Lesson 2Sociocultural and Political
Evolution:The Development of Societies
from the Hunting and Gathering to the Agricultural, Industrial, and Post-Industrial
Stages
Gerhard Lenski- an
American Sociologist argued
that human society
undergoes transformation
and evolution and in the
process develops
technological advancement.
“the more technology a
society has, the faster it
changes”
making use of simple toolsto hunt animals and gathervegetation for food
depend on the family to domany things
although women and menperform different tasks,most hunters andgatherers probably see thesexes as having about thesame social importance(Leacock, 1978)
people come close tobeing socially equal
`
large-scale cultivation using plows
harnessed to animals or more
powerful energy sources
money as a common standard of
exchange, and the old barter
system was abandoned
extreme social inequality, typically
more than modern societies such
as our own
agriculture raises men to a
position of social dominance
religion reinforces the power of
elites
Horticultural and Pastoral Societies
• Human began to farm and domesticate
animals.
• Animal domestication provided important
contributions to the Neolithic people.
• The development of agriculture also led to
an increase in social inequality
• the production of goods using
advanced sources of energy to
drive large machinery
• water power and then steam
boilers to operate mills and
factories filled with large
machines
• change was so rapid that it
sparked the birth of sociology
itself
• weakening of close working
relationships, strong family ties,
and many of the traditional
values, beliefs and customs
Industrial Societies
the production of informationusing computer technology
less and less labour force
the postindustrial society is atthe heart of globalization
technology has improved lifeand brought the world's peoplecloser but establishing peace,ensuring justice, and protectingthe environment are problemsthat technology alone cannotsolve
Post-Industrial Societies
Characteristics:
• Transfer of labor workforce from
manufacturing to service
• A significant increase in the number of
professional and technical employment
and a decline in the number of skilled and
semiskilled workers
• Education as the basis of social mobility
• Human capital
• Application of “intellectual technology”
• Focus on communication infrastructure
• Knowledge as source of invention and
innovation
• Developed and highly advanced cities
• Well-defined city centers
• Complex and systematic institutions
• Organized and centralized system ofgovernment
• Formalized and complex form of religion
• Job specialization
• Development of Social classes
• Advance technology
• System of writing and recording
As a Political leader….• Craft laws
• Implement laws
• Impose justice and punishment
• Collect taxes
• Sometimes act as religious leaders as well
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