Communities vs. societies and their function in border regions
Communities vs. societies and their function in border regions

Summary/Abstract: Starting from the classical Tonniesian distinction established between the Gemeinschaft (community) and Gesellschaft (society), in this article we will try to note and describe the existence of a third kind of social unit, which, as a difference from the first two, becomes for us, on one hand the most advanced of society forms, and on the other hand the only one truly and entirely humanlike. First we will make the distinction between it and the first two and then we will discover the general conditions that make it possible. The name of this social unit is inspired from Talcot Parsons works, but even if the content of this unit does not reduce itself to the significance given by the American sociologist, his roots are in it. We will distinguish not only between Gemeinschaft (community) and Gesellschaft (society), but also between them and Freiwillige Gemeinschaft or, as Parsons calls it, Voluntary Community. In the end, in order to apply what we have discussed, we will try to sketch the way in which these three types of social units work in border regions.

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