A.
Evolutionary theory
. Since Darwin published the Origin of Species in the 19th century, interpreters have made wide ranging extrapolations of the theories to explain different social phenomena. For instance, Herbert Spencer adopted Darwin's evolutionary to society and called it Social Darwinism
There are three main theories of social change:
evolutionary, functionalist, and conflict
. The evolutionary theory of social change gained prominence in the 19th century. Sociologists latched on to Darwin's theory of evolution, applying it to society.
Cyclical theory of change or sometimes called ‘
rise and fair theory presumes that social phenomena of whatever sort recur again and again, exactly as they were before in a cyclical fashion
. … Sorokin (Social and Cultural Dynamics, 1941), which is known as ‘pendular theory of social change'.
In recent times
Arnold J. Toynbee
, the noted English historian, has also propounded a cyclical theory of the history of world civilization. He maintained that civilizations pass through three stages, corresponding to youth, maturity and decline.
Four common causes, as recognized by social scientists, are
technology, social institutions, population, and the environment
. All four of these areas can impact when and how society changes. And they are all interrelated: a change in one area can lead to changes throughout.
According to Marx, social change occurs
as a sequel to class struggle
. … With the emergence of the private ownership of the forces of production, however, the fundamental contradictions or class distinctions were created.
Marxism is a social, political, and economic theory originated by Karl Marx, which focuses on
the struggle between capitalists and the working class
. Marx wrote that the power relationships between capitalists and workers were inherently exploitative and would inevitably create class conflict.
According to the conflict perspective,
society is constantly in conflict over resources
, and that conflict drives social change. … In the conflict perspective, change comes about through conflict between competing interests, not consensus or adaptation.
Conflict theory, first purported by Karl Marx, is a theory that society is in a state of perpetual conflict because of competition for limited resources. Conflict theory holds that
social order is maintained by domination and power
, rather than by consensus and conformity.
- Physical Environment: Certain geographic changes sometimes produce great social change. …
- Demographic (biological) Factor: …
- Cultural Factor: …
- Ideational Factor: …
- Economic Factor: …
- Political Factor:
Perhaps Ogburn's most enduring intellectual legacy is the theory of social change he offered in 1922. He suggested that technology is the primary engine of progress, but tempered by social responses to it. … Ogburn posited four stages of technical development:
invention, accumulation, diffusion and adjustment
.
- Evolutionary Theory.
- Cyclical Theory.
- Economic (Mandan) Theory of Social Change.
- Conflict Theory.
- Technological Theory.
Social change is universal.
Because it is present in all societies and at all times
. No society remains completely static. The society may be primitive or modern, rural or urban, simple or complex, agrarian or industrial, it is constantly undergoing change.
- Biological Factors: Among the biological factors is the qualitative aspect of the population related to heredity. …
- Cultural Factors: ADVERTISEMENTS: …
- Environmental Factors: …
- Technological Factors: …
- Psychological Factors: …
- Population Factors:
-Social change leads to
increased awareness and more understanding due to the presence of more information in the community
, which enables people to make informed decisions based on the scenario at hand.
Social change is often found to have negative impacts on traditional community organization. In particular, communities experiencing rapid social change often demonstrate
heightened perceptions of crime problems
and social disorder.
