Describe various characteristics of a ‘social fact’. How is rate of suicide a social fact according to Durkheim? 10 Marks (UPSC CSE Mains 2024 - Sociology, Paper 1).
Social facts, a concept introduced by Emile Durkheim, are fundamental to sociological understanding. These are collective ways of acting, thinking, and feeling that exist outside individual consciousness and exert a coercive force on individuals. Central characteristics of social facts include:
- Externality: They exist independently of individual actions or thoughts.
- Constraint: They exert pressure on individuals to conform.
- Generality: They are widespread within a society or social group.
- Objectivity: They can be studied empirically, like natural phenomena.
Durkheim used the rate of suicide as an exemplar of a social fact. He argued that suicide, seemingly a personal act, is influenced by social forces:
- Suicide rates remain relatively stable within societies over time.
• Different societies have consistently different suicide rates.
• Rates vary with social conditions (e.g., economic crises, wars).
Durkheim considered suicide rates a social fact because:
- They are collective, existing beyond individual cases.
- They exert an external force on individuals through social conditions.
- They are measurable and show consistent patterns across groups.
- They respond to social changes, demonstrating their connection to broader societal forces.
By analysing suicide as a social fact, Durkheim illustrated how personal actions are shaped by collective forces, establishing a foundation for sociological inquiry.
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