Cultural Systems and Subsystems | Sociology

Culture is not merely a collection of separate customs, beliefs, values and practices. Its different elements are connected with one another and operate in an organised manner. When the various elements of culture are viewed as an interconnected whole, they constitute a cultural system. Within this larger system, particular groups of cultural elements may form distinct but related cultural subsystems.

The idea is important because no cultural element operates entirely in isolation. A change in one part of culture may influence other parts. For example, changes in technology may influence economic activities, education, family life, communication and even social values.

Cultural System

A cultural system may be understood as the organised and interrelated pattern of cultural elements prevailing in a society. It includes the values, beliefs, norms, knowledge, symbols, language, customs, traditions and other material and non-material elements through which members of a society give meaning to their social life.

H.M. Johnson’s treatment of culture is useful in understanding this idea. Cultural elements can combine to form systems of varying degrees of integration. For example, a developed language constitutes a cultural system in the sense that it possesses an organised structure and rules governing pronunciation, words, meanings and sentences. Similarly, a developed branch of knowledge, such as science, possesses concepts and principles which are systematically related to one another.

Examples of Cultural Systems

Some examples of cultural systems are:

• Language is a cultural system because its words, meanings and grammatical rules are interconnected.
• Religion may constitute a cultural system consisting of beliefs, symbols, rituals, moral principles and institutions.
• Science and knowledge may form cultural systems in which concepts, principles and methods are systematically related.
• A broader national culture, such as Indian culture, may contain numerous cultural systems and subsystems within it.

Therefore, a cultural system may exist at different levels, from a particular system such as language or religion to the wider cultural pattern of a society.

Cultural Subsystems

A cultural subsystem is a relatively distinct part of the wider cultural system. It consists of cultural elements that are organised around a particular area of social life while remaining connected with the larger culture.

For example, within the broader culture of Indian society, there are cultural patterns associated with religion, language, family, education, occupation, food, art and other areas of social life. These can be studied as particular cultural subsystems.

A cultural subsystem is therefore not completely independent of the wider cultural system. It derives its meaning from the larger culture and, at the same time, contributes to that culture.

Major Cultural Subsystems

There is no single universally accepted list of cultural subsystems. Different sociologists and anthropologists classify them according to the purpose of their analysis. Some important cultural subsystems include the following:

1. Language and Communication – Language is one of the most important cultural systems. It provides a means through which people communicate ideas, preserve knowledge and transmit culture from one generation to another. Apart from spoken and written language, communication may also involve signs, symbols and other culturally recognised forms of expression.
2. Religious Subsystem – The religious subsystem includes beliefs about the sacred, rituals, religious symbols, moral teachings, institutions and practices associated with religion. Religion may influence ideas about morality, family, social obligations and the meaning of life. Religious practices may also vary considerably between societies and communities.
3. Social and Kinship Subsystem – Family, kinship and related patterns of social relationships form an important part of culture. Cultural expectations concerning marriage, family obligations, inheritance, authority and relations between generations are expressed through this subsystem.
4. Economic Subsystem – Economic activities are also embedded in culture. Ideas concerning work, property, consumption, saving, exchange and economic success are influenced by cultural values and norms. For example, attitudes towards particular occupations, consumption patterns and ideas about economic responsibility may differ across societies and communities.
5. Political Subsystem – Political culture includes beliefs and values concerning authority, government, citizenship, political participation, rights and obligations. Ideas about leadership, obedience, democracy, justice and political legitimacy form part of the cultural framework within which political institutions operate.
6. Educational and Knowledge Subsystem – Education and knowledge are important means of preserving and transmitting culture. Schools, universities and other educational institutions transmit knowledge as well as socially valued norms and ideas. Scientific knowledge, traditional knowledge, literature, philosophy and other intellectual traditions may therefore be viewed as important components of the wider cultural system.
7. Artistic and Expressive Subsystem – Art, music, literature, drama, dance and other forms of creative expression constitute another important area of culture. They express the values, emotions, experiences and ideas of a society.

Interrelationship among Cultural Subsystems

The different cultural subsystems do not function independently. They are interrelated and interdependent.

For example, religion may influence family practices; economic changes may affect family relationships; technological development may transform education and communication; and political changes may influence social values.

Similarly, changes in one cultural subsystem can produce changes in others. The development of digital technology, for instance, has affected communication, education, economic activities, entertainment and patterns of social interaction.

This interdependence is an important reason why culture should be studied as an integrated system rather than as a collection of unrelated customs and practices. Anthropological approaches to culture similarly emphasise that technological, sociological and ideological aspects of culture are interconnected and influence one another.

Cultural System and Social System

The cultural system is closely related to, but should not simply be equated with, the social system.

The social system primarily concerns patterns of social relationships and interactions among individuals and groups, whereas the cultural system concerns the meanings, values, beliefs, norms and symbols through which those relationships are organised and understood.

Talcott Parsons treated the cultural system and social system as analytically distinct but closely interconnected parts of the broader system of action. The cultural system provides patterns of meaning and values, while the social system is concerned with the organisation of social relationships.

The two constantly interact. Cultural values influence social relationships, while social institutions and interactions also contribute to the maintenance and transformation of culture. Sociological systems theory consequently treats culture as an important subsystem related to the wider social system.

Cultural System and Subculture

The concept of a subculture should also be distinguished from that of a cultural subsystem.

• A cultural subsystem is an analytical part or domain of the wider cultural system, such as religion, language or education.
• A subculture, on the other hand, refers to a cultural pattern associated with a particular social group within the larger society. A subculture may have distinctive values, norms, customs, language or practices while still sharing important elements of the wider culture.

For example, occupational groups, ethnic communities, regional communities and youth groups may develop distinctive cultural patterns within a larger national culture.

Thus, subsystem refers primarily to a component or domain of culture, whereas subculture refers to a distinctive culture associated with a particular group within the larger society.

Conclusion

Culture is an organised and integrated system of meanings, values, beliefs, norms, symbols, knowledge and practices. Its various elements are interconnected and form different cultural systems and subsystems.

Language, religion, family and kinship, education, economic and political life, and artistic expression can all be studied as particular cultural domains. Although these domains possess their own characteristics, they are not isolated from one another. Changes in one may influence others and ultimately affect the wider cultural system.

The concept of cultural systems and subsystems therefore helps sociology understand how different elements of culture are organised, interconnected and related to the functioning and changing nature of social life.