Social institutions - class-VIII

Social institutions fulfil the social needs of human beings.  The social institution is that whole of roles, status, moral values and functions catering to the social needs of human beings. It has organized belief, practices and activity systems.

Social institutions are formed to fulfill the desires and need of human being. They also regulate their behavior and set standards for an individual in a society. Every member in society is dependant on others in one or other way, to fulfill their requirement and peacefully exist at the same time, the social institution provides for such arrangements.

Social institutions fulfill the social needs of human beings. Social institutions are those roles, status, values, and norms which provide to the social needs of human being. They keep human life organizational and systematic.

Grouping of people is called a community. Society is formed with the grouping of many communities. Every society has a family, neighbourhood, rural and urban setting, political parties and other communities. Hence, H.M. Johnson says "Communities community is society."

Society is a permanent organization. However, members of society are interdependent on each other for survival but it continues to exist even after the death of an individual. It is found everywhere and the existence of a human being anywhere in the world. Society is dynamic, without change no society can survive long. Change may be slow or rapid.

Religion is the most important agency of Social Control. It defines the behaviour and mode of society by imposing supernatural sanction behind them. The belief in unseen power or supra-human existence keeps the behaviour of people in line. Religion guides its members to be disciplined and civilised.

The Social Institution fulfill the social needs of a human being essential to survive in a society. The needs like shelter, food, sexual desire, companionship, dependence, procreation are fulfilled by social institutions.

Social institutions are found in all societies. They are as old as human civilisation. Irrespective of time and space, social institutions are present in all human societies. Family, marriage, and school have been part of the human societies with necessary changes.

Marriage is an important social institution. It provides social sanction for a man and a woman to live together. It gives legal sanctity to the relation of man and woman and legitimizes the children born out of the wedlock. It is the base for the creation of family. Nourishment, procreation, and socialization occur in the family.

According to Summer," A social institution is a permanent structure that fulfils the desire of human beings". It suggests that social institutions have always been present in the society fulfilling human needs and sustaining human requirements.

State, Marriage, and Family are Social institutions. They provide social recognition, fulfill needs and assign roles to human beings.

The Family is the basic social institution. It is the primary platform where socialization, interaction and cultural transmission takes place. It provides care, nurture, shelter to all its members and assigns roles to everyone. It also provides social security to the members. It mainly provides skills and nourishment needed for the younger members to become part of the society as adults.

Family assigns a relationship to all its members. The members function as per their roles. The main role of the family is to nourish its members. The elders like grandparents take care of the babies with caution until they become grownups. The family also provides nursing for the sick member or the week elder members.

Religion and ethical systems generally emphasize the preservation and promotion of moral values such as honesty, truthfulness, and non-violence.