Why Is suicide a social fact?

Answer 1

In The Rules of the Sociological Method (1895), Durkheim examines a category

of human facts "which present very special characteristics: they consist of manners of

acting, thinking and feeling external to the individual, which are invested with a coercive

power by virtue of which they exercise control over him" (Rules, 52). Such

circumstances he deems social facts; these consist of "representations and actions" and

not purely "organic" or "psychical" phenomena (Rules, 52). Durkheim employs this

characterization of social facts in The Rules to demonstrate that individuals are social

beings, inextricably woven into the fabric of social processes. He begins from the

premise that one cannot understand individual behavior without understanding the social

forces acting upon that individual. He also notes that an understanding of the

fundamentally social nature of humanity will help allow the field of sociology to undergo

the necessary process of passing "from the subjective stage…to the objective stage."

(Rules, 71).

In Rules, Durkheim explicates his understanding of the relationship of social

organization and social "currents," to individual behavior, emotion, belief and morality.

Each individual is born into a socially-organized network that both teaches and requires

behavior and conforming beliefs. Laws and punishments, religion, politics, language,

economics, professions and other forms of custom and rule are all aspects of social

organization, and they all influence both an individual's behavior and his internal beliefs

and morality. Their influence is compulsive or coercive, though Durkheim writes that,

for the most part, individuals do not feel or recognize these coercive forces, and may

attribute their choices and beliefs to internal processes

Answer 2

Suicide is considered a social fact because it reflects broader social trends and patterns, influenced by factors such as social norms, cultural beliefs, economic conditions, and access to support services. Rates of suicide can vary across different societies and over time, suggesting that it is shaped by social forces beyond individual experiences. Additionally, suicide can have ripple effects on families, communities, and societies, further highlighting its social impact.