Late 18th Century
around the
Enlightenment
period.
Philosophical movement of
the 18th Century whereby
reason and science could
lead to human progress.
Newby (1994) argues that
sociology is concerned
with the effects of twin
revolutions;
DEMOCRATIC (French
(1789) and the American
Revolution of 1776 which
transformed political
ideas.
The industrial revolution in the
late 18th Century also created a
broad set of economic and social
changes such as urbanisation,
the growth of machine-based
production and a division of
labour between workers and
capitalists
What did these changes do
Broke traditional
ways of life and
generated
questions that
were arguably
answered by
founding
sociological
fathers such as
Durkheim, Marx
and Weber.
PRE MODERN
SOCIETY
Feudal economy system divided by land ownership, belief
in myth and magic (i.e. witch craze of the 16th Century),
extended family having economic and educative functions,
simple social structure and ascribed identity.
MODERN SOCIETY
Capitalist economy with class based stratification sytem and machine based
production processes, belief in reason/science and understanding the
objective laws of society e.g. growth of secularisation, nuclear family has lost
economic and educative functions due to structural differentiation (Parsons),
compex social structure and achieved status.
Durkheim - Division of
Labour and Anomie
Distinguished 2 types of social ordewr based on
mechanical and organic solidaritary.
Pre-modern societies were more mechanical
but as society developes, it becomes
increasingly complex and this breaks down
which leads to the division of labour.
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Weber - Rationality
Rationalism creates a
rule based society.
His study of calvinism
Marx
Alienation, capitalism and exploitation.
Class conflict would inevitably lead to a
revolution which can be exemplified today e.g.
2011 Summer Riots
Beck and Lau (2005)
By the 1960's society was in a high stage of modernity and the
period is characterised by a strong belief is science and a nation
state of institutions that are biologically interlined e.g. nuclear
family. However revent sociologists argue that we are now beyond
even high modernity referred to a post-modernity.