Herbert Spencer's Evolutionary Theory of Social Change

 Questions Asked in UGC NET Social Work

Who propounded the 'Evolutionary theory' of social change?

Questions Asked in 2021 December UGC NET  in Social Work Paper 2 -Q-5 

Herbert Spencer is considered to be the main proponent of the evolutionary theory of social change. He was an English philosopher, biologist, sociologist, and anthropologist who developed an all-encompassing theory of evolution that applied to both biological and social systems. He believed that societies evolved through a process of "survival of the fittest," in which the most successful societies were those that were best able to adapt to their environment.

Spencer's theory of social evolution was highly influential in the 19th century, and it continues to be debated by sociologists today. Some sociologists argue that Spencer's theory is too deterministic and that it ignores the role of human agency in social change. Others argue that Spencer's theory provides a useful framework for understanding the broad trends of social change.

Here are some other sociologists who contributed to the evolutionary theory of social change:

• Auguste Comte, saw societies evolving through three stages: theological, metaphysical, and positive.
• Lewis Henry Morgan, who identified three stages of social evolution: savagery, barbarism, and civilization.
• Émile Durkheim, who saw societies evolving through a process of increasing complexity and differentiation.