Society is a fundamental function of human civilization; it has been an essential part for billions of years. A human being tends to live in groups.
Society and community make it easier to transfer vital information to upcoming generations. Such information is advantageous to lead a better life.
Society and community are groups of people who have similar interests.
Key Takeaways
- Societies encompass larger groups of people with shared laws and regulations, while communities are smaller groups with shared interests and values.
- Membership in a society is mandatory based on one’s location, whereas community membership is voluntary and chosen.
- Societies have formal structures and hierarchies, while communities have informal and flexible organizations.
Society vs Community
Society is a group of people sharing cultural, social, and economic characteristics. A community is a group of individuals living in a specific geographical location who share a common interest, goal, or purpose. Society is broader and more abstract, unlike the community.
Society is a large group of people sharing similar customs and rituals. People living in certain areas in groups are known as a part of society.
These people are connected and have persistent social interaction. The norms associated with society are not written anywhere; they are just based on beliefs.
A group of people that have particular factors in common is known to be a community. A community is a confluence of Identity, customs, values, religion, etc.
Community is divided into three parts; rural, urban, and suburban. The community can be considered as a unit of society.
The community might have some written documents for people to follow.
Comparison Table
| Parameters Of Comparison | Society | Community |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Society is a group of people living in a shared territory with similar cultures and beliefs. | A community is associated with a place; it is a group of people having particular characteristics. |
| Diversity | Society is a group of diverse people because it consists of several communities. | The people of a community have common traits and beliefs because it is a smaller unit. |
| Locality | Society does not define locality nor consider it as a prominent element. | A community defines locality and uses it to provide a definite structure. |
| Size | Society is a bigger unit compared to the community. Society is made of multiple communities. | Talking about size, the community is a smaller unit compared to society. |
| Type | The type of society is heterogeneous because it is full of multiformity. | The type of community is homogeneous because it comprises people and land having similar traits. |
What is Society?
An organized group of people residing in a particular geographical area with continuous social interactions, sharing common interests and influencing the same political power, constitutes a Society.
More broadly, a society covers a large social group of people living together, whether belonging to any religion or race.
The major objective of a society is to make ecstatic people along with their overall development by providing them different opportunities in all aspects.
According to anthropologists, society can be classified into four major categories including Tribal society, Agrarian society, Industrial society, and Post-industrial society.
Tribal and Agrarian societies are also regarded as pre-industrial societies. Tribal society relies upon hunting and gathering food as their occupation, whereas Agrarian society mainly depends on agriculture.
It includes all individuals related to agriculture, whether laborers or landowners. The agrarian society produces goods through conventional or advanced resources.
With the invention of new machines, contemporary Industrial society was formed, which manufactured goods and production.
The Industrial Revolution led the people to shift heavily towards the industrial sector seeking jobs and migrating to cities.
Finally, Post-industrial societies are affected by technology and services, to epitome doctors, engineers, researchers, teachers, etc. Constitute the service sector.
There has been a remarkable increase in the number of people in Post-industrial society in the last couple of decades.
What is Community?
A community constitutes a group of people living in a particular area and sharing the same interests and attitudes, including religion, culture, rituals, values, or Identity. The terms society and community are different yet interrelated to each other.
Mathematically, a community can be called a subset of society. In other words, several communities combine to form a society.
The community can break down communities into multiple types and subtypes based on the purpose which brings them together.
However, these can be classified into three main categories: location-based, identity-based, and organization-based. Location-based communities range from the local areas, Rural areas, urban areas, and nations.
On the other hand, Identity based communities include ethnic, religious, and multicultural groups.
Organization-based communities have professional associations or other network guilds.
Society plays a vitally important role for the human race to enjoy auspicious moments of life, solve difficulties or face problems by coping together, and stay happy throughout their lifetime.
A sense of community is essential for the welfare of people. It is also necessary to raise the feeling of being connected and communicating openly with one another while living in a community.
The willingness to help others, including one’s well-being, also makes a happy community.
Main Differences Between Society and Community
- Society is discrete by nature because all the features it is composed of aren’t alike. Community, on the other hand, is abstract by nature.
- Society does not associate with a particular area or people; it is shapeless and area less. On the other hand, the area’s size and locality are significant for the community.
- In society, the relationship between people is based on behavior, while the relationship between people in the community is based on sentiments.
- Society doesn’t have definite boundaries; it is spread beyond borders. On the other hand, the community is all about boundaries and localities.
- The size of society is enormous, and it is not a part of the community. Society works informally. On the other hand, a community is a part of society and has formal codes.
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1467-954X.00161
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=iaP6xi27SowC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=community&ots=022EwVFpZm&sig=HZpQcK7IecQk_bvet5prHvSSydA
Last Updated : 19 July, 2023
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
