a year or the premiums are not paid, and the boss has a new Mercedes, then it’s clear that the employees will not say a good word about him. And by the way, the better workers know about their freedoms, interests and rights, the more they doubt the legality of the form of resource allocation.
That is not all that concerns this sphere of social tension. The more strongly employees doubt the legality of the distribution of resources, the greater the likelihood of an open conflict between them and the boss. And the higher their ideological unification (for example, many of the employees are members of the Communist Party), the better their structure is developed. This means that sooner or later leaders will appear in the team. This will entail the polarization (confrontation) of employees and managers.
And the better its results, the more strongly leaders will strive to achieve their goals in full, rather than a partial victory. Subject to the full described regularity, the level of social tension reaches considerable heights. The conflict is usually smoothed out by compromise. Unless, of course, all its participants are smart. Otherwise, the system, like production, collapses.
Action taken
Well, the factors of social tension at the labor enterprise are quite understandable and obvious. It’s rare where it turns out to avoid them completely. In some cases, disagreement arises on the basis of values - the most important attitudes of life. And they are difficult to solve. In other cases, the main reason is the material component. If the problem is in the means, then solving it is much easier.
But anyway, certain actions contribute to the discharge of tension. In this case, they are undertaken by workers. More often than not, they simply refuse active actions. From strikes, for example. Most often due to fear or uncertainty. Therefore, they solve the problem differently - they are looking for another job, they are massively quitting, they are suing. This is a moderate strategy.
The following form of action is called defensive. In this case, employees oppose superiors. This can hardly be called a protest, since usually it ends with a normal dispute. Again, the reason lies in fear and doubts about the effectiveness of actions.
More results can be achieved if you use the protection of professional interests in front of the state. What is meant? Joint protest actions against the government directed against the state. Their effectiveness depends on the scale, namely, how important the enterprise of the protesters is and how many people have joined the action.
The last form is the so-called coordination movement. That is a symbiosis of active protests aimed at protecting their own interests. Often, socio-economic tension is smoothed out in this way. When people are ready for anything, just to achieve results in their favor.
Social tension is a necessity
Sounds weird? Perhaps, but it is. Of course, rising social tension is bad. But everything in moderation is necessary. And she including. But not on an ongoing basis.
So what do you mean? The fact that a person, experiencing a slight social tension, experiences it as stress. Faced with it, he gets used to this phenomenon. Simply put, he develops "immunity." And this is a necessary part of the culture. If, for example, something suddenly happens global in society, people will not be in shock. They simply comment on the event as follows: "Well, this was to be expected." And since we live in historical time, before our eyes such examples occur. True, on a global level.
Take, for example, the annexation of Crimea to Russia. Perhaps for some it was a surprise, but in general, observing the emerging political situation, such an incident really should have been expected.
So, social tension has long been “embedded” in civilized processes, and it seems to permeate the entire world community. And in some cases, it mobilizes society, strengthens certain processes. A striking positive example is the environmental movement.
State level
Many factors of social tension were listed. But it is worth returning to the topic of the state, authorities and the economy. And touch on the background and local causes, due to which the causes of social tension are determined. They have a certain meaning.
So, the background reasons arise due to typical conditions that are developing on the scale of the state or its regions. And local ones appear in places of smaller area (cities, districts, production facilities, etc.).
One way or another, in such crisis periods, people have activated a strong psychological defense. And what are the consequences of social tension? They are serious. You can see how people devalue their own behavior, apathy appears and distrust of power structures is growing. Many are trying to get distracted - part of the society (fortunately, a small one) gets drunk, begins to use drugs, get involved in porn films and more. For others, the search for protection is manifested in a more positive way - they begin to hope for a miracle, to turn to the church. Some are trying to escape, showing aggression. This is worst of all, because people lose their adequacy, start looking for enemies, and many fall into panic so much that they can even begin to exterminate those who seem suspicious to them.
Spread
Unfortunately, social tension tends to spread at an incredibly high rate. Having arisen in one place, it will quickly grow and cover the entire area that is possible. Take, for example, what is happening in the world. In all countries! But only a couple of years ago on our planet was relatively calm and stable.
The worst thing is when the so-called critical syndrome occurs. That is, a situation when people and society cannot change the existing picture of the world in any way. At all. These are the cases when everything gets out of control. And the consequences in the form of mass discontent seem as harmless as possible. Because such phenomena as self-immolation, picketing, civil disobedience, hunger strikes begin to appear.
How dynamically social tension develops and what exactly forms it takes depends on whether it is deliberately heated or spontaneous. Unfortunately, this phenomenon is often provoked. Who needs this is another question. But if tension develops on its own, then in this case the method of its spread and escalation is suggestion and infection. In general, the psychological impact. As a rule, everything ends with massive indifference and depression. Why? People just get tired. Since their actions do not give results. Someone is losing the meaning of life. Others have their own perspectives. Still others come to terms with reality. The fourth leave everything and leave in search of a better life. And the rest fall into asthenic syndrome (a condition accompanied by severe weakness, emotional disturbances and lack of working capacity).
Total
What can be said in conclusion? Global social tension is chaos. It can lead to unpredictable consequences. If this phenomenon is temporary (as in the case of a conflict between the boss and subordinates), then, as a rule, nothing terrible happens. After all, we are all human beings and are members of society. It consists of different individuals, differing in characters, values, worldview, attitude to the world. And conflict, contradictions are normal phenomena. The main thing is that tension does not go beyond. But it already depends on the people.