Inside Organic Solidarity

Abstract

The Division of Labor in Society (Durkheim, [1893] 1960; hereafter referred to as Division) remains an important influence on social research and theorizing. Sociologists who wish to use an existing theory generally summarize it briefly and then, turn to empirical tests of it; but when, as in the case of Division, there is considerable confusion about the theory, an internal (Ross, 1978:4) approach focusing on the theory itself is particularly appropriate: What are its central concepts? What are their mutual relations? How are they embodied in propositions? Are these propositions mutually consistent or contradictory?