The term "institute" has two meanings:technical, narrow and social, general. Sociology borrowed his interpretation in jurisprudence, adding his own characteristic features. Although the core of it remained the same: social institutions are norms that regulate a sphere of relations in society. Animals, in order to adapt to the environment and survive, use instincts. Man has long lost the bulk of them. The role of instincts in society is now played by social institutions. They also allow, if possible, to survive in the struggle for existence in society. Their main purpose is to satisfy the needs of not one person, but the collective as a whole. It seems that every individual has his own unique set of needs. This is true, but still five of them can be distinguished from them. They correspond to the main social institutions:
- the need to reproduce one's own kind (the institution of marriage);
- the need to live in such a social order that would be absolutely safe (political institutions, the state);
- the need to ensure their existence (economic, production);
- the need to transfer their experience and knowledge to the younger generation (educational institutions);
- the need to search for the meaning of life, spiritual development (the institution of religion).
Back in the late 19th century, social institutionsThorstein Veblen unfolded. This information remains relevant in our days. He suggested that social institutions have evolved and formed as a result of natural selection. To adapt to the environment and survive, humanity was forced to create different norms and prohibitions. The first to arise is, most likely, the institution of family and marriage.
So, social institutions are such devices of adaptation in a society that are created in order to satisfy its main needs.
They are regulated by a set of special rules thatare transferred from generation to generation and gradually become customary for a certain collective, grow into custom or tradition. Dependent on them was the direction of the way of thinking and people's lives.
And Veblen, the founder of institutionalism, andHamilton, his follower, defined social institutions as a set of customs accepted in society, as the realization of specific habits, the way of thinking, behavior, way of life that are passed from one generation to another, vary depending on circumstances and at the same time serve to adapt to the newly formed conditions.
Almost the same term is understood by lawyers (fixing in the form of laws of customs in society).
Institutes exist even in the most primitive society. Otherwise, it can no longer be called a society. The state of society depends on their correct or incorrect functioning.
Thus, the functions of the institution of the family arebirth and upbringing of children. Economic institutions perform the functions of providing housing, clothing and food. Political institutions support various standards, rules and laws. Religious institutions contribute to deepening faith, establishing relations between faiths. Educational institutions are engaged in social adaptation of people in society, they are attached to elementary values. Each of the listed institutions has its own actors, their signs, traits and symbols.
In addition, these concepts are not abstract, theyquite visible, tangible. It is not a frozen system, it is constantly evolving. For example, the institution of the family. He went through several stages: from group marriage and polygamy to monogamy. A nuclear family with two generations (children and parents) in the spotlight replaced the expanded one. Also, the wedding ceremony, attitude to the role of wife and husband, views on the upbringing of a new generation have changed.
