The Relationship Between Individual And Society In Durkheim's Idea Of Soul

Durkheim explains religion in sociology's way.In his Elementary Forms of the Religion Life.Durkheim develops his ideas of soul through his criticism to Tylor and Müller.He thinks “the individual soul is only a part of collective soul”.Durkheim also thinks social facts are the most important part and builds a dual relationship between individual and society through soul.Society is religion,individual soul and individual consciousness are the same,collective soul and social morality are the same,too.Furthermore,individual is society,society is individual,so each individual can get free and full development in society.Durkheim wants to solve “anomie” by his construction,but he doesn't make it eventually.Durkheim's idea of collective consciousness just make the problem between individual and society even worse,so he get lots of criticism from others.However,we can't ignore his contribution to social theory,also his ideas brings some inspiration to solve the problem between individual and society.Last but not least,Durkheim's ideas still have a very great influence nowadays.The problem which Durkheim can't solve are revised by Marcel Moss in Gift.Moss thinks the tension between individual and society can be defused by the transformation of freedom and obligation.Another scholar Le Bon thinks that individual could be unconsciousness in society,his idea can help us to get a deeper realization about the relationship between individual and society.Le Bon's idea also shows us the predicament of Durkheim's construction.Society and individual can't coexist harmoniously.What we can learn from Durkheim,Moss and Le Bon is: the society is as important as an individual.