Imagine a society where there is no competition. Is it possible? If not, why not?
A society without competition is possible because competition is not a natural or universal phenomenon. It is a social entity that emerges and becomes dominant at a particular historical point in time, rather than being inherent to human nature.
The anecdote of the school teacher in remote Africa clearly demonstrates this possibility. When she proposed a competitive race with a prize, the children showed anxiety and distress rather than enthusiasm. They rejected the idea of 'winners' and 'losers' because their understanding of fun was necessarily cooperative and collective, not competitive. This shows that competition is a learned social practice.
In the contemporary world, competition has become the dominant norm due to modern capitalist society. Classical thinkers like Emile Durkheim and Karl Marx noted the growth of individualism and competition as developments intrinsic to how modern capitalist society functions. Capitalism promotes competition through expansion of trade, division of labour, and specialisation.
However, this dominance is specific to modern societies, not universal. The fact that some societies prioritise cooperation proves that societies without competition can and do exist. Competition must be understood sociologically, not as a natural phenomenon.
Explanation
This answer draws directly from the textbook context which challenges the naturalistic assumption that competition is universal. The key evidence is the African anecdote showing children who rejected competition entirely. The textbook explicitly states competition 'emerges and becomes dominant in society at a particular historical point of time' and must be 'explained sociologically and not as a natural phenomena.' This supports the conclusion that non-competitive societies are possible.