soc4044 sociological theory herbert spencer dr. ronald keith bolender
TRANSCRIPT
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 1
SOCL /ANTH 302:
Social Theory
Herbert Spencer
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 2
Herbert Spencer
1820 - 1903
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 3
Herbert Spencer
Born April 27, 1820 in Derby, England
Oldest of nine children, the only to survive
Religious/political/philosophical background
Nonconformist
Partial Quaker in thinking
Supported laissez-faire economics
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 4
Herbert Spencer
Taught at home by father & later his uncle
Education--heavy in science--very light in Latin, Greek, English, and History
By age 16 had good background in mathematics and the natural sciences
Never a generally educated individual
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 5
Herbert Spencer
In 1837 (at age17) became an engineer at London and Birmingham Railroad
Later worked as a draftsman for the Birmingham Railway
Discharged in 1841
Returned home to Derby
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 6
Herbert Spencer
Next few years published several articles in the radical press
“The Proper Sphere of Government”
Argued for an extreme restriction of the scope of government
• Field of human activity (except for policing) should be left to private enterprise
• No poor laws, no national education, no established church, no restrictions on commerce, and no factory legislation
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 7
Herbert Spencer
In 1850, finished first book, Social Statics
Based on “The Proper Sphere of Government”
laissez faire view of government
Disagreed with Comte on “ government intervention.”
Comte visualized a “social priest” (with governmental powers)
Help society run as smoothly as possible.
• Similar to the role of the chairperson of the Federal Reserve (in the United States) in fine tuning the economy via changing interest rates.
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 8
Herbert Spencer
The basic argument of Social Statics
Human happiness can be achieved only when individuals can satisfy their needs
and desires without infringing on the rights of others to do the same.
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 9
Herbert Spencer
“The Developmental Hypothesis”
1852, seven years prior to Darwin‟s Origin of Species
Advocated a theory of evolution
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 10
Herbert Spencer
1853 received inheritance from uncle‟s estate
Life of a private scholar
A lifelong bachelor
Lived frugally in various lodgings and rooming houses in London
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 11
Herbert Spencer
Around 1854, suffered from a nervous illness--at times unable to concentrate, write, or even to read
Attempted to overcome acute insomnia with heavy doses of opium
Eventually retreated from society, became a semi-hermit
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 12
Herbert Spencer
Refused nearly all honors offered by universities, the government, or scientific bodies.
No official position
No university degree
An international reputation
Influence almost comparable to that of Charles Darwin.
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 13
Herbert Spencer
Class of Theories: Organicism
Societal Evolution--Social Darwinism
Society is similar to a special organism obeying its own laws of „progress.‟
The natural order of all societies is hierarchy.
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 14
Herbert Spencer
Spencer coined the phrase “survival of the fittest.”
Almost a decade before Darwin published “On the Origin of Species”
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 15
Herbert Spencer
Proclaimed that sociology was to be the study of superorganic organisms
That is, study relations among living organisms-
Included more than human organisms
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 16
Herbert Spencer
Survival Similarities in Social & Biological Systems
Production of life-sustaining substances
Reproduction of system parts
Regulation & control of actions by system parts
Distribution of information & materials among system units
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 17
Herbert Spencer
Emphasized concept of progress
The evolution of society involves increasing complexity of social structure & culture symbols
Complexity increases capacity of humans to adapt and survive in environment.
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 18
Herbert Spencer
Evolution of human societies, is a special case of a universally applicable natural law.
Sociology can only become a science based on the belief that social order conforms to natural law.
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 19
Herbert Spencer
Evolution--
Unilinear
or
Multilinear?
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 20
Herbert Spencer
At first supported a unilinear model of evolution—straightforward & progressive
Later suggested that “regression” was possible (influenced by what he saw in England toward the end of the 19th century).
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 21
Herbert Spencer
Survival of the Fittest
War and complex societies
Intervention results in lesser societies
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 22
Herbert Spencer
War--interesting impact upon society.
One of few social phenomena where “individualistic” members of a modern society are willing to “sacrifice” self-centerness for the “good” of society as a whole.
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 23
Herbert Spencer
For a period of time, members of society are willing to allow “major” efficient changes to be made “overnight.”
Example: Post 9/11
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 24
Herbert Spencer
(Turner, Beeghley, and Powers 1998:64-68)
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 25
Herbert Spencer
Structural-functionalism—War benefits society
War would not exist unless it had positive outcomes for society. . .
War created a world of larger political units. . . from 600,000 around 1,000 BC to less than 200 today.
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 26
Herbert Spencer
Centuries of warfare, the state (as a large political unit) was created
Led to greater social stability
Which led to profound positive social and cultural changes.
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 27
Herbert Spencer
Industrialization & technology could not have developed in the small social groups before military action consolidated them into larger states.
Thus, war contributed indirectly to the industrialization and technological sophistication that characterized the modern world.
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 28
Herbert Spencer
As societies become more industrialized, their proneness to
warfare decreases. . .
Preindustrial nations
Overall mean of 10.6 wars per decade
Industrial nations
Overall mean of 2.7 wars per decade
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 29
Herbert Spencer
Positive Benefits of War
Creates solidarity
Gives society a common cause to rally around
Increases employment and stimulates the economy
Inspires scientific & technological developments useful to civilians
Microwave oven
Internet
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 30
Herbert Spencer:
Nonintervention
Nonintervention
and the
Survival of the Fittest
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 31
Herbert Spencer:
Nonintervention
Concept of survival of the fittest from the works of Thomas Robert Malthus.
The role of “intervention” is a serious philosophical issue in the concept of “pure evolution and nonintervention.”
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 32
Herbert Spencer:
Nonintervention
Classical Malthusianism
Thomas Robert Malthus
English economist
Essay on the Principle of Population
First published in 1798 AD
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 33
Herbert Spencer:
Nonintervention
Basic principles of the Malthus’ Theory
Food is essential for the existence of man
“Passion between the sexes” will continue to exist and result in population growth
Population grows “geometrically” whereas food increases only “arithmetically”
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 34
Herbert Spencer:
Nonintervention
Positive checks on population growth
Famines
Disease
Wars
Human propensity to procreate faster than food can be produced
Most of mankind is poor most of the time
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 35
Herbert Spencer:
Nonintervention
Preventive checks (moral restraints)
Delayed marriages
Reduced frequency of sex relations in marriage
No premarital or extramarital sex relations
Malthus did not think that the effect of “moral restraint” would be significant
Did not approve of the practice of contraception.
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 36
Herbert Spencer:
Nonintervention
Spencer‟s own theory of population was slightly more optimistic than
Malthus.
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 37
Herbert Spencer:
Nonintervention
An excess in fertility stimulates greater activity
More people there are, the more ingenuity is required to stay alive.
Least intelligent groups & individuals die off
Hence, the general level of intelligence is bound to rise gradually
Sunday, October 03,
2010
©1999-2006 by Ronald Keith
Bolender 38
Herbert Spencer:
Nonintervention
The intervention of government in social affairs
Distorts the necessary adaptation of society to its environment
Once government intervenes, the beneficial process that naturally leads to man’s more efficient and more intelligent control over nature will be distorted
Result is reverse process that leads to the progressive
deterioration of the human race.