Social equilibrium
Encyclopedia
In sociology
, a system is said to be social equilibrium when there is a dynamic working balance among its interdependent parts (Davis & Newstrom, 1985). Each subsystem will adjust to any change in the other subsystems and will continue to do so until an equilibrium is retained. The process of achieving equilibrium will only work if the changes happen slowly, but for rapid changes it would throw the social system into chaos, unless and until a new equilibrium can be reached.
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
, a system is said to be social equilibrium when there is a dynamic working balance among its interdependent parts (Davis & Newstrom, 1985). Each subsystem will adjust to any change in the other subsystems and will continue to do so until an equilibrium is retained. The process of achieving equilibrium will only work if the changes happen slowly, but for rapid changes it would throw the social system into chaos, unless and until a new equilibrium can be reached.
Further reading
- Batchelor, George, Social Equilibrium and Other Problems Ethical and Religious, G. H. Ellis, 1887
- Canning, David, "Social Equilibrium", Working Papers from Cambridge - Risk, Information & Quantity Signals, 1990
- de Córdoba, Gonzalo Fernández, "On the existence of a beliefs social equilibrium", Economics LettersEconomics LettersEconomics Letters is a scholarly peer-reviewed journal of economics that publishes concise communications that provide a means of rapid and efficient dissemination of new results, models and methods in all fields of economic research. Published by Elsevier. The current editor of the journal is...
, Volume 55, Issue 3, 12 September 1997, Pages 431-433