---
title: "Society needs and activities for survival"
subject: "Engineering Professional Practice"
chapter: 1
key: "semester_8/engineering_professional_practice:society-survival-needs"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/engineering_professional_practice/society-survival-needs
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Society needs and activities for survival

Engineering Professional Practice · Chapter 1: History of Engineering Practices

- Asked in: 2071 Magh, 4 marks; 2073 Bhadra, 4 marks (asked 2 times)
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_8/engineering_professional_practice/society-survival-needs
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_8/engineering_professional_practice/chapter-1

## Question

Define society. What are the fundamental social needs to be addressed, or major activities to be governed by the society, for the survival of every type of society?

## Short answer

Society is an organized group of people in a defined area bound by common culture, relations, rules, and institutions. For survival, every society must organize production and distribution of goods, reproduction, socialisation, order and justice, defence, health, communication, social control, and infrastructure. Failure of these functions makes society unstable.

## Answer

**Society** is an organised group of people living together in a defined area, bound by common culture, relations, rules and institutions, who depend on each other to meet their needs. Sociologists describe it as "a web of social relationships".

#### Fundamental needs / activities for survival
Every society, whether small tribal or modern, must organise the following to survive.

1. **Production, distribution and consumption of goods and services:** food, clothing, shelter, water and energy must be produced and shared (economy).
2. **Reproduction and replacement of members:** family and marriage systems continue the population and care for children.
3. **Socialisation and education:** new members learn language, values, norms and skills so that culture passes to the next generation.
4. **Maintenance of order and justice:** rules, laws, police and courts control conflict and protect life and property (political and legal system).
5. **Defence and security:** protection from external attack and internal threats.
6. **Health and care:** protection against disease, care for the old, sick and disabled.
7. **Communication and shared meaning:** language, media and symbols for exchange of ideas.
8. **Social control and moral/religious beliefs:** religion and ethics give purpose, unity and discipline.
9. **Infrastructure and technology:** shelter, transport and tools to use the environment.

If any of these functions fails for long, the society becomes unstable. Engineers contribute directly to production, shelter, communication, energy and safety needs.

## Check yourself

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

1. Which best defines society?
   A. Any crowd gathered at one place
   B. An organised group of people living together, bound by culture, rules and institutions, who depend on each other
   C. A group of people with the same profession only
   D. A physical building where people meet
   Answer: B. Society is an organised group bound by common culture, relations, rules and institutions who depend on each other for needs. (Key point: Definition of society)

2. Why must every society organise socialisation and education?
   A. To collect taxes
   B. To defend borders
   C. So new members learn language, values, norms and skills and culture passes on
   D. To produce food and clothing
   Answer: C. Socialisation lets new members learn language, values and skills so culture passes to the next generation. (Key point: Socialisation and education)

3. Which survival need is met by family and marriage systems?
   A. Reproduction and replacement of members
   B. Maintenance of law and order
   C. Defence and security
   D. Communication of ideas
   Answer: A. Family and marriage systems continue the population and care for children. (Key point: Reproduction need)

4. What happens if these basic functions fail for a long time?
   A. Society becomes more dynamic
   B. Society becomes unstable
   C. Society automatically becomes a community
   D. Nothing, as only engineers need them
   Answer: B. If any survival function fails for long, the society becomes unstable. (Key point: Failure of functions)

## Related in Engineering Professional Practice

- [Community vs society; social change theories](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fengineering_professional_practice%3Acommunity-society-social-change) — Engineering Professional Practice, chapter 1

## Related in other subjects

- [Economic, social and political impacts of WWII](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Awwii-impacts) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 3, asked 2×
- [Energy needs in Maslow's hierarchy](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenergy_environment_and_society%3Amaslow-energy-needs) — Energy Environment and Society, chapter 1, asked 2×
- [Technology unmasking old social problems](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Ftechnology_environment_and_society%3Atech-unmask-social-problems) — Technology, Environment and Society, chapter 1, asked 3×
- [Maslow's hierarchy of needs](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Fenergy_environment_and_society%3Amaslow-hierarchy-describe) — Energy Environment and Society, chapter 1