Traditional society, otherwise called simple, is a pre-capitalist structure with an agrarian system. It has a special way of cultural and social regulation, developed under the influence of traditions and customs. Such a collection of people is characterized by many distinctive features. Most of them will be considered in this article.
What are the fundamental features of a traditional society? This is a rather complicated question. Often this parameter is determined by the form of state power and political relations. In relation to this particular type, the following can be noted: the behavior of each person is prescribed and controlled by the established social institutions (community and family) and is determined through norms of behavior, traditions and customs. Any attempts at transformation are rejected and all innovations are severely suppressed. In this regard, the characteristic features of traditional society are isolation, sedentary structures, and weak rates of development.
In addition, the presented type is distinguished by a natural division of labor by age and specializations by gender. It also has a peculiar structure of communication, when there are no status and officials, but there are only older individuals. The result of this is following the norms of the unwritten laws of morality and religion (informal regulation of relations and interactions). The previously described features of a traditional society can be considered the reason both for the complete absence of government and for the cases when several different states exist in one group. Moreover, each of them seeks isolation and self-government. The patriarchal way of life can also be attributed to a characteristic feature. The transfer of status and power is determined by the board of elders and the right to inherit. This type of leadership is considered a primitive system.
Distinctive features of traditional society are found in all spheres of human life. For example, unlike industrial and post-industrial societies, a person here is absolutely dependent on the surrounding world. The influence of the forces of nature is considered quite large, and the impact of man, in turn, is minimal. However, the relationship of the individual and nature is strong and strong. Thus, the features of a traditional society are the absence or minimal presence of industrial production, the life of a population of people due to cattle breeding and agriculture, which are widespread.
From the above, one can also draw the following conclusion: the main goal of society is to maintain the population of the human species. As a result of an insignificant amount of industry, there is no talk of the development of consumer goods. Consequently, the features of a traditional society are the development of a larger territory and the spread of the population on it, as well as the extraction and collection of natural resources.
