SOCIOLOGICAL THEORESTISTS AT A GLANCE Prepared by INSHA

SOCIOLOGICAL THEORESTISTS AT A GLANCE Prepared by: INSHA BASHIR

BREIF BIOGRAPHIC SKETCH OF AUGUSTE COMTE Auguste Comte was a french thinker , a famous social philosopher and the first sociologist. It was he who laid the foundation of sociology & is claimed as the father of sociology, he insisted that the science of society , i, e sociology , should be treated on par with the other sciences. sociology has gone far ahead in the scientific tradition about which Comte had insisted.

Main works of Auguste comte • The prospectus of the scientific works required for the reorganasation of society 1822 a joint work of Comte and Saint Simon • Positive philosophy, 1830 -1842 in six volumes • Positive polity, 1851 - 54 in four volumes •

COMTEAN POSITIVISM • The acknowledged founder of ‘’ positivism’’ or ‘’positive philosophy ‘’ is no other than the French philosopher Comte himself. Positivism is nothing but a philosophy of science. It has its roots in the ‘’empiricist tradition’’ •

NATURE OF COMTEAN POSITIVISM • • • Positivism as a way of thinking Positivism as a method Positivism as a doctrine Positivism as a method of approach Positivism as a purely intellectual way of looking at the world

IMPACT OF POSITIVISM ON SOCIAL THINKING • Comte’s positivism has its own impact on the world of social thinking. Today positivism signifies adherence to an empiricist view of the nature of science. It also projects a scientific approach to the study of social life on the empiricist model.

CRITICISM AGAINST POSTIVISM • Positivism is not influential at present • Methodogical gulf between physical and social sciences • Problem of varification.

SPECIAL FEATURES OF COMTEAN CLASSIFICATION OF SCIENCES • Linkage with the law of three stages • The main purpose of the classification • Classification of knowledge on the basis of the increasing dependence. • Classification of sciences begin with mathematics • The design of the classification of sciences

SOME FEATURES OF COMTEAN RELIGION • Religion without God • Sociologist –priests constitute the moral guides of the concept of a new society • New religion destined to begin a new epoch • Religion of humanity – a social religion based upon morality • Comte – not in favor of traditional christanity

KARL MARX AND HIS THOUGHTS • A brief biographical sketch of Karl Marx • It is a paradox of history that Karl Marx , one of the most influntial social thinkers of the 19 th century was ‘’an improverished exile for most of his life ‘’. He is known as the architect of socialism and the champion of the communism.

EPOCHS OF HISTORICAL MATERIALISM • Primitive society and primitive ( Asiatic) mode of production • Ancient society and ancient mode of production • Feudal society and feudal mode of production • Capitalist society and capitalist mode of production • Communist society and socialist mode of production

ESSENTIAL ASPECTS OF THE MARXIAN THEORY OF CLASSCONFLICT • The development of the proletariat • Importance of property • Identification of economic and political power and authority • Polarisation of classes • The theory of surplus value • Pauperisation • Alienation • Revolution

CRITICAL EVALUATION OF THE MARXIAN THEORY OF CLASSLESS SOCIETY • Marxian theory of classless society is regarded as the weakest link in his thought system • Classless society of Marxian is not to be seen anywhere • Marx’s theory of a classless society is a kind Of utopian dream • Marxian concept of classless society remains only as a political instrument in the hands of the communists • Like all dogmas , Marxism is strong in what it asserts and weak in what it denies

MAIN WORKS OF KARL MARX • The German ideology , 1845, with Fridrich Engels • The poverty of philosophy, 1847 • Manifesto of the communist party, 1848 • The class struggles in France • The holy family • Das Kapital

MAX WEBER AND HIS THOUGHTS • A BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF MAX WEBER • Max weber is a memorable thinker in sociology for he has left a deep imprint upon sociology. He was a profound scholar , a voracious reader and a prolific writer. He entered the field of sociology through law and remained as one of the great sociologists of the 20 th century.

MAIN WORKS OF MAX WEBER • General economic history- 1927 • The protestant ethic and the sprit of capitalism • Max weber on law in economy and society • From Max weber : essay’s in sociology • The city • The sociology of religion • Economic society

WEBERS THEORY OF IDEAL TYPES • The concept of ideal type is one of the major concepts in Weberian sociology. In fact it has an important place in his methodology. In methodology , it is known as ‘’typological analysis. ’’ it is said that the inspiration which the weber has derived from the writing of Plato and Immanuel Kant enabled him to make use of the concept of ideal type.

MAIN CHARACTERISTS OF IDEAL TYPES • Ideal types are mental constructs or subjective in nature. • Since ideal types are mental constructs they do not exactly correspond to the reality • Ideal types as theoretical tools • Ideal types are not the instruments to denote statistical average

WEBERS THEORY OF BUREAUCRACY • The term bureaucracy finds its origin from the French word ‘’Bureau’’ which means desk, and a government which is run from table is called a bureaucratic government. The word implies a particular system of adminstration.

CHARACTERISTICS OF BUREAUCRACY • • • Fixed official jurisdiction area Hierarchy of authority Clear cut division of labor Appointment based on eligibility Fixed salary , allowance and pension