Our Life in Society Class 6 Civics Notes Maharashtra State Board
In the fifth standard, you have learned about the evolution of man. It tells us that our present social life has taken shape through a process of evolution over thousands of years. Man has moved from a nomadic stage to a settled social life.
Why did Man feel the need for Society?
A stable and secure community life is necessary for the development of the individual as well as society. In the nomadic stage, man did not have this stability and security. When man realized that living in a group provides security, people came together to develop an organized way of life. This was one of the main motivations for the creation of society. Living in society, man felt the need for rules to help with the smooth functioning of day-to-day matters. It gave rise to conventions, traditions, ethics and values, rules and laws. Man’s life in society became more organized and stable.
The Social Nature of Man
Man is social by nature. We all basically like to live with one another, in each other’s company, and with people around us. Living with people not only makes us happy, but it is also our need.
We have many needs. Food, shelter, and clothing are our physical needs. Once these are satisfied, man gets a sense of stability, but that is not enough. We also have some emotional and psychological needs. For example, to feel secure is an emotional need. When we are happy, we wish to share our happiness with others. Similarly, when we are sad, we wish to have somebody with us. We like the companionship of our family members, relatives, and friends! These feelings reflect our social nature.
You know that food, clothes, shelter, education, and health are our basic needs. Due to the labour and skills of people in society, a variety of articles are produced. Education and health-related services and facilities allow us to live with dignity. All this is made available in society. A variety of industries and occupations help to fulfill our needs. For example, we need books for studying; and paper for books. That is why occupations like manufacturing paper, printing, bookbinding, etc. also develop. Many people contribute to this process. Thus, the variety of occupations in society helps us in fulfilling our needs. This also leads to the development of our skills and capabilities. Our basic needs are fulfilled in society. We depend on each other for our emotional needs such as security, appreciation, praise, support, etc. Thus, our life in society is interdependent
Our Development
Every person is born with some qualities and capabilities. But they are dormant. They develop in a society. We use language to communicate with one another, but we cannot do so at birth. We learn language gradually. Our first language is the one that is spoken at home. If our neighbours speak different languages, we pick up those too. Schools also provide opportunities to learn different languages.
We also have the capacity to think independently. For example, when all the students in a class are given the same topic for an essay, why is it that no two essays are the same? It is because the thought process in each is different. Society helps in the development of our emotional capabilities and the power to think. It also provides the opportunity to express our thoughts and feelings.
The development of our artistic and other talents also takes place in society. Singers, musicians, artists, scientists, adventurers, and social workers can all develop their qualities further because of the backing and encouragement of society. This encouragement is very important.
What is meant by Society?
Society includes all people – men, women, grown-ups, old people, young children. Our families are a part of the society. The society also includes different groups, institutions, and organizations. The inter-relationships and interactions between the people, their dependence on one another, and sharing also form a part of the society. Society is not simply a mob or crowd of people. A society is formed when people come together to achieve certain common objectives.
In order to fulfill needs like food, clothing, shelter, and security, society has to create a permanent system. Without such a system, the day-to-day affairs of the society cannot be carried on. A system is essential for the continued existence of the society. For example, agriculture is essential to fulfill the need for food. Various institutions must be created to perform all the functions related to agriculture. Therefore, a vast system needs to be created which includes factories to manufacture tools and equipment used for farming, banks to provide loans to the farmers, a market for the goods produced, etc. The existence of many such systems makes a society stable.
All human beings are equal by birth. They have the same status as human beings. According to the Constitution of India, all are equal before the law. The Constitution guarantees the equality of opportunities. We can each make progress using our education, capabilities, and skills.
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