Evolutionary and Linear Theories of Social Change (Comte, Spencer, Tylor, Tonnies)
Get unlimited access to the best preparation resource for competitive exams : get questions, notes, tests, video lectures and more- for all subjects of your exam.
Definitions
- Kingsley Davis, by social change it is meant only such alterations as occur in social organization, that is, structure and function of society.
- Theories are related with philosophical interpretation of history
- Durkheim - Social change because of changes in the bonds of morality aka solidarity, mechanical so that solidarity is simple and organic solidarity is complex society.
- Weber - Development and social change depend on culture, peopleีs beliefs, and values.
- Recognized significance of changes which occurred in Europe from 17 century
- Influenced social life throughout the world
- Helped in development of modern science and industry
Two aspects at macro level:
- Structural: changes affect the society, e. g.Industrialization
- Cultural: change in deep rooted belief system e. g. Empowerment of women
- Is modernization a social change?
- Is occupational mobility a social change?
Evolutionary Theories of Social Change
- Based on social evolution like biological evolution or Organic evolution
- Societies change from simple to complex
- Gradual change
- Unilinear
- Sign of development
- Analogy between society and human being
- Reaching new heights of civilization
- Greater interdependence, formal control, etc
- Description of social change but no explanation
Linear Theories of Social Change
- As societies developed, modern researchers started supporting multilinear theory of social change
- Not compared to living organisms
- Systematic way of change
- Direction of change is always upwards
- Sequence of development in one direction and forward
- E. g. Telephone Internet Social Media cyber threat
- Speed of change is slow at first
- Theories based on experiences not historical data
- Change in one society is quickly adopted by other societies
- So, change in all societies will be the same
Comte
- Law of the Three Stages
- Manีs intellectual development
- Progressive evolutionary model
- Theological to metaphysical mode to positive mode.
- Basis of development - intellectual development
- Social statics and social dynamics
Spencer
- Social Darwinism
- Survival of the fittest
- Society equal to organism
- Criticized Comteีs ideas
- Stages of evolution simple, compound, doubly compound.
Tylor
Growth of arts, scientific knowledge leads to cultural development
3 phases of evolutionary sequence:
- Animism,
- polytheism, and
- monotheism.
F. Tonnies
- Gemeinschaft โ Essential will โ small and homogeneous society โ informal โ role of religion
- Gellesschaft โ arbitrary will โ large and heterogeneous โ high degree of conflict and stratification โ no role of religion
- Evolution of society from first to latter
MCQ
Q.1. Identify the author who has concerned himself with a study of religion and social change.
(a) Karl Marx
(b) Max Weber
(c) Emile Durkheim
(d) Radcliffe Brown
Ans: (b)
Q.2. The industrial revolution exemplifies the social change described as โ
(a) Continuous
(b) Manifest
(c) Abrupt
(d) latent
Ans: (a)
Q.3. Which among the following is the oldest view of social change?
a) Cyclical
b) Linear
c) Evolutionary
d) Dialectical
Ans: c
#UGCNET
#TheoriesofSocialChange
#socialChange
โ Manishika