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Introduced by German sociologist Ferdinand Tönnies, Gemeinschaft andGesellschaft are two conceptual models for types of human association.

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

Explain how status is achieved in Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft respectively

KEY POINTS

Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft are sociological categories, introduced by the German sociologist

Ferdinand Tönnies, which describe two common kinds of human groupings or association.

Gemeinschaft ("community") is an association in which individuals are oriented to the larger group as

much as, and often more than, their own self interest, and are further regulated by common social mores

or beliefs about the appropriate behavior and responsibility of members of the association.

Gesellschaft ("society") describes associations in which, for the individual, the larger association never

takes precedence over their own self interest, and these associations lack the same level of shared social

mores as Gemeinschaft.

TERMS

association

A group of persons associated for a common purpose; an organization; society.

kinship

relation or connection by blood, marriage, or adoption

EXAMPLES

A current example of a Gemeinschaft community would be the Amish, whereas the United States would

be considered a Gesellschaft society.

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Gemeinschaft community involves ascribed status, meaning a fixed status given by birth. For example,

an individual born from farmers will come to occupy their parents' role until death.

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FULL TEXT

Introduced by German sociologist Ferdinand Tönnies, Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft are two conceptual

models for types of human association.

Gemeinschaft

Gemeinschaft ("community") is an association in which individuals are mainly oriented to the will of the

larger group, generally more than their own self­interest. Their activities are regulated by common mores

or beliefs about the appropriate behavior and responsibilities of members of the association. These

associations are marked by what Tönnies called "unity of will. " He saw the family as the most perfect

expression of Gemeinschaft; however, he also expected that Gemeinschaft could be based on shared place

and shared belief as well as kinship, and included globally dispersed religious communities as possible

examples of Gemeinschaft.

Gemeinschaft community involves ascribed status, meaning a fixed status given by birth. For example, an

individual born from farmers will come to occupy their parents' role until death. Gemeinschaften

("communities") are broadly characterized by a moderate division of labor, strong personal relationships,

strong families, and relatively simple social institutions. In such societies, there is less of a need to enforce

social control externally due to a collective sense of loyalty individuals feel for society.

Gesellschaft

In contrast, Gesellschaft ("society") describes associations in which the larger association never takes

precedence over the individual's self interest, and these associations lack the same level of shared social

mores. Gesellschaft is maintained through individuals acting on their own self­interest. A modern

business is a good example of Gesellschaft: the workers, managers, and owners may have very little in

terms of shared orientations or beliefs, or they may not care deeply for the product they are making, but it

is in all their self interest to come to work to make money, and, therefore, the business continues.

Gesellschaft society involves achieved status, or a status reached by education and professional

advancement. Unlike Gemeinschaften ("communities"), Gesellschaften ("societies") emphasize secondary

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relationships rather than familial or community ties, and there is generally less individual loyalty to the

larger community. Social cohesion in Gesellschaften typically derives from a more elaborate division of

labor. Such societies are, therefore, potentially more susceptible to class conflict, as well as racial and

ethnic conflicts.

As all conceptual models, these categories can be challenged by social change. For instance, during the

social upheavals of the Reconstruction era in the United States, former slaves, whose kinship ties were

forcibly disrupted under slavery, forged new communities that shared aspects of both Gemeinschaft and

Gesellschaft. A current example of a Gemeinschaft community would be the Amish, whereas the United

States would be considered a Gesellschaft society.

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Ferdinand Tönnies

Ferdinand Tönnies' bust in Husum, Germany.

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KEY TERM REFERENCE

Division of labor — Appears in this related concepts: The Importance of the Division of

Labor, Gender Roles in the U.S., and The Importance of Paid and Unpaid Work

More — Appears in this related concepts: The Conflict Perspective: Class Conflict and

Scarce Resources, Value Contradictions, and Norms and Sanctions

Ties — Appears in this related concepts: Subcultures, Control Theory, and Social Networks

achieved status — Appears in this related concepts: Open Versus Closed Stratification

Systems, Prestige, and From Gemeinschaft to Gesellschaft

ascribed status — Appears in this related concepts: Social Status and Social Mobility

class — Appears in this related concepts: Industrial Work, Opium of People and the

Legitimation of Social Inequalities, and Functions of the State

cohesion — Appears in this related concepts: Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and

Water’s Cohesive and Adhesive Properties

community — Appears in this related concepts: Neighborhood, Sociological Approaches

to the Self, and Community Ecology and Ecosystem Ecology

control — Appears in this related concepts: Random Assignment of Subjects, Managing to

Prevent Fraud, and Using a Bank for Control

family — Appears in this related concepts: The Conflict Perspective, The Symbolic

Interactionalist Perpsective, and Periodic Trends in Metallic Properties

Why are Gesellschaften more susceptible to class conflict than Gemeinschaften?Gesellschaft is maintained through individuals acting on their own self­interest,Gesellschaften (societies) emphasize secondary relationships rather than familial orcommunity ties, Gemeinschaft community involves ascribed status, meaning a fixedstatus given by birth, and Social cohesion in Gesellschaften derives from division of laborrather than from shared beliefs