The division of the structure of society into conditional spheres is, on the one hand, a basic, and on the other, a very broad topic. In the school course, she pays a lot of attention, and tasks on it are found in both the exam and the exam. To compile a table “The basic subsystems of society” in the 10th grade is a common task. Not surprisingly, after all, any student must clearly understand how exactly the different spheres differ, what kind of social relations they enter. When mastering this topic, it is extremely important to avoid confusion. In order to systematize information, it is worth studying the basic subsystems of society in the table.
Division of society into subsystems
Let's start with the definition of society. Society in the broad sense is a system of relations of people, their associations and ways of interacting with each other. So society is a big structure. But moreover, it is divided into elements.
As already mentioned, the division of society into spheres is conditional. However, it is necessary in order to somehow differentiate and isolate social processes related to various aspects of human life.
There are 4 main public areas:
- Political.
- Economic.
- Social.
- Spiritual.
It is important to note that these areas do not line up in a hierarchy. They are equally important for the normal functioning of the whole society. Consider the main subsystems of society in the table.
Political sphere
Politics is an integral part of the life of any modern person. Regardless of whether we want it or not, it directly or indirectly affects us. But what kind of issues does the political sphere include? The table on the main subsystems of society discusses this issue in more detail.
| What kind of relationship does it include | Major social institutions | Activities | Specificity |
Political sphere | The political sphere includes relations between large social groups - classes, strata, nations. They seek to gain political power and use it for their own purposes. | The main social institution is the state. State * Has sovereignty * Territory * Population * Has a monopoly on the use of legal violence | The main activity in the political sphere is to uphold one’s interests and strive to gain power. The main forms: * Rallies * Creation of parties * Conduct of negotiations | Typology of political cultures: 1. The patriarchal type * Low competency * Lack of interest * Orientation to local values and opinions of leaders 2. Citizenship * Targeting an interesting state * Low individual activity * Easy manipulation 3. Activist * Active citizen engagement * High interest * The desire to realize their own interests |
Economic sphere
Economics is an integral part of social science, acquaintance with which begins only in the 10th grade. The table on the main subsystems of society identifies the basic concepts that are necessary for students.
| What kind of relationship does it include | Major social institutions | Activities | Specificity |
Economic sphere | Relations regarding the production, distribution and consumption of economic goods. | * Exchange * Money * Market * Institute of private property - in countries with market economies. | The main activity is production. It is aimed at satisfying the basic economic needs and demands of society, but at the same time directly affects them. | According to the theory of K. Marx, the economic sphere determines all the other spheres of society, that is, the rest of social relations depend on how production is organized. Now this theory is classical, but rather marginal. |
Social sphere
This is probably the most understandable topic, since all of us in our daily lives are faced with its manifestations. But because of the apparent simplicity, one can miss a large layer of an important theory, which is disclosed in this table on the main subsystems of society.
| What kind of relationship does it include | Major social institutions | Activities | Specificity |
Social sphere | The system of relations between the main elements of society: social groups, social communities, as well as individuals. | * A family | Activities include the creation of comfortable conditions for work, life and leisure. | There are two main approaches to understanding the social sphere: * M. Weber Key concepts: 1) Strata - a community of people with a similar level of income, prestige, as well as access to power and education. 2) Social mobility * K. Marx The economic sphere determines the relations between the layers, which are distinguished on the basis of access to the means of production. |
Spiritual sphere
Art, religion, education - all these social structures are included in the spiritual sphere. Without it, harmonious upbringing of a person is impossible, since it is she who is the most important part of an individual's socialization if we compare the spheres of society. In the table on the main subsystems of society, its features and components are described in more detail.
| What kind of relationship does it include | Major social institutions | Activities | Specificity |
Spiritual sphere | The spiritual realm is the realm of ideas. It includes political, socio-economic, moral and philosophical theories, as well as relations regarding their production and consumption. | * School * Religion * Art * The science | Activities in the context of the spiritual sphere are divided into spiritual production. Their essential difference from the economic ones is that spiritual goods do not disappear when consumed, but transform the inner world of a person. | The result of human activity in the spiritual sphere is public consciousness. |
Spheres of society in their relationship
Despite the fact that in the table the main subsystems of society are highlighted separately, in real life they exist in close interconnection. Moreover, it is very difficult to perform an action that affects only one area. Therefore, it is important to use the table of social studies "Basic subsystems of society", which helps to clearly understand what kind of relationship relates to a particular area.
For example, the state allocated money to create a patriotic film. Children from low-income families were invited to the premiere for free.
In this case, the state acts as a political institution, so its actions relate to the relevant field. At the same time, cinema is included in the spiritual sphere, and its production is in the economic sphere, since it requires material costs. In addition, benefits are part of the social sphere aimed at smoothing inequality.
Thus, in one situation, all 4 subsystems are connected at once. Due to the interweaving of spheres, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish and attribute them to a specific one, but these tables on the main subsystems of society will help you learn material and successfully complete tasks on this topic.