Different Kinds of Society

Hunter/Gatherer Society

People in this society primarily survived by hunting (animals, fish etc) and gathering (plants)
There are very few of these societies left and they are on the verge of extinction
They were typically small, mobile, nomadic and triba (they shared a certain set of values and traditions)
Labour was divided equally and was mostly assigned based on gender

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These societies first emerged 12,000 years ago and the members of this society pastured animals for food and transportation
Some of these societies still exist today, they are mostly in the desert lands of North Africa
Horticultural is the business of growing plants, pastoral is land used for keep or grazing cattle
Domesticating animals allow a more managable food supply (rather than hunting animals)
These societies can produce extra food and are able to store their food for the future, this provides them with stability that enables them to trade with other communities
Unlike hunter/gatherer societies, people in these societies can do things non-survival related (they can become healers, craftsmen, traders etc)
Depletion of the land's resources and dwindling water supplies force people to leave

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These societies use technological advances to cultivate crops such as wheat, barley, rice and corn
These technological changes happened 8,500 years ago and it helped increase food supplies which led to larger populations
The greater surplus resulted in towns that became the center of trade
Trading supported people in the town as they didn't have to look for food anymore
Greater degrees of social stratification started to appear, before women gathered food with men but because the food supply was stable, they became less important to men
Villages and towns would expand into other areas which would in turn cause conflicts with other communities
Because of these conflicts, food was given to warriors in exchange for protection against other towns or villages
The nobility organised warriors to protect the towns/villages from invasion, through this the nobility was able to get goods from the 'lesser people' in society

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This society is based on using machines (particularly fuel-driven ones) to produce goods
Sociologists refer to the 18th century as the industrial revolution which first appeared in Britian
An increase in produtivity meant transport improved to facilitate the transport of products
Wealth was attained by the few who owned factories and the 'masses' found jobs working in these factories
'Home cottages' started as the workplace becamse less prevalent and families didn't play such a big role in their children's education
People's life expectancy rose and their health improved, cultural diversity also increased
Jobs in factories were found in large cities and social power was given to the businesses and goverment officials
The distribution of social power led to struggles between industrialists (someone who manages an industry) and workers
Labour unions and welfare organisations were formed over concerns about worker's welfare
Bureaucratic forms of organisation started to develop

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The technological revolution (the invention of the computer microchip) is based on information, knowledge and the selling of goods
This society is being shaped by the human mind helped by computer aid
The key to wealth and power seems to lie in the ability to store, generate, manipulate and sell information
Sociologists predict there will be increased levels of education, training, consumerism, availability of goods and social mobility in the future of this society
Sociologists are also concerned about potential 'social divisions based on those who have appropriate education and those that don't
Sociologists hope the post-industrial society will be less charaterised by social conflict as everyone works together to solve society's problems

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