MASS SOCIETY THEORY

The Mass Society Theory which emerged during the latter half of 1800,  as a dominant perspective on Western industrial society attributes an influential but often a negative role to media. It was simply a collection of contradictory notions – some quite radical and others quite reactionary . The radical notions were forwarded by revolutionaries who wanted to impose radical changes in the society, whereas the reactionary motions were forwarded by the elites (monarchists) who wanted to maintain the old political and social order. 

Early Mass Society Theorists argued that media are malignant forces that have the power to directly reach, transform, and corrupt the minds of individuals so that their lives are ruined and vast social problems are created. Through media influence, people are atomized, cut off from the civilizing influence of other people or high culture. Totalitarianism inevitably results as ruthless, power-hungry dictators seize control of media to promote their ideology.

Over the years, media have been continually accused of breaking down folk societies (Gemeinschaft) , and encouraging the development of amoral, weak social institutions (Gesselschaft).

Initially, mass society theory gained wide acceptance. But in time people questioned its unqualified assertions about the media’s power to corrupt and debase individuals. Although mass society theory has very little support among contemporary mass communication researchers and theorists, its basic assumptions of a corrupting media and helpless audience have never been completely disappeared. Attacks on the pervasive, dysfunctional power of media have persisted and will persist as long as dominant elites find their power challenged by media.