Components of Social Systems

COMPONENTS OF SOCIOCULTURAL SYSTEMS
I. ENVIRONMENT
THE PHYSICAL, BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL CONSTRAINTS TO WHICH HUMAN ACTION IS SUBJECT.
II. INFRASTRUCTURE
A. MODE OF PRODUCTION: THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE PRACTICES EMPLOYED FOR EXPANDING OR LIMITING BASIC SUBSISTENCE PRODUCTION, ESPECIALLY THE PRODUCTION OF FOOD AND OTHER FORMS OF ENERGY.
TECHNOLOGY OF SUBSISTENCE.
TECHNO-ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS.
WORK PATTERNS.
B. MODE OF REPRODUCTION: THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE PRACTICES EMPLOYED FOR EXPANDING, LIMITING, AND MAINTAINING POPULATION SIZE.
DEMOGRAPHY.
MATING PATTERNS.
FERTILITY, NATALITY, MORTALITY.
NURTURANCE OF INFANTS.
MEDICAL CONTROL OF DEMOGRAPHIC PATTERNS.
CONTRACEPTION, ABORTION, INFANTICIDE.
III. STRUCTURE
A. PRIMARY GROUP STRUCTURE: CONSISTS OF A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO INTERACT ON AN INTIMATE BASIS. THEY PERFORM MANY FUNCTIONS, SUCH AS REGULATING REPRODUCTION, BASIC PRODUCTION, SOCIALIZATION, EDUCATION, AND ENFORCING DOMESTIC DISCIPLINE. EXAMPLES:
FAMILY.
COMMUNITY.
VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATION.
FRIENDSHIP NETWORKS.
B. SECONDARY GROUP STRUCTURE: THESE GROUPS MAY BE LARGE OR SMALL, BUT THEIR MEMBERS TEND TO INTERACT WITHOUT ANY EMOTIONAL COMMITMENT TO ONE ANOTHER. THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE COORDINATED THROUGH BUREAUCRACIES. THEY PERFORM MANY FUNCTIONS, SUCH AS REGULATING PRODUCTION, REPRODUCTION, SOCIALIZATION, EDUCATION AND ENFORCING SOCIAL DISCIPLINE. EXAMPLES:
GOVERNMENTS, PARTIES, FACTIONS, MILITARY, AND POLICE.
CORPORATIONS, BUSINESSES, AND INDUSTRIES.
EDUCATION, MEDIA, AND OTHER FORMAL SOCIALIZATION AGENTS.
SERVICE AND WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS.
PROFESSIONAL AND LABOR ORGANIZATIONS.
HIERARCHIES BASED ON CLASS, SEX, RACE, CASTE, AGE, ETHNIC, AND OTHER STATUSES EXIST THROUGHOUT THE STRUCTURE OF SOCIETY
IV. SUPERSTRUCTURE
A. CULTURAL SUPERSTRUCTURE.
ART, MUSIC, DANCE, LITERATURE, ADVERTISING.
RITUALS.
SPORTS, GAMES, HOBBIES.
SCIENCE.
B. MENTAL SUPERSTRUCTURE: REFERS TO CONSCIOUS AND UNCONSCIOUS MOTIVES FOR HUMAN BEHAVIOR.
VALUES.
EMOTIONS.
TRADITIONS.
ZWECKRATIONAL (GOAL ORIENTED RATIONAL ACTION).
MAJOR PRINCIPLE: "INFRASTRUCTURAL DETERMINISM" THE MODE OF PRODUCTION AND REPRODUCTION DETERMINE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY GROUP STRUCTURE, WHICH IN TURN DETERMINE THE BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL SUPERSTRUCTURE.
*LOOSELY ADAPTED FROM MARVIN HARRIS, CULTURAL MATERIALISM, PP.46-76.