Zwänge

Zwänge is the plural form of the German noun Zwang, meaning coercion, constraint, or compulsion. The term derives from the verb zwingen, to force, and is used across disciplines to describe forces that limit or direct behavior, whether external or internal.

In sociology and everyday language, Zwänge denote social, economic, legal, or cultural pressures that shape choices. Examples include soziale Zwänge (normative expectations and social structures), wirtschaftliche Zwänge (economic necessity), legal Zwänge (obligations imposed by law), and moralische Zwänge (ethical expectations). The phrase unter Zwang conveys acting or deciding due to external pressure, while selbst auferlegte Zwänge refers to self-imposed constraints.

In psychology and psychiatry, Zwang appears in terms describing internal compulsions, such as Zwangsgedanken (obsessive thoughts) and Zwangshandlungen (compulsive actions), most notably in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Although often discussed with a clinical focus on the singular phenomenon of compulsion, the plural Zwänge can be used when referring to multiple coercive factors influencing behavior.

Historical and social contexts provide common examples of Zwänge, such as Zwangsheirat (forced marriage) or other coercive practices that limit individual autonomy. The concept also features in analyses of freedom, determinism, and social theory, where researchers differentiate between external constraints and voluntary self-regulation.

See also Zwang, Zwangssituation, forced marriage.