Diana Menna

23 January 2013
Soc 471
Prof. Braa
Take Home Exam #1
Socioo!ica "#eory i$ a cri"i%ue of $ocie"y an& "#e ine%uai"ie$' in(u$"ice$' une%ua &i$"ri)u"ion
of *o+er an& +ea"# an& "#e $"u*i&i"ie$ e"c' "#a" occur. T#eory "eac#e$ in&i,i&ua$ "o "#ink cri"icay
an& fin& ex*ana"ion$ an& cau$e$. - fe+ of "#e $ocia force$ "#a" #a,e $#a*e& "#e &e,eo*men" of
$ocioo!ica "#eory incu&e *oi"ica re,ou"ion$' in&u$"riai.a"ion an& ur)ani.a"ion. /Braa0
Poi"ica re,ou"ion$ occur +#en "#e o+er ca$$e$ of *oor an& o**re$$e& *eo*e ri$e a!ain$" "#e
ei"e. 1#en *eo*e are rea&y "o $"an& an& fi!#" in *oi"ica re,ou"ion$ "#en "#ey are rea&y for ra&ica
c#an!e$ in $ocie"y. /Braa0 T#e 2renc# 3e,ou"ion in 1745 "ran$forme& a of +e$"ern Euro*e a$ i" +a$
6"#e mo$" imme&ia"e fac"or in "#e ri$e of $ocioo!ica "#eory.7 /3i".er' 80
T#e 9n&u$"ria 3e,ou"ion in "#e 15
"#
cen"ury +a$ )orn from "#e ri$e of in&u$"ria ca*i"ai$m
+#ic# crea"e& ma$$i,e fac"ory $y$"em$ an& c#an!e& "#e +#oe in&u$"ria $"ruc"ure. 6T#e 9n&u$"ria
3e,ou"ion +a$ no" a $in!e e,en" )u" many in"errea"e& &e,eo*men"$ "#a" cumina"e& in "#e
"ran$forma"ion of "#e 1e$"ern +or& from a ar!ey a!ricu"ura $y$"em "o an o,er+#emin!y in&u$"ria
one.7 /3i".er' 70 T#e *ri,a"e o+ner$#i* of "#e mean$ of *ro&uc"ion )e!a" a ne+ *o+erfu an& ex"remey
+ea"#y ca$$ +#o o+ne& e,ery"#in! an& a ca$$ of +a!e a)orer$ +#o +ere a" "#eir mercy. 61i"#in "#i$
$y$"em' a fe+ *rofi"e& !rea"y +#ie "#e ma(ori"y +orke& on! #our$ for o+ +a!e$.7 /3i".er' 70
Prior "o "#e 9n&u$"ria 3e,ou"ion &urin! feu&a "ime$' *eo*e of "#e yeomen ca$$ &i& no" +ork
for a)or +a!e$. T#ey in$"ea& +orke& a$ craf"$men' $#o* kee*er$' ar"i$an$' )ack$mi"#$' e"c an& "#ey
*ro&uce& e,ery"#in!. -" "#a" "ime a**roxima"ey 3: of "#e *o*ua"ion +a$ ur)an' +#erea$ "#e o"#er
57: of *eo*e +ere a""ac#e& "o an&. Ho+e,er' "#e ri$e of in&u$"riai$m $a+ "#e emer!ence of
ur)ani.a"ion in +#ic# "#e ,a$" ma(ori"y of "#e *o*ua"ion +a$ force& "o ea,e "#eir an& an& mi!ra"e "o
"#e !ian" fac"ory "o+n$ "o a)or. /Braa0 6;ar!e num)er$ of *eo*e ef" farm$ an& a!ricu"ura +ork for
"#e in&u$"ria occu*a"ion$ offere& in "#e )ur!eonin! fac"orie$.7 /3i".er' 70 T#e ur)ani.e& mi!ra"ion of
"#e o+er ca$$e$ &i$"re$$e& "#e ne+y crea"e& in&u$"ria ca*i"ai$" ca$$ an& "#ey )e!an "o mi!ra"e ou"
of "#e fac"ory "o+n$ in or&er "o a,oi& "#em' or "#ey +ou& mo,e a+ay from "#em on"o "#e #i$
o,erookin! "#e "o+n$' "#u$ crea"in! "#e 6$no) #i7 *#enomena. /Braa0
<"#er "#eme$ "#a" #a,e $#a*e& $ocioo!ica "#eory incu&e rea$on' $cien"i$m' na"urai$m'
#umani$m' *raxi$ an& "eo$. /Braa0 T#e$e "#eme$ )ecame *rominen" &urin! a "ime kno+n a$ "#e
Eni!#"enmen" +#ic# +a$ a 6*erio& of remarka)e in"eec"ua &e,eo*men" an& c#an!e in
*#io$o*#ica "#ou!#". - num)er of on!=$"an&in! i&ea$ an& )eief$ > many of +#ic# rea"e& "o $ocia
ife > +ere o,er"#ro+n an& re*ace& &urin! "#e Eni!#"enmen".7 /3i".er' 100
Eni!#"enmen" "#inker$ )eie,e& "#a" in&i,i&ua$ can un&er$"an& an& make $en$e of "#e +or&
"#rou!# rea$on an& $cience. 6a$ $ocioo!ica "#eory +a$ )ein! &e,eo*e&' "#ere +a$ an increa$in!
em*#a$i$ on $cience' no" ony in coe!e$ an& uni,er$i"ie$ )u" in $ocie"y a$ a +#oe.7 /3i".er' 50
-&&i"ionay' 6"#e Eni!#"enmen" +a$ c#arac"eri.e& )y "#e )eief "#a" *eo*e cou& com*re#en& an&
con"ro "#e uni,er$e )y mean$ of rea$on an& em*irica re$earc#.7 /3i".er' 100 3ea$on +a$ &e"ermine& "o
)e "#e u$e of #uman o!ic? a refec"ion of "#e +ay "#e min&@)rain i$ +ire& "o ex*ain ,ie+$ of "#e +or&
an& "#e ony reia)e' ,ai& +ay "o kno+ "#e +or& i$ "#rou!# "#e *o+er of rea$on' or $cience.
Scien"i$m i$ "#e cu"i,a"ion of $cien"ific #a)i" of min& +#ic# mean$ "o ex*ec" no"#in! a" face ,aue )u"
"o &eman& re$earc# an& con$i$"ency )efore )eie,in! $ome"#in!. Eni!#"enmen" "#inker$ a$o )eie,e&
"#a" "#e $cience &e,eo*e& "o rea$on )ioo!ica *#enomena i$ &irec"y a**ica)e "o #uman )ein!$? a
conce*" kno+n a$ na"urai$m. Aa"urai$m main"ain$ "#a" me"#o&$ u$e& "o a**y "o +#a" #a**en$ in
na"ure can )e u$e& "o a**y "o +#a" #a**en$ in $ocie"y. /Braa0
Humani$m i$ "#e i&eoo!y "#a" e,ery #uman )ein! #a$ +or"# an& na"ura ri!#"$ +i"#ou" "#e
in"er,en"ion of a Bo&. Merey )y "#e )enefi" of )ein! #uman' e,eryone i$ en"i"e& "o i,e +i"# &i!ni"y
an& uni,er$a #uman ri!#"$. Humani$m +a$ an i&eoo!y &e,eo*e& a$ an a""ack on "#e &i,ine ri!#"$ of
kin&$ an& *ri,ie!e an& ari$"ocracy. /Braa0
Praxi$ i$ "#e i&eoo!y "#a" kno+e&!e' rea$on an& o!ic $#ou& )e u$e& an& a**ie& "o make "#e
+or& a )e""er *ace an& "#a" $cience an& rea$on $#ou& )e u$e& "o fix $ocia *ro)em$? kno+e&!e
$#ou& )e u$e& "o rai$e con$ciou$ne$$ an& "ran$form $ocie"y. Praxi$ i$ "#e *rac"ica a**ica"ion of
rea$on an& $cience. /Braa0
Teo$ i$ "#e !ran& !oa of *raxi$? "#a" kno+e&!e an& "#eory $#ou& )e u$e& "o $er,e mankin& )y
makin! "#e +or& a )e""er *ace an& reai.in! "#e )a$ic ri!#"$ an& nee&$ of e,ery #uman )ein! )y
eimina"in! ex*oi"a"ion an& ine%uai"y. Teo$ i$ "#e i&eoo!y "#a" *raxi$ +i ea& "o "#e i)era"ion an&
*ro"ec"ion of inaiena)e ri!#"$ "o e,eryone. /Braa0
-u!u$" Com"e 6+a$ "#e fir$" "o u$e "#e "erm $ocioo!y7 an& 6#e #a& an enormou$ infuence on
a"er $ocioo!ica "#eori$"$.7 /3i".er' 140
6Com"e &e,eo*e& $ocia *#y$ic$' or +#a" in 1435 #e cae& $ocioo!y. T#e u$e of "#e "erm
$ocia *#y$ic$ ma&e i" cear "#a" Com"e $ou!#" "o mo&e $ocioo!y of "#e 6#ar& $cience$.7 /3i".er' 1D0
Com"e &e,eo*e& an i&ea of *o$i"i,i$m or "#e )a$ic $cien"ific me"#o& a**ie& "o "#e $"u&y an& re$earc#
of $ocia *#enomena. /Braa0 He )eie,e& "#a" $ocie"y can )e $"u&ie& $cien"ificay in "#e $ame +ay "#a"
na"ura $cience$ can )e $"u&ie&. Com"e 6ar!ue& "#a" in"eec"ua &i$or&er i$ "#e cau$e of $ocia &i$or&er.
T#e &i$or&er $"emme& from earier i&ea $y$"em$ /"#eoo!ica an& me"a*#y$ica0 "#a" con"inue& "o exi$"
in "#e *o$i"i,i$"ic /$cien"ific0 a!e. <ny +#en *o$i"i,i$m !aine& "o"a con"ro +ou& $ocia u*#ea,a$
cea$e.7 /3i".er' 1D0 Po$i"i,i$m a$o incu&e& "#e or!anic anao!y +#ic# i$ "#e $"u&y of $ocie"y a$
com*are& "o "#e #uman )o&y an& "#a" (u$" a$ cer"ain func"ion$ are nece$$ary "o "#e func"ionin! of "#e
#uman )o&y a$ a +#oe' $o are func"ion$ of $ocie"y nece$$ary for "#e func"ionin! of $ocie"y a$ a +#oe.
/Braa0
Com"e 6ur!e& "#a" $ocioo!i$"$ u$e o)$er,a"ion' ex*erimen"a"ion' an& com*ara"i,e #i$"orica
anay$i$.7 /3i".er' 180 Com"e )eie,e& "#a" "#e me"#o&$ u$e& "o $"u&y na"ura *#enomena $#ou& )e
a**ie& "o $"u&y $ocie"y? fir$" em*irica &a"a $#ou& )e coec"e&' "#en *a""ern$ $#ou& )e no"e&' an&
a$"y cau$e$ $#ou& )e a""ri)u"e& "o "#e *a""ern$ o)$er,e&. /Braa0 6Com"eE$ *o$i"i,i$m em*#a$i.e& "#a"
6"#e $ocia uni,er$e i$ amena)e "o "#e &e,eo*men" of a)$"rac" a+$ "#a" can )e "e$"e& "#rou!# "#e
carefu coec"ion of &a"a7 an& 6"#e$e a)$"rac" a+$ +i &eno"e "#e )a$ic an& !eneric *ro*er"ie$ of "#e
$ocia uni,er$e an& "#ey +i $*ecify "#eir Ena"ura rea"ion$.7 /3i".er' 180
T#rou!# "#e or!anic anao!y' Com"e main"aine& "#a" (u$" a$ "#e #uman )o&y mu$" )e ca$$ifie&
"#rou!# "#e $"u&y of ana"omy an& *#y$ioo!y' $o mu$" $ocie"y )e $"u&ie& "#rou!# ana"omy an&
*#y$ioo!y' o"#er+i$e kno+n a$ "#e $"ruc"ure an& func"ion of a !i,en $ocie"y' an& "#u$ )e ca$$ifie&.
T#e ca$$ifica"ion $c#eme of *a$" $ocie"ie$ incu&e& four $"a!e$F #un"er$ an& !a"#erer$' #or"icu"ura'
a!ricu"ura' an& in&u$"ria. Com"e main"aine& "#a" "#e )a$ic c#an!e$ o,er "ime in "#e $"ruc"ure an&
func"ion of $ocie"y from #un"er$ an& !a"#er$ "o #or"icu"ura "o a!ricu"ura "o in&u$"ria im*ie& an
e,ou"ion of $ocie"y in $"a!e$ from $im*e "o com*ex. T#i$ conce*" )ecame kno+n a$ e,ou"ion
"#rou!# $"a!e$. /Braa0
Com"e a$o con"ri)u"e& "#e conce*"$ of $"a"ic$ an& &ynamic$ in a $ocie"y. S"a"ic$ i$ "#e conce*"
"#a" $ocie"ie$ are &e*en&en" on $ome e,e of $ocia or&er? "#a" $ocie"y i$ &e*en&en" on *re&ic"a)ii"y
an& con$i$"ency an& +i $"ru!!e "o main"ain an& crea"e $ocia or&er in "#e exi$"in! $ocia $"ruc"ure$.
Dynamic$ i$ u$e& "o ex*ain #o+ an& +#y $ocie"ie$ are a+ay$ c#an!in! an& +#y "#ere are con$"an"
c#an!e$ in *eo*e. More recen" exam*e$ of c#an!e$ in *eo*e incu&e "#e c#an!e$ of a""i"u&e an&
)e#a,ior "o+ar&$ $exi$m' #omo*#o)ia' raci$m' e"c. /Braa0 Com"e 6fe" "#a" $ocia &ynamic$ +a$ more
im*or"an" "#an $ocia $"a"ic$. T#i$ focu$ on c#an!e refec"e& #i$ in"ere$" in $ocia reform' *ar"icuary
reform of "#e i$ crea"e& )y "#e 2renc# 3e,ou"ion an& "#e Eni!#"enmen". Com"e &i& no" ur!e
re,ou"ionary c#an!e' )ecau$e #e fe" "#e na"ura e,ou"ion of $ocie"y +ou& make "#in!$ )e""er.7
/3i".er' 1D0
Her)er" S*encer con"ri)u"e& "o $ocioo!ica "#eory +i"#in "#e conce*"$ of $"ruc"ura
func"ionai$m an& $ocia Dar+ini$m. 6Com"e an& S*encer $#are& .. a commi"men" "o a $cience of
$ocioo!y7 /3i".er' 330 an& )eie,e& in "#e me"#o&oo!y of na"urai$m.
S"ruc"ura func"ionai$m main"ain$ "#a" a" any !i,en momen" "#ere i$ $ocia e%uii)rium &ue "o
"#e $"ruc"ure$ an& func"ion$ of a $ocie"y "#a" #e*$ main"ain i". T#e $"ruc"ure$ of $ocie"y incu&e *oi"y'
e&uca"ion an& economy an& "#eir func"ion$ incu&e *ro,i&in! coec"i,e !oo&$ an& $er,ice$ "o ci"i.en$'
e&uca"in! *eo*e' e"c. /Braa0
S*encer 6#e& "#e e,ou"ionary ,ie+ "#a" "#e +or& +a$ !ro+in! *ro!re$$i,ey )e""er.7 /3i".er'
330 He 6$a+ $ocie"y a$ *ro!re$$in! "o+ar& an i&ea' or *erfec"' mora $"a"e.7 /3i".er' 340 -ccor&in! "o
S*encer' +#en $ocia e,ou"ion occur$' $"ruc"ure$ of $ocie"y +i c#an!e' an& +#en c#an!e occur$ i"
)rin!$ a)ou" fur"#er com*exi"y an& i$ an e,ou"ionary mo&e. He main"aine& "#a" c#an!e$ in $ocie"y
are *ro!re$$i,e +i"# "#e *ro&uc"ion of )e""er !oo&$ an& $er,ice$ an& ne+ a&&i"iona &i,i$ion$ of a)or'
an& "#a" "#e e,ou"ion of ne+ &i,i$ion$ of a)or rai$e$ "#e $"an&ar& of i,in! in $ocie"y' "#erefore'
e,ou"ion e%ua$ e,er more com*ex &i,i$ion$ of a)or' "#e )a$i$ of +#ic# i$ $ocie"y )ecomin!
in&u$"riai.e& an& ur)ani.e&. /Braa0 He )eie,e& "#a" 6"#e increa$in! $i.e of $ocie"y )rin!$ +i"# i"
ar!er an& more &ifferen"ia"e& $ocia $"ruc"ure$' a$ +e a$ "#e increa$in! &ifferen"ia"ion of "#e func"ion$
"#ey *erform.7 /3i".er' 340 S*encerE$ ar!umen" i$ "#a" +#en !rea"er &ifferen"ia"ion or com*exi"y of a
$ocie"y occur$ "#en i" )enefi"$ "#e +#oe of $ocie"y an& crea"e$ ne+ func"ion$. GBraa0
S*encer )eie,e& "#a" 6if unim*e&e& )y ex"erna in"er,en"ion' *eo*e +#o +ere 6fi"7 +ou&
$ur,i,e an& *roifera"e +#erea$ "#e 6unfi"7 e,en"uay +ou& &ie ou"7 /3i".er' 330' a )eief "#a" came "o
)e kno+n a$ $ocia Dar+ini$m. Socia Dar+ini$m main"ain$ "#a" "#e mo$" com*ex $ocie"ie$ are "#e
mo$" fi" an& "#erefore' accor&in! "o S*encer' i" i$ "#e na"ura or&er for more fi"' or more com*ex'
$ocie"ie$ "o ex*oi" e$$er $ocie"ie$ an& "#a" "#e$e e$$er 6unfi" $ocie"ie$ $#ou& )e *ermi""e& "o &ie off.7
/3i".er' 340 S*encer u$e& "#i$ i&eoo!y "o e!i"ima"e Bri"i$# im*eriai$m an& ex*oi"a"ion an& a$ke&
+#y anyone +ou& %ue$"ion i$ a na"ura a+ $uc# a$ 6$ur,i,a of "#e fi""e$"'7 a "erme& coine& )y #im
6$e,era year$ )efore C#are$ Dar+inE$ +ork on na"ura $eec"ion.7 /3i".er' 330 S*encer )eie,e& "#a"
"#e &yin! ou" of unfi" $ocie"ie$ +ou& re$u" in 6a&a*"i,e u*!ra&in! for "#e +or& a$ a +#oe.7 /3i".er'
340
1ork$ Ci"e&F
Braa' Dean. HSocioo!ica T#eory.H Soc 471. 1<I' Monmou"#. 2013. ;ec"ure.
3i".er' Beor!e. Classical Sociological Theory. Bo$"onF McBra+=Hi' 2010. Prin".