ferdinand toenmies

Monday, April 10, 2023 1

EDAG 641 THE LEADER AND LEARNING COMMUNITIES

Workshop 1

Ferdinand Toennies

Adapted from Ronald Keith Bolender


Ferdinand Toennies

ReferencesChristodoulou, Stavroula. 1965. 19th-Century

Sociologists. 2d ed. New York: Monarch Press.Perdue, William D. 1986. Sociological Theory:

Explanation, Paradigm, and Ideology. Palo Alto, CA: Mayfield Publishing Company.


Ferdinand Toennies

1855-1936 Born in Germany Experienced the industrialization of Germany Experienced the population explosion within

Germany Founded the German Sociological Society (along with

Max Weber, Georg Simmel, and Werner Sombart) Serving as its president from 1909 to 1933

He opposed the rise of nazism and was dismissed from his post in 1933 (when Hitler rose to power)

(Perdue 1986:77-81)


Ferdinand Toennies: Gemeinschft und Gesellschaft

Gemeinschaft Gesellschaft

Community Society

Folk Urban

Natural Will(Authority and Common Will)

Rational Choice

Homogeneity Heterogeneity

Monday, April 10, 2023

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Ferdinand Toennies:Theory of Gemeinschaft (Community)

The theory of Gemeinschaft assumes that all human wills are united and that this is their natural condition. These wills are related either by blood or by marriage, through three strong types of relationships: man-wife, mother-child, and between children of the same mother.

(Christodoulou 1965:61-65)


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The man-woman relationship is not always long and lasting, and it is based on the sexual instinct. Usually at the beginning of the relationship, it is one-sided because the man is the dominant party and the woman is passive. Later on, when they have children, the bond between man and woman becomes stronger.


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The mother-child relationship is the most important because it is a very deep one. Nature gives the mother a helpless baby who depends on her for food, clothing, and general care. Consequently, the mother loves the child very much and this is an instinctive feeling. The child on the other hand, returns the mother’s affection and is also grateful to her for all that she gave him. Both mother and child are bound together with memories of their common past.


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The father-child relationship resembles the relationship between brothers and sisters, only it is less intense. The father assumes authority over his children and delegates his powers to his first son in the case of primogeniture (this means that the first son inherits his father’s possessions and his title). In cases where all children inherit equally, they receive their rights directly through the father and not through the elder brother.


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The brother-sister relationship is not based on instinct. In the old times, marriages between brothers and sisters were allowed, but it is now prohibited. The children of the same mother have memories of experiences which they had shared in the past while they were growing up together. They also are more alike, since they have a common biological heritage. Consequently we can say that the brother-sister relationship is the most “human” of man’s characteristics.


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There are three types of Gemeinschaft: the kinship group, the neighborhood, and friendship.The kinship group live in the same house in

close proximity to each other; they eat together; they have common enemies; they must protect the family honor; and they share common ancestors. This type of life fosters affection and love among members and results in a very closely-knit group.


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The neighborhood consists of several dwellings in close proximity to one another and the inhabitants share belief in the common deities of the village. They also share common rituals, beliefs, and customs. Therefore, there is a give-and-take in the neighborhood.

Friendship is a mutual feeling of affection between two individuals. It is created by choice; therefore no instinct is involved. Usually the parties in a friendship situation have common likes and dislikes, and often they have similar occupations.


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Gemeinschaft is maintained through two kinds of wills: authority and common will.Authority is created when one person’s will is

increased while at the same time, somebody else’s will is decreased or curbed. Authority involves both rights and duties. However, as far as the authority of the Gemeinschaft type is concerned, the difference in wills cannot be great, otherwise there will not be a common will.


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Common will is the binding force which keeps a number of individuals together in the Gemeinschaft. It is based on the fact that these individuals share the same beliefs, values, and ways of behaving. The common will is expressed through language (words and gestures), because only through language we can let others know what we think, what we fear, and what we like. Only through language can we communicate and understand one another. The mother also uses language--to admonish or to praise her child, as well as to instill in him certain values and beliefs which he will have to use in order to share in the common will.


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The three basic laws of GemeinschaftBlood relatives and married couples,

neighbors and friends feel affection for each other and have common beliefs and customs.

This affection and similarity in beliefs and values creates “understanding.”

By virtue of this love and understanding the members of the group tend to stay togther and the result is the Gemeinschaft type of relationship.


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Ferdinand Toennies:Theory of Gesellschaft (Society)

In the Gesellschaft type of relationship, a large number of individuals live in close proximity without exhibiting any of the characteristics of Gemeinschaft. There is no common will. Everyone looks after his own personal interests and does not wish to contribute anything to the community. Any expression of interest in others is regarded with suspicion. Personal property is separate and distinct, and there is no common property. Everything in the Gesellschaft type of Everything in the Gesellschaft type of relationship is compared, weighed, and relationship is compared, weighed, and measured, so that when a person gives measured, so that when a person gives something away, he is sure to receive something away, he is sure to receive something else which he considers of equal something else which he considers of equal

value and/or worth.value and/or worth.


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Value is the quality which an object possess in being better than another object. Who determines value? In the Gesellschaft, a thing is of value if it is possessed by one individual and not by all; those who do not possess the object in question desire to possess it. Therefore, this gives the object value. An object does not have to be practically useful in order to be considered of value.


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The worth of an object is estimated by the amount of labor which is required for its production. The result is that every individual in the

Gesellschaft works and produces certain objects or services which he offers to other individuals in exchange for their products. At first glance, they all seem to work for each other and for the welfare of the Gesellschaft in general. At closer scrutiny, this reveals itself to be an illusion. In In reality everyone looks after himself only.reality everyone looks after himself only.


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There are times when the Gesellschaft is suddenly thrown into a Gemeinschaft level of activity…fighting a common enemy. Catastrophic natural events

FloodsTornadoesEarthquakes

Major wars


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Ferdinand Toennies: Gemeinschft und Gesellschaft

Paper: Paper: Applying the theories of Applying the theories of

Gemeinschaft und GesellschaftGemeinschaft und Gesellschaft to to real world. Situations…practical real world. Situations…practical uses for these theories. uses for these theories.

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