Social cycle theory

Social cycle theory (also known as sociological theory of cycles) is one of the earliest social theoriesin sociology. Unlike the theory of social evolutionism, which views the evolution of societyand human historyas progressing in some new, unique direction(s), social cycle theory argues that events and stages of society and history are repeating themselves in cycles and thus there cannot be any social progress.

Interpretation of historyas the repeating cycles of events was first put forward in the academic world in the 19th centuryin historiosophy(a branch of historiography) and was soon adopted by sociology.

Among prominent historiosophers important is Russianphilosopher Nikolai Danilewski(1822-1885), who in Rossiia I Europa (1895) differentiated between various smaller civilizations(Egyptian, Chinese, Persian, Greece, Roman, German, and Slav, among others). He wrote that each civilisation has a life cycle, and by the end of 19th centurythe Roman-German civilisation was in decline, while Slav civilisation was approaching its Golden Age. Similar theory was put forward by Oswald Spengler(1880-1936) who in his Der Untergang des Abendlandes (1918) also expected that the Western civilisationwas about to collapse.

The first social cycle theory in sociology was created by Italian sociologist and economist Vilfredo Pareto(1848-1923) in his Trattato di Sociologia Generale (1916). He centered his theory on the concept of elitesocial class, which he divided into cunning 'foxes' and violent 'lions'. In his view of society, the powerconstantly passes from 'foxes' to 'lions' and vice versa.

Social cycle theory was developed by Pitirim A. Sorokin(1889-1968) in his Social and Cultural Dynamics (1937, 1943). He classified societies according to their 'cultural mentality', which can be ideational (reality as spiritual), sensate (reality is material), or idealistic (a synthesis of the two). He has interpreted the contemporary West as a sensate civilisation dedicated to technological progressand prophesied its fall into decandence and the emergence of a new ideational or idealistic era.

See also

• Cycle studies
• War cycles

External links

• Peter Sorokin life and ideas
• Oswald Spengler and world history
• Oswald Spengler: An Introduction to his Life and Ideas

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It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social+cycle+theory Wikipedia article Social cycle theory.