SOCIETY

INFORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF SOCIETY : PART 1

One enlightens the other and knowledge increases (Yajurveda)

Rain can soak out a leopards skin but it cannot washout its spots(African proverb)

The code of Hammurabi is one of the oldest deciphered writings of length in the world(1732BC) consisting of 282laws. Major laws covered were on slander,trade,slavery,theft,duties of workers,divorce

The primate society and effect of language

The primates usually live in groups. The group consists of close kins and is headed by an alpha male. The most characteristic of the group is the violence or threat of violence by the leader. The leader has first right over any food and keeps all the females of the group to himself. Eventually the leader may be changed due to being overthrown due to age. Many junior males migrate to other groups also. 

   The development of language had a profound effect on the structure of the group. Once one or more males can communicate and in addition construct tools the dominant leadership of the alpha male is threatened by a coup. Gradually therefore a more equitable leadership  arose where everyone had the right to some possessions and disputes were settled by traditions held in oral memory over generations.

 The other big structural change was the rise of family. The harem of the alpha male was no longer stable and individual male and females formed families.Division of labour in the family between wife who looked after child rearing and collected fruits and tubers and husband who participated in game hunting further made family structure stable as it led to mutually beneficial relations.

 The primates possessed episodic memory which allows one to recall past events as a guide for future action. However semantic memory or possession of declarative memory occurred only in humans with language. The gradual accumulation of knowledge about practical physics,medicinal plants and weaving technology gradually transformed the tribe and its material possessions.The tribal knowledge was however confined to concrete day to day experiences. These allowed deductions based on hypothesis formation of many practical customs. However abstract concepts could not form as their information base was absent. Abstract philosophy existed as a vague concept of God who looked after the welfare of the tribe. Frequently there were many Gods including mountains ,rivers, and trees as they were supposed to benefit their survival .They bowed and paid respect to them as they sustained the tribe.Abstract science however could not originate.We can describe the situation in Piagetian terms as formal operations stage for practical physics ,medicine ,technology and religion but preoperation stage in scientific knowledge.

Civilisation and the origin of writing

As the accumulated practical formal knowledge of tribal stage increased a crucial invention was domestication of food production and animal husbandry.Both allowed a steady food supply and made constant migration unnecessary. Moreover food and seeds had to be shored for the next season and required dwelling units for same. The knowledge of construction thus led to villages as in Katal  hyuk in ninth millenium BC. in turkey 

   As settlements grew larger cities arose . Trade earlier of goods between tribes was sporadic and based on barter. However cities allowed trade to grow rapidly. This required keeping of accounts of past transactions as well as accounts of debts and inheritance of property. Initially writing arose as a numbering system with symbols keeping track of number of goods. Later cuneiform writing arose where symbols represented actual names usually pictorially. Writing led to special class of people the scribes who alone could write and interpret cuneiform .They were involved in keeping track of goods sold and debts and inheritance. Initially invidual transactions were carried out in barter. However over a period of time an abstract medium of exchange arose ,money. While barter is based on concrete operations,money transactions is independent of goods being transacted. It is an abstract concept made possible by written tokens.                                                                                                                                                    In cities  meanwhile   the administration of religious function and law and order had increased in magnitude. Thus the class of priest arose with them managing ceremonies based on written texts. Also administration required a standing armed force ,with written laws and treaties with neighbouring cities.Religion earlier belonged to a tribe .With written texts of rules for ceremonies the holy text could be sent to any region of the world. The people of different customs can be bound together only if the religious rules are universal and catering to general rights and duties of a population. Thus arose. the religions of the book like the Jewish religion which has a specific book and universal moral principles written within.

The rise of the state was also a conceptual revolution . Earlier tribal leaders were chosen by certain criteria and followed an oral tradition to settle disputes which was peculiar to every tribe. With rise of state which included diverse people and they had to be administered by general laws of regulating law and order and trade. Examples are the uniform civil and criminal laws and punishment for various crimes codified in Ancient Rome. The institution of kingship and beuracracy  was also universal and persisted as kings went and came in history.

 Thus we can say that society became formal now in economy,religion and political concepts and did not vary with concrete regional characteristics. The development of science especially geometry was now possible.Geometry is based on induction and deduction hypothesis. The writing of geometric relations of lines ,angles permitted this advancement. These abstract concepts were thus made possible by writing. However the rest of ancient science retained a preoprational character.

The origin of organizations

The initial organization in society was the individual tribe. It was based on concept of extended and individual families. With writing and written rules the organizations of state ,formal religion arose. In any human organization cooperation occurs because of benefits of group coordination. A single individual cannot produce what a group of people ,especially with division of labour can do.Conversely there is no benefit to the individual in contributing to group work more than a minimal share if he is assured of group benefits coming to him. Thus groups usually have a hierarchical structure to enforce compliance from its members of their individual contributions to the group. This is present in firms and government. In voluntary organizations this may not be possible and they frequently suffer from lack of participation of members.

Information and organizational change

Change occurs in social organization through innovations. Some of them involve technology including information technology. Others changes occur in rules and laws in organizations. Technological changes are brought about by professionals whereas administrative changes by political and administrative officials. However every innovation after its occurrence does not get incorporated in organizations. It first of all makes an entry into everyday narratives of the people concerned. It now competes with alternative narratives for the same hypothesis in peoples minds. The spread of narratives can be likened to an epidemic of infection in a vulnerable population. The spread may occur only within decision makers. At other times it occurs in general population and involves political or market narratives and hypothesis. These are the sources of organizational and social change.

Ack: The logic of writing and organization of societyCultural memory and early civilization,Language in prehistory,The logic of collective action,Narrative economics