Social institutions and their functions

4937
Abraham McLaughlin
Social institutions and their functions

Social institutions are organizations recognized by citizens, have an internal order and fulfill a purpose according to the present needs at the time of its formation.

To determine the functions of the social institutions It is necessary to understand the context in which they arise, since they are usually born to meet a certain need in a specific group, since they respond to social interests. 

What are social institutions?

Social institutions are all those groups that have, in general, the purpose of covering important needs of a community.

That is why, among the main types of family institutions are the family, educational, religious, political and economic.

The family institution

It is the fundamental grouping of society; It is the oldest social institution and with universally recognized norms, which indicate the role that each of its members should play.

It is made up of the home, whose main objective is procreation and education. This institution can be defined as a group of people united by a blood relationship. A large part of social behaviors are determined, in the first instance, by the family institution.

The educational institution

The function of this institution is fulfilled according to the objectives that are pursued in each culture. This institution is important to the social inclusion of all members of a community, so that, among its purposes is the transmission of values ​​proper to a culture.

The political institution

It arises from the need to govern society, since it could not be viable if it does not have an order, an organization and a direction that drive it towards the achievement of its objectives..

This is why the political institution ensures that the rights of each member are respected, in addition to administering the duties.

This important social institution is materialized with the State, which is an entity in charge of regulating everything concerning political power and the administration of authority..

The economic institution

It orders everything related to the investments and expenses that the State makes, so that this is done in the best possible way and that it is efficient.

To do this, it resorts to regulating the processes of production, distribution, exchange and consumption of goods and products. Each State, in accordance with its ideology, will implement an economic system.

The religious institution

There are different religious manifestations, Well, this social institution is not presented with uniqueness, but with plurality, according to the religious sense of each individual, but, in itself, it is a universal social fact that provides certain moral codes that influence society.

When do social institutions emerge?

Social institutions arise when certain temporal processes occur in society, that is, they correspond to a social epoch.

Well, the human being is an individual whose nature is social, so that, since ancient times, he has always sought to be surrounded by his peers and to form social groups that facilitate their development, which has occurred from within primitive communities.

Some primitive communities are as follows:

The horde

Characterized by being a simple model of society in which there was no concept of family as it is known today, nor that of paternity. Likewise, arbitrarily, the members maintained sexual unions.

Some nomadic groups belong to this form of community, which, in addition, used to be violent.

 The clan

The relationships of this group were based on kinship, so family ties were strong.

the members were exogamous, which means that they were paired with individuals from other clans. In addition, they had common ceremonies and solidarity was given.

The tribe

The tribe was a social group made up of several clans, who lived in villages located in a specific territory. They had culture and language in common, as well as their political organization.

In fact, it was the union of the various tribes that gave shape to the peoples, which were more accentuated social institutions in which the beliefs, customs and behaviors of the subjects were transmitted more strongly..

However, this did not happen in a premeditated way, but rather gradually occurred as a result of the need to respond to the demands that the communities had, or because of the struggles that arose between the members for power..

Characteristics of social institutions

Among the characteristics of social institutions, the following stand out:

  • Its origin is social.
  • They have remained in time for several generations.
  • They have their own symbols that identify them.
  • They keep codes of behavior in common.
  • They have interests or an ideology that bases their existence and their actions.
  • They have a hierarchical and defined internal structure through which power is distributed among the members, in an asymmetric way..
  • The community recognizes them.

These are often some of the most conspicuous characteristics of social institutions.

However, each one in specific is endowed with particular qualities, as is the case of the family, for example, where the objective is the transmission of values, knowledge and beliefs and is aimed at satisfying the basic needs of its members.

Thus, each social institution gradually conforms to characteristics that are its own, depending on its function..

Functions of social institutions

Regarding the functions of social institutions are the following:

  1. Serve as a guide for the conduct of individuals.
  2. Their function is positive insofar as they facilitate the solution of basic needs.
  3. They allow society to maintain continuity.
  4. They regulate the actions of individuals through norms and sanctions.
  5. They act as a coordinating body at the cultural level.

Social institutions are fundamental today, and are made up of organizations that are recognized by all their members..


Yet No Comments