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Evolutionary Theories and Functionalist Theory

Early evolutionary theories proposed that societies gradually change and progress through simple to more complex forms in a linear fashion. Sociologists like Comte and Morgan believed societies evolved through stages of savagery, barbarism, and civilization. Herbert Spencer applied Darwin's theory of evolution to societies, arguing they progressed from military to industrial forms as Western societies adapted and survived best. Durkheim viewed societal evolution as increasing differentiation and interdependence under moral pressures. Later functionalist theories emphasized social stability over change, seeing change as establishing new equilibriums through differentiation of institutions and integration by new social norms.

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4K views3 pages

Evolutionary Theories and Functionalist Theory

Early evolutionary theories proposed that societies gradually change and progress through simple to more complex forms in a linear fashion. Sociologists like Comte and Morgan believed societies evolved through stages of savagery, barbarism, and civilization. Herbert Spencer applied Darwin's theory of evolution to societies, arguing they progressed from military to industrial forms as Western societies adapted and survived best. Durkheim viewed societal evolution as increasing differentiation and interdependence under moral pressures. Later functionalist theories emphasized social stability over change, seeing change as establishing new equilibriums through differentiation of institutions and integration by new social norms.

Uploaded by

Jeda Njobu
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Evolutionary Theories

Evolutionary theories are based on the assumption that societies gradually

change from simple beginnings into even more complex forms. Early

sociologists beginning with Auguste Comte believed that human societies

evolve in a unilinear way- that is in one line of development. According to

them social change meant progress toward something better.

They saw change as positive and beneficial. To them the evolutionary

process implied that societies would necessarily reach new and higher levels

of civilization.L.H Morgan believed that there were three basic stages in the

process: savagery, barbarism and civilization.Auguste Comte's ideas relating

to the three stages in the development of human thought and also of society

namely-the theological, the metaphysical and the positive in a way represent

the three basic stages of social change. This evolutionary view of social

change was highly influenced by Charles Darwin's theory of Organic

Evolution.

Those who were fascinated by this theory applied it to the human society

and argued that societies must have evolved from the simple and primitive

to that of too complex and advanced such as the western society. Herbert

Spencer a British sociologist carried this analogy to its extremity. He argued

that society itself is an organism. He even applied Darwin's principle of the

survival of the fittest to human societies. He said that society has been
gradually progressing towards a better state. He argued that it has evolved

from military society to the industrial society. He claimed that western races,

classes or societies had survived and evolved because they were better

adapted to face the conditions of life. This view known as social Darwinism

got widespread popularity in the late 19th century. It survived even during

the first phase of the 20th century. Emile Durkheim identified the cause of

societal evolution as a society's increasing moral density.Durkheim viewed

societies as changing in the direction of greater differentiation,

interdependence and formal control under the pressure of increasing moral

density. He advocated that societies have evolved from a relatively

undifferentiated social structure with minimum of division of labor and with a

kind of solidarity called mechanical solidarity to a more differentiated social

structure with maximum division of labor giving rise to a kind of solidarity

called organic solidarity.

Functionalist or Dynamic theories:

In the middle decades of the 20th century a number of American sociologists

shifted their attention from social dynamics to social static or from social

change to social stability.Talcott Parsons stressed the importance of cultural

patterns in controlling the stability of a society. According to him society has

the ability to absorb disruptive forces while maintaining overall stability.

Change is not as something that disturbs the social equilibrium but as

something that alters the state of equilibrium so that a qualitatively new


equilibrium results. He has stated that changes may arise from two sources.

They may come from outside the society through contact with other

societies. They may also come from inside the society through adjustment

that must be made to resolve strains within the system. Parsons speaks of

two processes that are at work in social change. In simple societies

institutions are undifferentiated that is a single institution serves many

functions. The family performs reproductive, educational, socializing,

economic, recreational and other functions. A process of differentiation takes

place when the society becomes more and more complex. Different

institutions such as school, factory may take over some of the functions of a

family. The new institutions must be linked together in a proper way by the

process of integration. New norms must be established in order to govern

the relationship between the school and the home. Further bridging

institutions such as law courts must resolve conflicts between other

components in the system.

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