Sociology

4. Regulation vs. Integration + discuss types of suicide - fatalistic, anomic, egoistic, altruistic -

5. Conclusion -

Emile Durkheim’s Social Theory

and the

Motivation behind Suicide

1. Introduction

0. Social Solidarity - Organic Solidarity vs. Mechanical Solidarity, Collective Conscience

Durkheim’s model reflects that a society is made up of two contributing factors, the “ought” (which represents idealism) and the “is “(which reflects materialism). Materialism and idealism are made up of various particulars of a society:

1. Idealism is made up of the, at times abstract, but very real, elements such as values, beliefs, and socialization, which form a society’s norms, or expectations and rules by which members must adhere. It is with respect to these norms that Durkheim developed his theory of deviance and its four functions. Deviating from these norms serves a for societies and these functions are:

a)       to serve as a warning;

b)       as a means to set boundaries;

c)       to establish solidarity; and

d)       to prompt social change, if required.

2. Materialism is made up of the more functional parts of society, that which relates to the tangible products of a society. This includes rationalization and technology, agriculture, and division of labour.

Materialism and idealism co-exist and influence each other. The synthesis of  the two coming together forms what is known as social solidarity.

Durkheim suggested that social solidarity feeds into two ultimate determinants of suicide - social regulation (the degree to which the life and actions of an individual are controlled by a group) and social integration (the level of attachment to a group by the individual).

As social regulation rises, individuals lose liberties, have their passions and desires stifled and begin to view suicide as an escape from the oppression and control governing their lives. This fatalistic suicide is often the only solution to those facing extreme over-regulation - such as those in slavery. Alternatively, a society can suffer from scarce social regulation: moral and social norms are unclear or not present at all, leading people to feel unguided and unable to identify with the society they belong to. Those who cannot adapt to a major cultural or societal assimilation, for example, may commit anomic suicide as they lose connection to the society they previously understood and conformed to.

Imbalanced social integration is another detriment to individuals, leading to Durkheim’s two other forms of suicide - altruistic and egoistic. Altruistic suicide is often a ‘sacrifice’, imposed by a society to support a greater ideal or perceived benefit to the broader group. This occurs when social integration is too high and is found within cults and pre-modern religious groups. On the other hand, social integration can be so low that individuals receive little to no support from the society they belong to. This starves the individual of meaning and purpose within their lives and can ultimately lead to egoistic suicide as a byproduct of social detachment and isolation.

Fundamentally, Durkheim contended that suicide is not a casual or idiosyncratic decision - rather that “for each social group there is a specific tendency to suicide [that] must necessarily depend upon social causes.” He believed that suicide is driven largely by the overabundance or scarcity of social regulation and integration present in the lives of the individual - and that a balance must be struck in order to create true social and moral equilibrium.