2. INTRODUCTION TO THEORIES OF
SOCIAL CHANGE
1) Cyclic theory of social change
2) Linear or evolutionary theory of social change
3) Marxian theory of social change
4) Functional theory of social change
5) Parson’s theory of social change.
3. 1) Cyclic theory of social change:
Many of the present thinkers (Spengler,Wilfredo Pareto, Sorokin
& Arnold J Toynbee) have proposed cyclic theory of social
change.
They believe that societies exist at a certain point in a circle of
evolution, progress or retrogress through other points in the
circle & return back to original or approximately the same
position.
Spengler believed that each culture has a life cycle of nearly 1000
years. Each culture passes through stages of birth, youth, maturity,
old age & death.
He presents his cyclic theory of social change in his book ‘ The
Decline of the West – 1918.
4. Cont’d…
Wilfredo Pareto gave this theory of social change in his
book ‘Mind & Society’ which is known as a ‘Theory of
circulation of elites’.
PA Sorokin has manifested the cultural factors as a main
factors in the form of social change. He described it in his
book ‘Social & Cultural Dynamics – 1938.
To clarify his theory, he has manifested 3 types of culture:
1) Sensate Culture(material or conscious culture)
2) Idealistic culture (Ideal Culture)
3) Ideational Culture (emotional culture)
6. Cont’d…
He clarified the cycle of these three culture by presenting it in the
following form:
There is no definite direction of the change that takes place in
idealistic culture.
In the form this culture, sometimes the mixture of the
characteristics of sensate culture and ideational culture takes place
in irregular way.
Sorokin while giving full details of the crisis of western culture,
has clarified that this culture has advanced so far in the direction of
sensate culture that today whole of the structure of the society has
become ill affected and injured.
Every man has become so mad in the search of physical pleasures
that human values are being violated openly.
In such situation or state, it is compulsory for the western culture
to return towards ideational culture.
7. 2) Linear or Evolutionary Theory of
Social Change
These theories are based on assumption that societies gradually
change from simple beginning into even more complex forms.
Auguste Comte believed that human societies evolve in a
unilinear way- that is, in one line of development.
He elaborated the law of three stages of human thought. He
believed that each field of knowledge passes through 3 periods or
stages of growth namely:
1) Theological stage
2) Metaphysical Stage
3) The Scientific Stage or Positive Stage
8. Cont’d…
1) Theological stage:
The primitive persons believes that all phenomena are
“produced by the immediate action of supernatural
beings”.
They feel that everything is done by supernatural power &
God is responsible for all bad & good accidents in social
life.
This stage is also known as religious stage.
9. Cont’d…
2) Metaphysical Stage:
It is also known as Rationation or logical stage.
Rationalism states that God does not stand directly behind
every phenomenon.
Reasoning helped man to find out some order in the
natural world.
This stage emphasizes on rational thinking rather spiritual.
10. Cont’d…
3) The Scientific Stage or Positive Stage:
It represents the scientific way of thinking.
On the positive stage, man considers the search for
ultimate causes, helpless and seeks the explanatory facts
that can be empirically observed.
According to Comte, man adopts a positive attitude in
the understanding of natural and social phenomena.
11. Cont’d…
Herbert Spencer identified 4 types of societies in
terms of stages of their evolutionary development.
1) Simple Society: This is most primitive society without
any complexities & consisting of several families.
2) Compound Society: A large number of above mentioned
simple societies make a compound society. This is clan
society.
3) Doubly Compound Society: These consist of several
clan compounded into tribes or tribal society.
4) Trebly Compound Society: Here, the tribes are
organized into nation states. This is the present form of the
world.
12. 3) MARXIAN THEORY OF SOCIAL CHANGE
Karl Marx was the first philosopher who in the social
change presented the role of economic factors in the form of
theory with a very vast & detailed manner. That is why this
theory of Marx is described as the economic theory of
social change.
Clarifying his theory of social change, on the basis of
economic factors, Marx has stated that every human being
needs many more material things such as food, clothes etc.
to live upon.
In order to meet these needs, an individual brings into use
some of the means of production or mode of production.
13. Cont’d…
Marx has stated that there are mainly two aspects:
1) Production force / mode of production
2) Relation of production in production system
Marx believe that whenever change takes place in the mode of
production or technology of production due to new inventions,
human knowledge or working skills, then the production
system is also changed & this production system changes the
believes, thoughts, customs, culture, folkways etc. of society.
E.g. When production was done only to meet the needs of
consumption, then the production force were in an outdated state.
As soon as the objective of production became to earn more
benefits, a change began to take place in the production system
also.
14. Cont’d…
Marx again clarified by saying, “ By now class struggle is
the theory of the all societies”. As a result of the class
struggle & production system a change begins to take
place in the thought & behaviors of the people.
The change which takes place in religious beliefs, culture,
art, literature, ethics & politics is the result of these beliefs
& tendencies.
A new social structure is created out of these changes,
which is known as sub-structure of the society.
15. Cont’d…
Thus, mode of production is that foundation or sub-
structure on the basis of which super-structure of society is
created. Thus, mode of production brings the changes in
the thoughts, ethics, folkways, customs, culture, politics
etc. in the society.
16. 4) FUNCTIONAL THEORY OF SOCIAL CHANGE
In the middle decades of the 20th century, a number of
American sociologists shifted their attention from social
dynamics to social statics or from social change to social
stability.
Talcol Parson & his followers have been the main
advocates of this theory. Parsons stressed the importance of
cultural patterns in controlling the stability of society.
According to him, society has the ability to absorb disruptive
forces while maintaining overall stability. Because it is “
constantly straining for equilibrium or balance”.
17. Cont’d…
The conservative forces of society such as shared norms &
value resist radical changes & serve to hold the society
together.
Between 1940-50s, this theory gained wide acceptance but
critics began to doubt his assumptions during 1960.
Critics like C. Wright Mills & Lockwood questioned
whether a theory of equilibrium & stability was relevant to
societies that were in a state of conflict & constant change.
Hence, Parsons tries to include social change (1961-1966)
in his functionalist model.
18. 5) PARSON’S THEORY OF SOCIAL CHANGE
Parsons considers change, “ not as something that disturbs
the social equilibrium, but as something that alters the state
of equilibrium so that a qualitatively new equilibrium
results.”
He has stated that changes may arise from 2 sources:
1) They may come from outside the society, through contact
with other societies.
2) They may also come from inside the society, through
adjustments that must be made to resolve strains within the
system.
19. Cont’d…
Parsons speaks of two processes that are at work in social change.
In simple societies, institutions are undifferentiated, that is, a
single institution serves many functions. E.g. family performs
reproductive, educational, social, economic, recreational and
other functions.
A process of differentiation takes place when a society becomes
more & more complex. Different institutions like school, factory
etc. may take over some of the functions of the family.
The new institutions must be linked together in a proper way by
the process of integration.
For Example: New norms must be established in order to govern
the relationship between the school & the home. Further,
“bridging institutions” such as law courts must resolve conflicts
between other components in the system.
20. Cont’d…
Evaluation of parson’s theory:
The equilibrium theory is strong attempt to both
social statics and social dynamics. Still, greater stress
is laid on the former.
Parson, as an advocate of this theory, concentrated
more on institutional changes.
Other functionalist such as R.K. Merton and others
tried to overcome this limitation.
