Emile Durkheim used the term 'cult of the individual' to describe a burgeoning form of collective consciousness in which all members of society respect the sovereignty the individual.   The cult of the individual is the defining characteristic of organic solidarity, a modern form of collective consciousness based on interdependence and individualism. Where its predecessor, mechanical solidarity, linked society through shared morals, organic solidarity links society through shared respect for the individual.  

Durkheim held that the cult of the individual was the "moral counterpart" to the growth of the division of labor. By performing different tasks, individuals formed distinct identities and developed views and attitudes based on their daily practices while relying on the specific labor of others.  Thus, while the cult of the individual emphasizes individualism, it necessarily reinforces solidarity through interdependence of labor.

Durkheim posits that the growth of the cult of the individual was made possible by the secularization of society. Religions propagate one cohesive worldview. Praying at the alter of the individual means that societal religious devotion has subsided enough to respect many individual worldviews.