Final answer:
Mechanical solidarity refers to a type of social order maintained by the collective consciousness of a culture in preindustrial societies, while organic solidarity is a form of social cohesion that arises from the mutual interdependence created by the specialization of work in modern and industrial societies.
Step-by-step explanation:
In sociology, mechanical solidarity refers to a type of social order maintained by the collective consciousness of a culture in preindustrial societies, where strong bonds of kinship and a low division of labor created shared morals and values among people.
Mechanical solidarity arises from the similarity of individuals in terms of work, education, religion, and lifestyle. On the other hand, organic solidarity is a form of social cohesion that arises from the mutual interdependence created by the specialization of work in modern and industrial societies.
Unlike mechanical solidarity, where individuals think and act alike, organic solidarity allows people with differing values to coexist. In an organic society, social order is based on an acceptance of economic and social differences, and laws exist as formalized morals based on restitution rather than revenge.
Durkheim, a sociologist, explains that as societies advance, they transition from mechanical to organic solidarity. Mechanical solidarity is more prevalent in traditional and small-scale societies, while organic solidarity is characteristic of modern and industrial societies.