Solidarity, in the work of Émile Durkheim, refers to the internal forces of social cohesion, unity, and integration that hold a society together and create a sense of collective identity and shared purpose among its members. Durkheim distinguished between two main types of solidarity: mechanical solidarity, found in traditional societies based on shared values, beliefs, and common experiences, and organic solidarity, prevalent in modern, complex societies characterised by a high division of labor and interdependence among individuals with different roles and functions. More generally, the term "solidarity" is often used, particularly by those on the left of the political spectrum, to describe the political consciousness, unity, and mutual support among members of an emerging class or group who are struggling against oppression or seeking to achieve common goals, such as working-class solidarity in the face of economic inequality.