Question

Why and how does social organisation shape the relationship between the environment and society?

Answer 1

Social organisation shapes the relationship between the environment and the society because the relations of property determine the usage of natural resources. For example, there would be a difference in the ownership of forests by the government and private companies. This is because both of them would have different purposes and aim out of these resources. Hence the use of forests by both of them would be different.

The ownership of natural resources also varies with the division of labour. For instance, the relationship of landless labours and women with resources would be different than that of men because women experience scarcity of resources more acutely in a rural area, as they have to go to fetch water and collect firewood without controlling these resources.