division of labor

Meaning: Division of labor is the specialization of people into different occupations or tasks. Durkheim, a functionalist, argued that it helps hold modern industrial societies together. People depend on one another's specialized work, and that interdependence produces organic solidarity. Small traditional societies, where members do similar work and share beliefs and values, rely on mechanical solidarity. Conflict theorists such as Marx viewed the division of labor under capitalism differently. They linked it to alienation of workers from the product, the process of work, other people and their own potential, and to class inequality.

On the MCAT: A passage contrasts a village where most people farm with a city that has many distinct occupations, then asks which kind of solidarity or theory applies. The usual prediction is that more specialization means more interdependence, which means more organic solidarity and less reliance on shared sameness. Questions may also ask you to match the idea to a perspective: functionalism stresses social cohesion, and conflict theory stresses alienation and inequality.

Common confusion: Students reverse the two solidarity types, assuming "organic" means simple or natural. Organic refers to the organs of a body, which are different parts that depend on each other. Mechanical refers to similar, interchangeable parts. Complex division of labor goes with organic solidarity.