Culture & Civilazation

Thus, making a distinction between culture and civilization, the following points may be noted:
1. Culture is an end (values and goals) in itself while civilization is a means (tools and
techniques) to an end. Cultural facts like belief, art and literature—prose, poetry or novel, etc.,
gives direct satisfaction to the reader while equipment’s of civilization such as cars, computers,
refrigerators, etc., do not give direct satisfaction, until and unless they do not satisfy our wants.
Thus, civilization is utilitarian. It just helps in achieving the end.
2. Culture has no value in itself but it is a measurement by which we can value other articles of
civilization. We cannot determine the value of culture, i.e., beliefs, norms, ideas, etc., but the
value of anything can be determined by its measurement standard. Culture is a measuring rod
or weighing balance.
3. Civilization is always advancing but not culture. Cultural facts like dramatic plays or poems
may not be necessarily better today than the plays or poems of Shakespeare?
4. Civilization is easily passed without much effort to the next generation but not culture.
Cultural facts, e.g., any art or a piece of literature, cannot be learned without some intelligence.
It requires a few pains to understand it. Contrary to it, the equipment’s of civilization (building,
TV, etc.) can easily be inherited without much or any use of energy and intelligence.
5. Civilization may be borrowed without making any change but not culture. Borrowing any
cultural fact like any political, economic or social belief requires some necessary alteration to
adjust in the new cultural environment while this is not necessary to make any material change
in the civilizational equipment’s such as TV, computer, etc.
6. Culture relates to the inner qualities of society like religion, customs, conventions, etc., while
civilization relates to the outer form of society such as TV, radio, fans, etc.
7. Culture is more stable than civilization—cultural change takes place in years or in centuries
but civilization changes very rapidly.
8. Variability of cultures may not be accompanied by variability of civilization at

different places. Civilization may be similar in variable cultural areas. For instance,
there is a great difference between American and Indian cultures but there are many
similarities in their civilizational equipment’s.
9. Culture is a social fact, i.e., creation of the whole society while civilization, i.e., the
invention of any equipment may be by a single individual. Any ordinary person can
affect any change in the civilizational equipment but for any modification or alteration in any
cultural fact requires the power and imagination of whole society.
There are scholars who have designated culture and civilization as the two sides of the same
coin. William F. Ogburn (1964), in his theory of social change, pointed out two aspects of
culture, viz., material and non-material. For him, material aspect represents civilization and the
non-material aspect is the culture proper. Gillin and Gillin (1948) designated the material or
tangible part of culture as civilization or culture equipment which man in his endeavor has
modified from environment.
Comparison Chart
BASIS FOR
CULTURE CIVILIZATION
COMPARISON
Meaning Culture is a term used to Civilization refers to the process

denote the manifestation through which a region or
of the manner in which society, outstretches an advanced
we think, behave and stage of human development and
act. organization.
What is it? End Means
Represents What we are? What we possess?
Reflected in Religion, art, dance, Law, administration,

literature, customs, infrastructure, architecture,
morals, music, social arrangement, etc.
philosophy, etc.
Expression Higher level of inner Higher level of general

refinement. development.
Advancement No Yes
Interdependency Culture can grow and Civilization cannot grow and

exist without
BASIS FOR
CULTURE CIVILIZATION
COMPARISON
civilization. exist without culture.
Definition of Culture
The term ‘culture’ is a Latin origin of the world ‘cultus’, which refers to cultivating or
refining something, in such a way that it provides admiration and respect. In finer terms,
culture is the way people live, reflected in the language they spoke, food they eat, clothes
they wear and the Diety they follow or worship. It expresses the manner in which one thinks
and do things.
In other words, culture is the set of knowledge, experiences and behaviours which is
commonly shared by a group of people. It is something that a person gains through learning.
Culture includes art, knowledge, belief, customs, traditions, morals, festivals, values,
attitudes, habits and so on which are inherited by a person as a member of society. It is
everything; an individual achieves as a member of a social group. It can be seen in the
literature, music, dance forms, religious practices, dressing style, food habits, ways of
greeting others, recreation and enjoyment. Different cultures can be found in different
places, as it varies from region to region.
Definition of Civilization
Civilization is described as a process of civilizing or say developing the state of human

society, to the extent that the culture, industry, technology, government, etc. reaches the
maximum level. The term ‘civilization’ is derived from a Latin term ‘civis’ which indicates
‘someone who resides in a town’.
The term ‘civilization’ is not confined to town; rather it talks about adopting better ways of
living, and making best possible use of nature’s resources, so as to satisfy the needs of the
group of people. Further, it stresses on systematising society into various groups that work
collectively and constantly to improve the quality of life, regarding food, education, dress,
communication, transportation, and the like.
Key Differences Between Culture and Civilization
The following points are noteworthy, so far as the difference between culture
and civilization is concerned:
1. The term ‘culture’ refers to the embodiment of the manner in which we

think, behave and act. On the contrary, the improved stage of human
society, where members have the considerable amount of social and
political organisation and development, is called Civilization.
2. Our culture describes what we are, but our civilization explains what we
have or what we make use of.
3. Culture is an end; it has no measurement standards. As against this,
civilization has precise measurement standards, because it is a means.
4. The culture of a particular region can be reflected in religion, art, dance,
literature, customs, morals, music, philosophy, etc. On the other hand,
the civilization is exhibited in the law, administration, infrastructure,
architecture, social arrangement, etc. of that area.
5. Culture denote the greatest level of inner refinement, and so it is
internal. Unlike, civilization which is external, i.e. it is the expression of
state of the art technology, product, devices, infrastructure and so forth.
6. Change in culture is observed with time, as in the old thoughts and
traditions lost with the passage of time and new ones are added to it
which are then transmitted from one generation to another. On the flip
side, civilization is continuously advancing, i.e. the various elements of
civilization like means of transportation, communication, etc. are
developing day by day.
7. Culture can evolve and flourish, even if the civilization does not exist. In
contrast, civilization cannot grow and exist without culture.
Conclusion
Therefore, one should not confuse culture for civilization. However, both are
created by human beings and expresses, the way we led our lives. These two
gives us the ideas, ideals, values and ways to live a decent and lavish life.

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Thus, making a distinction between culture and civilization, the following points may be noted:

8. Variability of cultures may not be accompanied by variability of civilization at

Meaning Culture is a term used to Civilization refers to the process

What is it? End Means

Represents What we are? What we possess?

Reflected in Religion, art, dance, Law, administration,

Expression Higher level of inner Higher level of general

Interdependency Culture can grow and Civilization cannot grow and

civilization. exist without culture.

Civilization is described as a process of civilizing or say developing the state of human

Key Differences Between Culture and Civilization

1. The term ‘culture’ refers to the embodiment of the manner in which we

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