SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION

INTRODUCTION

When all members of society adhere to the society's norms, mores, values, rules, and regulations, the society is called organised, ensuring the welfare and well-being of all members. However, when it appears that society will be unable to sustain such laws and norms owing to a variety of causes, it produces a state of disorder and instability in the society, which has a negative influence on the social system's smooth operation. All members of an organised community who obey the laws and standards are distinguished by sincerity, obedience, and loyalty. Even so, there are times when people's minds have been programmed to violate or reject such established standards or conventions. As a result, social disorder, misbehaviour, and pathologies emerge.

SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION

Social disorganization consists of the coordination of individual responses as a result of the operation of consensus and control. A change in the cultural context that destroys the functioning of coordination that constitutes the social order represents social disorganization. Social disorganization may thus be more or less when the forces of social change create a threat to social stability and as a result of which there arise social problems. Social disorganization implies some breakdown in the social disorganization, which may be more or less according to the forces of social change operating at a particular time. In the word of Elliott and Merrill, social disorganization represents a breakdown in the equilibrium of forces, a decay in the social structure, so that old habits and forms of social control no longer function effectively. ‘Social’ pertains to society or social relationships while the word ‘disorganization’ is indicative of breaking or disruption or disintegration. In this way, even the literate meaning of social disorganization speaks of the annihilation, destruction or breaking of the social relations between the members.

Thus on the basis of these definitions, it may be said that social disorganization refers to serious maladjustments rather than unadjustments in society so that they fail to satisfy the needs of the individuals satisfactorily. Society, as we know, is the web of social relationships. In an organized society social relations have some patterns and mechanisms. When the relations become disordered or disintegrated there is social disorganization.

It may be, however, noted that no objective criteria for measuring the degree of disorganization are available; whether a situation represents organization or disorganization is largely a matter of subjective judgment. For example, divorce may be thought of as signifying family disorganization. Actually, it may be due to a better knowledge of the divorce laws and altered attitudes towards marriage.

DEFINITION OF SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION

1. Elliott and Merrill. “Social disorganization is the process by which the relationships between members of a group are broken or dissolved.”

2. R. E. L. Faris. “Social disorganization is a disturbance in the patterns and mechanisms of human relations.”

3. Thomas and Znaniecki. “Social disorganization is a decrease of the influence of existing social rules of behaviour upon individual members of the group.”

SOCIAL ORGANIZATION AND SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION

In contrast to social organisation, social disorganisation is a process. The status and functions of the four varna Brahmin, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudra were defined by the varna system and accepted by everyone in ancient Hindu society, just as the status and functions of the four varna Brahmin, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudra were defined by the varna system and accepted by everyone in ancient Hindu society. However, as Hindu society continues to disintegrate, this widespread support is eroding, and just a few people can be observed following the varna system. In a well-organized society, all of its constituent elements are in balance, and its people are happy as a result. This mechanism is broken in a disorganised society, and misery may be found everywhere.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION

The main characteristics of social disorganization are the following:

1. Conflict of Mores and of Institutions: Every society has its mores and institutions which regulate the life of its members. With the passage of time, these mores and institutions become obsolete. New ideas arise and new institutions are formed. The existing mores come into conflict with new mores. Some people want to replace them with new ones. This destroys consensus in society. With the destruction of consensus, social organization breaks up and social disorganization ensues. In Indian society, we can see such conflict of mores and institutions.

For instance, there are critics of the caste system, as we denounce the caste system while on the other we apply casteism in the selection of candidates for political offices, recruitment to public services and admission to educational institutions. There is much confusion of mores in our society and so we are passing through a state of social disorganization. There is a strong difference of opinion on a number of other issues like divorce, family planning, untouchability, love-marriage, joint family system, women education, widow remarriage, education etc. Elliot and Merrill called social organization fundamentally a problem of consensus and when there is disagreement concerning mores and institutions, the seeds of social disorganization have been sown.

2. Transfer of Functions from one Group to Another: In an organized society the functions of different groups are defined and predetermined. But as society is dynamic, the functions of one group are transferred to another. Thus most of the functions once performed by the family stand transferred today to nurseries, schools and clubs. This has caused family disorganization. Thus the transfer of functions from one group to another is characteristic of social disorganization.

3. Individuation: Man today thinks in terms of self. The functions of different groups are determined in purely individualistic terms. Under the impact of individualism, every person thinks upon all the important matters of life from his individual viewpoint. The young men and women want to take decisions on such important matters as marriage, occupation, recreation and morality in accordance with their individual prejudices, interests and attitudes. This trend has set in a dangerous process of social disorganization.

4. Change in the Role and Status of the Individuals: In an organized society the roles and status of people are defined and fixed. Their functions are well defined and they carry on the tasks allotted to them. They enjoy the status in accordance with their role in society. For example, a primitive society suffers less from disorganization because it is stable and its members follow the professions allocated to them. But in course of time our norms change which also brings a change in the roles and statuses of the people. They no longer are treated as fixed and the people begin to choose from amongst the different roles which cause disequilibrium.

The women are no longer confined to homes. They work in offices. This change in the roles of women has caused family disorganization. The Government of India is making efforts to raise the status of the lower classes which has led to disorganization in the caste system. Faris writes, “Social disorganization is the disruption of the natural relation of persons to a degree that interferes with the performance of the accepted tasks of the group.”

CAUSES OF SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION

Social disorganization has been and is always present in every society. Elliott and Merrill have ascribed the four main causes for the disorganization:

1. The social process under the three main heads:

1. Cultural

2. Political and

3. Economic

2. Cultural lag

3. Conflicting attitudes and values

4. Social crisis

Sorokin has mentioned the change from the “idealistic” and “ideation” culture to “sensate culture” as the main cause of social disorganization.

According to Karl Mannheim views that unplanned capitalism and policy of laissez faire are responsible for social disintegration in the present age, while Bertrand Russell observes that the lack of adjustment in institutions based on authority in the past is responsible for present social disorganization.

However, as pointed out above, G. R. Madan has listed a few factors responsible for disorganization. Let us discuss the causes under the following heads:

1. Psychological factors of social disorganization: According to Park and Burgess there are five main processes including:

1. Communication

2. Conflict

3. Competition

4. Accommodation and

5. Assimilation 

The above five main processes make up the dynamic organization of society. When members of the society live in close proximity there is constant communication going on among them. This communication can function effectively only when there is common understanding or common consciousness. As complete unanimity of attitudes and values can hardly be reached in modern societies, communication is generally incomplete and fragmentary. Symbols used do not mean exactly the same thing to all men who use them. Words, phrases and ideas arouse different trains of thought in different persons and there is some disequilibrium in the society. Thus, communication may trend to bring about social harmony or may result in conflict or competition. Occasionally, conflict and competition may produce desirable social ends but in general, they are destructive to the organization of the larger group. These processes operate in all the spheres such as cultural, economic, political, religious, etc.

2. Cultural factor: It can be discussed under three main heads:

1. The maladjustment in existing institutions: According to Bertrand Russell in the modern world the principle of growth in most men and women is hampered by institutions inherited from a simpler age. By the progress of thought and knowledge and by the increase in command over the forces of the physical world new possibilities of growth have come into existence, and have given rise to new claims which must be satisfied if those who make them are not to be thwarted. Institutions that give much greater opportunities to some classes than to others are supported by the former. For example, poverty is considered to be the out-growth of capitalistic system and the institution of private property which creates inequalities of wealth.

2. Cultural lag: Cultural lag the concept used by W. F. Ogburn refers to the imbalance in the rate and speed of change between the material cultural and non-material culture. Here changes in the material culture are readily adopted due to apparent utility of new articles, which bring immediate changes in human relations. Ogburn by analyzing various social problems such as unemployment, poverty, crime, race conflict, family disorganization and labour problems has shown that social disorganization issues from the irregular changes of our culture.

3. Cultural conflict: The cultural conflict between the older and young generation may result in disorganization of the adolescents, sex delinquency and sometimes resulting in family disorganization. The cultural conflict between groups in the same country may result in civil war or communal riots and between two nations in cold war, the serious consequences of which are readily apparent.

3. Physical or Geographical factors: The geographical factors include the nature of land, water resources, minerals, natural changes of seasons, storms, earthquakes, sea currents, rainfall, altitudes, etc. They may bring changes all of a sudden, e.g. floods or earthquakes or they may be cumulative. The cumulative crisis may develop slowly out of a long line of sequential events. Frequent failure of rains for many years may bring famine.

4. The Biological factor: It has been considered to be the significant factors of inter-mixture of races, marriage of deficient and unfit persons and population explosion leading to poverty and unemployment. Gobineau and his followers believed that the decay of all societies is the result of racial inter-mixture. This is due to the fact that races are not equal in capability. There are three races, white, yellow and black. The white races are superior in capability and when interbred with other races, the quality deteriorates. However, this factor does not hold well in the present knowledge of biological science.

5. The Ecological factor: Social disorganization is related to environment in terms of regions and neighbourhoods. The amount of social disorganization also varied in different regions due to differences in culture and density of population.

6. Individual disorganization leading to social disorganization: This philosophically organic approach has been developed by Charles H. Cooley and his followers. Basic to this approach is the microscopic-macroscopic relationship between society and the individual. In Professor Cooley’s formulation, both are but different aspects of one and the same thing, i.e. social life, when one views social life from the point of view of the separate units of which it is made up, he sees the individual. When, on the other hand, his view is that of the collection he sees society. From this standpoint personal and social disorganization are inextricably bound up together and it is difficult to say which has grown out of which and both are cause and effect of each other and one cannot exist without the other.

7. The social problem leading to social disorganization: Social problems in various fields such as economics, medicine, psychology, political science, sociology are considered to be the symptoms of social disorganization. For example, unemployment in the economic field, sickness in the medical field, mental illness in the psychological field, political corruption in the political field and divorces in the sociological field were considered to be problems threatening the smooth working of society. These social problems and forces such as a revolution, social upheaval, a class struggle, a financial or economic crisis, a war between nations, mental illness, and political corruption threaten the welfare of the society.

8. Degeneration of values: Social values are often regarded as the sustaining forces of society. They contribute to the strength and stability of social order. But due to rapid social change new values come up and some of the old values decline. At the same time, people are not in a position to reject the old completely and accept the new altogether. Hence the conflict between the old and the new is the inevitable result of which leads to social disorganization.

9. Lack of proper planning leading to social disorganization: According to Karl Mannheim the uncontrolled capitalism and policy of laissez faire were responsible for personal and social disorganization in the present age. In his opinion, the laissez faire policy in the old sense could no longer work and in the present stage of industrial society planning in some form or other was inevitable. He says that as a result of a process of fundamental democratization, the older type of restrictive democracy of propertied and educated elite has been increasingly displaced by a democracy of emotionalized masses. In a society in which the masses tend to dominate, irrationalities, which have not been integrated into the social structure may force their way into political life. This situation in dangerous because the selective apparatus of mass democracy opens the door to irrationalities in those places where rational direction is indispensable. Thus, democracy itself produces its own antithesis and even provides its own enemies with their weapons.

10. Disintegration and confusion of roles: Members of the society are expected to perform certain definite roles in accordance with their placements in society. Due to profound social changes, these expectations also undergo change. Consequently, people are confused with regard to their new roles.

Besides the causes described above, there are some more which have been mentioned by sociologists as leading to social disorganization, e.g. war, business depression, formalism in the means of social control such as religion, law, etc. Social disorganization is a disease of society that must be treated rapidly and effectively before it becomes chronic and destroys the social organism. Therefore, the need for a new structure should be erected before social disorganization can destroy the entire social fabric.

CAUSES OF PRESENT-DAY SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION

The following have been advanced as the causes of social disorganization:

1. Casteism and Untouchability: As remarked above the evil of casteism has divided society into innumerable classes and subclasses. Furthermore, it has encouraged self-centredness, parochialism and class hatred. These things have broken up the society into fragments and all cohesive bonds and unifying influences are obliterated. This has naturally resulted in acute social disorganization.

2. Communalism: The problem of Hindu-Muslim disunity and conflict has been with Indian society ever since the conquest of India by Muslim rulers. Inspite of the lapse of centuries and subjugation by a foreign power, the elements of mistrust and suspicion are so deep in both the communities that violence and rioting keep erupting from time to time. This evil of communalism has an extremely adverse effect on social harmony and peace in Indian society. As a consequence of this evil Indian society remains disorganised.

3. Language Parochialism: In modern India, there are serious divisions among people due to language problems. The people of India speak 447 different languages. There are dialects in each of these languages. In India, there are 22 recognised languages, according to official status in the Indian constitution. Scheduled languages are listed in the Indian constitution's 8th schedule. As regards a link language for the whole of India, each linguistic group feels that adoption of any other language as an official language will despite its members of adequate competitive opportunity. Many times the language controversy takes the ugly form of violence and destruction and thus leads to social disorganization.

4. Regionalism: In modern India, the sentiment of regional loyalties at the expense of the nation is gaining strength. Northernism, Southernism, Easternism and Westernism and the like are the order of the day. The regional loyalties in the South at times become so acute that Southerns even think of seeding from the Indian nation and forming a nation of their own. It is obvious that such trends are disastrous for society and encourage social disorganization.

5. Lack of Integral Education: One of the main causes of social disorganization in India is the lack of wholesome and adequate education. Higher education cannot address itself the problem of character building and at the lower levels the schools are so ill equipped and poorly staffed that it is foolish to expect many benefits from the education under these circumstances. Most of the teachers are too poor to lead a dignified life and are easily tempted. No wonder society pays scant respect to teachers. Moreover, many institutions are run on a denominational basis and the aim of these institutions is not to impart nationally oriented education but to propagate their own interests.

6. Religious Differences: What crimes are not committed in the name of religion in India? The communal violence, hatred and rivalry are encouraged by religious differences. All religions have their vested interests and are dominated by priests, maulavies and pujaris. These people have made religion a flourishing profession and in order to boost their professional interests, they do not refrain from evil practices of allurement, cheating, seduction and prostitution. These evil practices encourage fissiparous tendencies and thus encourage social disorganization.

7. Marital malpractices: Due to marital disorganization all sorts of evil practices regarding marriage have come into vogue. In India there are still communities where child marriage is practised, there are people who consider marriage an opportunity to be rich, therefore they demand exorbitant sums as dowries. Due to the dowry system and its concomitant ills, many girls are unable to marry at the right age; many are compelled to live as spinsters. Widow-remarriage is frowned upon. Due to these evils, many women are forced into prostitution and illicit sex. If a girl brings unsatisfactory gifts from her parents home she is persecuted by her in-laws. All this encourages disorganization.

8. Urbanization: The current trend in India towards urbanization is giving rise to all its implied evil. The chunks of large populace coming to towns from villages suffer a traumatic shock due to drastic change in the values. The villagers have much fewer expectations from life than the townsmen, and therefore, huddle themselves in slums. Besides, allurements of city life seduce them and they take to drinking, prostitution and crimes. These developments are obviously breeder of disorganization.

9. Industrialization: The rapid industrialization in modern India has given rise to social disorganization. Due to industrialization, numerous industrial townships have sprung up causing uprooting of numerous people engaged in farming. The development of slums, cinemas, brothels and liquor shops is an inevitable consequence of industrialization. The exodus of villagers to towns upsets the village people and they fall prey to neuroses and evil of drinking, prostitution, theft and other crimes. The gambling dens are concomitant with industrialization. Besides, a sudden economic depression necessitating closure of industries and protracted strikes further complicates the problems of labour. They even take to begging or a life of crime under such circumstances.

10. Crime and Juvenile Delinquency: The rising incidence of crime and juvenile offences are, on the one hand, an index of social disorganization; on the other hand, they contribute to such disorganization.

11. Poverty and unemployment: As a famous economist observed, there is no greater curse than poverty that can befall a man. The poor must somewhat feed them. They do so by eating leftovers of other people or by indulging in theft. Even worse, poor men can scarcely keep moral dignity. Some fathers are compelled to prostitute their wives and daughters and live off immoral earnings. In order to drown their feeling of guilt and remorse, they consume liquor and become wife-battering or worse dishonour their own daughters. Most obviously, nothing can destroy society more than moral wretchedness and degradation.

12. Epidemics: India is still subject to the break of vicious epidemics of smallpox, cholera and influenza. Besides, the incidence of infectious and contagious diseases is very high. In a poor country like India, many people perish or are crippled due to disease. If a family loses a bread earner if a man loses his wife the social organization is adversely affected.

13. Wars with China and Pakistan: Wars contribute much to social disorganization. In India, as a result of war with China and twice with Pakistan, there has been considerable social disorganization. The families of soldiers who are casualties in war tend to break-up. Due to war heavy loss of life and industrial complexes occurs; there is also mass movement of people from one place to other. This leads to spread of epidemics. This also upsets social relations. During war times and soon after, the incidence of crime rises. The danger of war with neighbours is working as a deterrent factor on Indian economic development and lack of development gives rise to evils which in turn produce social disorganization.

The above discussion of the factors or causes responsible for social disorganization make it plain that there is no single factor or cause responsible for the social disorganization in India. As a matter of fact all the causes enumerated above are operating at present in the Indian society and there is an all round social disorganization. If checked, this trend towards disorganization in each and every field, can eradicate evil practices and beliefs in comprehensive programmes. First of all, corruption of every variety and from every walk of life will have to be removed. Then reforms in the marriage institutions and arrangements between various organs of society will be made. The disorganization in society due to cultural lag can be repaired and normal relations restituted by revamping and reforming of the educational system. In the religious matter radical legislative reforms are called for. Town Planning should be encouraged and the town should be modernized. The problem of slum clearance and checking the consumption of liquor and drugs needs hard labour and thinking. No one should be allowed to sink so low economically as to be compelled to sell her body and soul.

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Social Disorganization by Dr. Kumar (pp. 13-36)

Social Disorganisation By Rajendra Kumar Sharma (pp. 32-50)

Indian Social Problems By C.N. Shankar Rao (pp. 19-25)

Indian Social Problems, Social Disorganization and Reconstruction By Gurmukh Ram Madan (pp. 3-31)