What is the difference between 'mechanical' and 'organic' solidarity?
Mechanical solidarity is found in primitive societies with small populations and is based on the similarity of its individual members. People engage in similar activities within self-sufficient groups, and social ties are based on personal relationships. Such societies are intolerant of differences, and violation of norms attracts harsh punishment through repressive laws.
In contrast, organic solidarity characterises modern society with large populations and is based on heterogeneity. Social relationships are necessarily impersonal, and groups are interdependent rather than self-sufficient. This solidarity celebrates individual differences and recognises multiple roles. The laws are restitutive in nature, aiming to repair or correct the wrong done by a criminal act rather than punishing the wrongdoer.
Explanation
This answer draws directly from Durkheim's classification of societies in the NCERT textbook. The key distinctions are: (1) basis of solidarity - similarity vs heterogeneity, (2) population size - small vs large, (3) nature of groups - self-sufficient vs interdependent, and (4) nature of laws - repressive vs restitutive. Students should remember that mechanical solidarity belongs to primitive societies while organic solidarity characterises modern society.