Ferdinand Tönnies

Ferdinand Tönnies was a German philosopher who lived in the 1800s. He wrote a book called "Community and Society", where he explains two kinds of societies. He called them Gemeinschaft (Gemeinschaft means community) and Gesellschaft (Gesellschaft means society). Gemeinschaft societies are like small villages or tight-knit family groups. People in these communities usually have strong relationships, because everyone knows each other and looks out for each other. Gesellschaft societies are like big cities, where everyone is a stranger to each other, and may not even know their neighbours. People are more independent in Gesellschaft societies, but don't have as much connection or support from the community. Ferdinand Tönnies's ideas helped people understand the difference between different kinds of societies and the relationships of people living in them.