Collective conscience refers to the shared beliefs, sentiments, understandings, norms and beliefs of individuals within a society. It forms a system that is greater than any individual conscience. According to Durkheim, collective conscience is realized through individual consciences but exists independently with a life of its own. It is what binds members of a society together by providing a common perspective. Durkheim argued that traditional societies had stronger collective consciences than modern societies.

1. Collective Conscience
(collective consciousness
https://youtu.be/blnRF4Pkhgs

2. four different types of non material social facts —
morality, collective conscience, collective representations,
and social currents
Collective conscience
In French the word conscience means both consciousness
and moral conscience
Collective means taken as a whole.
Collective conscience is a consciousness shared by plurality
of individuals

3. The totality of beliefs and sentiments common to average
citizens of the same society forms a determinate system
which has its own life; one may call it the collective or
common conscience. . . . It is, thus, an entirely different thing
from particular consciences, although it can be realized only
through them
Durkheim s definition of collective conscience

4. Points from the definition
1. Collective conscience as occurring throughout a
given society
2. Collective conscience as being independent and
capable of determining social facts
3. Its being realized through individual consciousness
Collective consciousness refers to the general structure
of shared understandings, norms, and beliefs
It is therefore an all embracing and amorphous concept

5. Durkheim employed this concept to argue that “primitive”
societies had a stronger collective conscience—that is, more
shared understandings, norms, and beliefs—than modern
societies.

6. REFERENCE
SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY BY GEORGE RITZER