A group of people who share a distinct culture and live in a specific geographical area. There is a sense of unity among the group members.
Society is a structure that has a definite network of social institutions. One society differs from the other, on the basis of how its institutions function. One of the highly important factor that defines a society is its Culture.
Characteristics:
- Likeness
- Differences
- Cooperation
- Conflict
- Interdependence
Types of Societies:
- Hunting & Gathering/Tribal Societies (قبائلی / خانہ بدوش): These societies were pretty small and mobile - they keep on travelling and relocating to different places where they find favorable environment and resources like; animal for hunting, fishing and edible plants for survival. These societies known as nomadic and tribal.
- Pastoral Societies (چرواہے): Pastoral societies still exist today, where horticulture and manufacturing are not possible. Rely on domestication and breeding of animals for food and transportation. Members of society had to move to some other places if the land in which animals graze was no longer available.
- Horticultural Societies (باغبانی): In Horticultural Societies people used to cultivate land constantly. These societies consisted of more institutions other than family and kinship including government, religion and revenue department.
- Agricultural Societies (زرعی): After the "Agricultural Revolution", horticultural societies became agricultural societies because, they learned how to use advance technology and chemical like fertilizers to cultivate big lands and increase production of crops respectively. This is called the 'dawn of civilization' as people started farming and moving to small urban areas. People started getting into thoughtful and creative fields like art, music, crafting, poetry, painting etc.
- Industrial Societies (صنعتی): In 18th century "Industrial Revolution" began in Europe and spread to the rest of the world. Invention of steam engine is marked as the beginning of industrial revolution. Machine replaced human labor and decreased hand work. The goods started getting manufactured at mass level in the factories.
- Post-Industrial Societies (جدید): Post-industrial Society/post-modern society started with the invention of computer. We are living in digital age. New professions emerged like software engineer, digital marketers, freelancing etc. Retailing is also becoming digitalized, like; Online Shopping, Travel Services (Uber/Cream), Food-Panda etc. It changed social interaction and lifestyle at a great level.