Sociocultural and Political

evolution
 What is Sociocultural evolution?

As societies respond to the threats and

challenges posed by the environment, they
develop culture. The development of culture
through time called as cultural evolution,
led to the transformation of different
societies and political systems, a process
called sociopolitical evolution.
Gerhard Lenski
 Gerhard Lenski

He is a macrosociologist
that study the society as a
whole and how it evolves
through time.
Lenski believes that society
evolves through innovation,
transmission and technological
advances.
“Societal survival has been largely
a function of society’s level of
technological advance relative to
the societies with which it has
competition”
-Lenski
“Through
technology, societies
will evolve, change
and survive”
 Technology

Information about how to use

material resources of a given
society or culture to meet
human needs and satisfy human
desires.
 Levels of society
Hunting and gathering
Horticultural
Pastoral
Agricultural
Industrial
Post-Industrial
 Hunting and gathering
The oldest and most basic way of economic
subsistence
They make use of simple tools
Men and women are equal in work
distribution
Family is the basic unit of hunting and
gathering society
20-30 members
Nomadic
 Horticultural
They are semi-sedentary
Engaged in small scale
farming
Use simple forms of hand
tools
There is a surplus of food
 PASTORAL
Semi-sedentary
Animal hoarders
Animal domestication
Have an unequal social
relations
 Agricultural
Began 5000 years ago during the Neolithic period
Neolithic revolution occurred (economic subsistence
anchored on agriculture)
Started to cultivate wheat, barley, rice and millet
Farm and domesticate
During this period, people produced cultivation tools
Farming skills are honed
West Asia to east India to Europe
Surplus of food supply
Money
Inequality (slaves and serfs)
 Industrial
From 1780’s to 1850’s
Industrial revolution (used coal)
Use of machinery
Economic interdependence, centralized work place, formal
education
Complex social system: economic, political, governmental
Left farm lands to work in factories
From agri to production to manufacturing
Inequality(oppression)
Marxism
 Post Industrial Society
With the development of information technology
and computers, many societies transformed.
1960’s
Paradigm shift (from factories to use and application
of information technology)
From “producing type to service type”
 Post Modern
1970’s to present
Society, in order to function,
heavily relies on technology
Use of banking, government
transactions, educations, bpo,
online selling etc.
From hunting foods to fast foods
 Lenski’s concept:
The society that uses its technology will
most likely to survive as compare to society
that does not use its technology.
It is the society’s level of technology that is
critical to survival.
Through technology, society will evolve,
change and survive
In order to survive, you must learn to adapt
to you environment by maximizing
technology as tool.
Political Evolution

AND THE
DEVELOPMENT OF
EARLY
CIVILIZATION
 4 Major civilizations in the world

Sumerian Civilization (Tigris and

Euphrates River)
Egypt civilization (Nile River)
Indus Valley civilization (Indus
River Valley)
Shang civilization (Huang He
River)
Sumer- Priest and royalty
Egypt- Pharaoh
Indus Valley- Brahmin
Shang- King Priest
Civilization develops because of
a society’s advanced level of
culture, social organization,
political developments, judicial
system, arts , and other forms of
culture at a particular time.
As society forms, leadership
emerge.
Politics emerged from simple
to complex.
Political system plays a vital
role in the development of
society.
Its basic operation is to:
1. Craft laws
2. Implement laws
3. Impose justice and punishment
4. Collect taxes
5. Acts as religious leaders as well
 How politics evolve?

Acquisition of power
When there is abuse and
inequality
Social changes (conquerors)
Paradigm shift
“labor theory of value” and
“communist manifesto”
“all society progresses through
dialectic class struggle”-Karl Marx
“War to cease power to make a
humanitarian and just society.”
 Core idea

Political evolution goes hand in

hand with social evolution.
Change in society is brought about
by politics; in the same way as
changes in politics is brought about
by changes in society
 Glimpse of political evolution in the Philippines

From tribe comes “Datu”/ “Sultan”

“Gobernadorcillo” during Spanish regime
Colonization plays a big role in political evolution
Resistance
Commonwealth
Republic of the Philippines
Democracy
Martial Law
Federalist system?