Development of Sociological

Thought and
perspective
Maryam naz
Different Stages of Development of Social Thoughts

• In ancient times social thought was unorganized as there was not systematic study of
social problems. The history of social thought came from, when man was passing
through a complex network of social problems, so he originate thinking about the
solution of these problems. Social thought is developed through the following process
and stages of development of social thoughts.
• Early Stage of Social Thought
• Medieval Stage
• Early Modern Stage
• The Industrial Revolution Stage
• Social Thought during 20th Century
1. Early Stage of Social Thought

• People of early stages used the simplest form of social thought.

• The old folkways and the thinking of people are included to the old
social thoughts.
• The primitive concepts and thoughts of people are preserved which
are the beginning of social thoughts. The proverbs and maxims used
by old people lie is the category of social thought at early stages.
2. Medieval Stage

• In medieval stage the Roman law was introduced. The conflict between the state
and church arise dint hat stage. The conflict was about, that either state is better
or church or that struggle proved as the social thought of medieval stage.
Different thinkers and philosophers who were eminent in this stage presented
their own views and thoughts.
1. Aristotle believed that the stability of society is based on the social ability of
human beings.
2. Rendell was of the view that for bringing harmony and stability, cooperation
between the individual and society thought and was a political thinker said
that ethics and politics are separate tings.
2. Medieval Stage

3. Jean Bodin anther well known philosopher of this period views and talks about the
beginning of the society. He says that the development of society is based on the
development of the family. He says that society is the collectivity of families and other
small groups. When these groups develops, society already gets development.
4. Ibn-e-Khaldun a Muslim historian, philosopher and sociologist was the first who
point out that history is not only the old tales but is a science tracing the origin and
development of civilization. He interpreted the process of history and said that psychic
and environmental cooperation is necessary for historical development.
• In short, in this period every thinker and philosopher presented his own views and
thoughts about the development of society. They develop a sharp thinking and
interpreted the history as compare to the old and primitive tanking of those people.
3. Early Modern Stage

• Early modern stage of social thought was started after fifteenth century to 18
century. In this stage some of the prominent thinkers presented their views
and ideas.
• Montesquieu was the prominent thinker of eighteenth century. He published a
book, the spirit of laws and is considered his greatest work. His ideas were
about the laws, customs and institutions are the product of geographical
conditions particularly the climate. These laws may be fit for the people of one
climate and may be different for others. He is the founder of rational politics.
3. Early Modern Stage
• Edmund Burk, and English political philosopher criticized the views of
Montesquieu and said that, “State is established by rationality”, is
wrong. He is of the view that there is no reason, of the government
but when evolutionary development and mass media are in progress,
it creates government.
• Hegel and Fichte also rejected rationality and said that intellectuality
is very important in the progress and development of society. He gives
intellectual interpretation about the origin of society and the state.
4. The Industrial Revolution Stage
• The industrial revolution of 19th century was the most important development in
human history and changed the western social system through plans of social and
economic reconstruction. Different writers and thinkers have their own thoughts are
as under.
• Prof. A.W small says that there exists a relationship between social reforms and the
rise of sociological knowledge.
• Saint Pierre suggests that man’s future lie in his own hands. He said that when
industrial development comes, it results in many, Social problems.
• Saint Simon proposed that industrial experts play a vital role in the organization and
control of society because these experts gives new information’s to the social scientist.
5. Social Thought During 20th Century
• Social thought during 20th century is surrounded by many schools of
thought. The social thought is become systematic and scientific and
also developed o a great extent. It helps in the eradication of various
social problems. The thinking of people developed during this stage
and social thought becomes an intellectual statement called
sociological theory about the society problems.
1. The Development of Sociological
Thinking
• Classic origins go back to Ionic beginnings(Aristotle and Plato, for
example).
• The growth of the natural sciences in the 17th-18th centuries set the
pace of how science can be applied to societyThis was especially
applicable after the Industrial Revolution
2 Industrialization & Urbanization

• Industrialization: Changes of means of production or how people

make a living; when societies are transformed from dependence on
agriculture and handmade products to an emphasis on manufacturing
and related industries
• Urbanization: Movement from the rural to the urban environments
Early Thinkers: A Concern with Social Order and Stability

Auguste Comte French ( )

Elements
Origins of the term sociology
Social Statics and Social Dynamics
Natural science applied to society
Positivism
Early Thinkers: A Concern with Social Order and Stability

• Harriet MartineauBritish ( )
• Elements:
• Used Comte’s work Studied religion, politics, childrearing, slavery,
immigration in categories of race, class and gender
• Sociology : “true science of human nature”Call for racial and gender
equality
Early Thinkers: A Concern with Social Order and Stability

• Herbert Spencer British( )

• Elements
• Society as evolving as organic species
• Process of struggle
• “Social Darwinism”
• Only the fittest of persons (and societies) would survive
Early Thinkers: A Concern with Social Order and Stability

• Emile Durkheim French ( )

• Elements
• Created a methodology of studying society
• Social facts
• Anomie
• Division of labour
• First to publish a statistical study (on Suicide)
Differing Views on the Status Quo: Stability versus Change

• Karl MarxGerman
• Elements
• Class conflict as the source of change
• Bourgeoisie and proletariat
• Means of production
• Alienation
• Revolution
Differing Views on the Status Quo:
Stability versus Change
• Max WeberGerman
• Elements
• Economic systems as only one source of change i.e.: religion was
important
• Value free sociologyVerstehen
• Study of bureaucracies
Differing Views on the Status Quo:
Stability versus Change
• Georg SimmelGerman
• Elements:
• Web of patterned interactions among people
• Social interaction processes within groups
• Size of the social groups (dyad, triad)
• Industrialization and urbanization
• Class conflict
• Individualism
 Contemporary Theoretical Perspectives
• Functionalist
• Conflict
• Feminist
• Symbolic Interactionist
• Postmodernist
Feminist perspective
• It aims to understand the nature of gender inequality, and examines
women's social roles, experiences, and interests. While generally
providing a critique of social relations, much of feminist theory also
focuses on analyzing gender inequality and the promotion of
women's interests.
Post modern perspective
• Began after world War II.
• Postmodernism denied the application of logical thinking.
• It was based on an anarchical, non-totalized and indeterminate state of
knowledge. Postmodernism approach was based on subjectivity.
• According to this perspective, all existing theories have been unsuccessful in
explaining social life in modern societies that are characterized by post-
industrialization, consumerism and global communications.
• Postmodernists oppose grand narratives (ie. Generalizations developed in academic
isolation) Instead they emphasize the free-flowing sharing of ideas and the removal
of boundaries between academic disciplines