---
title: "Community vs society; social change theories"
subject: "Engineering Professional Practice"
chapter: 1
key: "semester_8/engineering_professional_practice:community-society-social-change"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/engineering_professional_practice/community-society-social-change
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Community vs society; social change theories

Engineering Professional Practice · Chapter 1: History of Engineering Practices

- Asked in: 2069 Bhadra, 2+3 marks
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/engineering_professional_practice/community-society-social-change
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_8/engineering_professional_practice/chapter-1

## Question

What are the differences between community and society? Briefly describe the theories of social change.

## Short answer

Community is locality-based, concrete, natural, and marked by we-feeling; society is wider, abstract, and based on relationships. Theories of social change include evolutionary (simple to complex), cyclic (rise and decline), conflict (class struggle), functional (equilibrium), and technological determinism.

## Answer

#### Differences between community and society
| Basis | Community | Society |
|---|---|---|
| Territory | Definite geographical area | Not necessarily fixed; can be wide or abstract |
| Size | Smaller or larger, locality based | Generally wider, includes many communities |
| Basis | Common life and we-feeling | Social relationships |
| Nature | Concrete, can be seen | Abstract, a web of relations |
| Purpose | Common general interests | Specific or common interests |
| Formation | Grows naturally | Can be formed deliberately or naturally |
| Example | Village, tribe, town | Nepali society, student society |

#### Theories of social change
1. **Evolutionary (linear) theory:** society changes gradually from simple to complex stages (Comte, Spencer, Morgan), e.g. tribal to agricultural to industrial.
2. **Cyclic theory:** change repeats in cycles of rise, growth and decline (Spengler, Toynbee, Pareto), like civilisations.
3. **Conflict theory (Marx):** change comes from class struggle between the powerful and the powerless; economic forces drive history.
4. **Functional (equilibrium) theory:** society is a system whose parts change slowly to maintain balance (Parsons).
5. **Technological/economic determinism:** invention and technology (e.g. industrial revolution, internet) are the main cause of change (Ogburn's cultural lag).

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. How do community and society differ in territory?
   A. Both need exactly the same fixed area
   B. Community has a definite geographical area; society need not have a fixed area
   C. Society always has a fixed area; community has none
   D. Neither involves territory
   Answer: B. A community has a definite locality, while society may be wide or abstract. (Key point: Territory difference)

2. How does formation differ between community and society?
   A. Community grows naturally; society can be formed deliberately or naturally
   B. Community is always formed deliberately
   C. Society always grows naturally
   D. Both are only formed by law
   Answer: A. A community grows naturally, while a society can arise naturally or be deliberately formed (e.g. student society). (Key point: Formation)

3. Which theory says change repeats in cycles of rise, growth and decline?
   A. Evolutionary theory
   B. Conflict theory
   C. Cyclic theory
   D. Functional theory
   Answer: C. Cyclic theory (Spengler, Toynbee, Pareto) sees change as repeating cycles like those of civilisations. (Key point: Cyclic theory)

4. According to Marx's conflict theory, what drives social change?
   A. Gradual balance of parts
   B. Class struggle between the powerful and powerless
   C. Natural disasters only
   D. Inventions alone
   Answer: B. Marx saw change coming from class struggle, driven by economic forces. (Key point: Conflict theory)

## Related in Engineering Professional Practice

- [Characteristics of society, community elements](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fengineering_professional_practice%3Asociety-characteristics-community) — Engineering Professional Practice, chapter 1
- [Social change, factors, role of technology](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fengineering_professional_practice%3Asocial-change-factors-technology) — Engineering Professional Practice, chapter 1
- [Society elements, man-society relation, public vs private](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fengineering_professional_practice%3Asociety-elements-man-relation) — Engineering Professional Practice, chapter 1
- [Society needs and activities for survival](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fengineering_professional_practice%3Asociety-survival-needs) — Engineering Professional Practice, chapter 1, asked 2×

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