Social Change and Development: A Critical Comparison of Classical with Contemporary Sociological Theory

Abstract

This study re-examines the prevalent view of classical social theorist, Auguste Comte and contemporary social theorist,Gerhard Lenski. Both social theorists are important figures in terms of social change and social development.Therefore, within context, the notion of social change theories, its relations and cause of social change are discussed,followed by an outline of the concepts of both theorists. Next, it deals with what the two perspectives share in commonand compares the differences between them. The study revealed that the two perspectives are fundamentally differentbecause Comte focused on the development of human thought while Lenski focused on social change and developmentas a result of technology. In this respect, the determinants of social change and development emerge from withinsociety itself; the deepest and the most important disagreement lies between those who see the mental or spiritualevolution of society as the main driving force of history and those who see the role of technology as its root cause.

Comparison in Sociology

“…Considering what has been put forth in this article, the comparison is, then, crucial to sociological knowledge (Budiana, Otsuka, & Yoshihara, 2019;Guclu, 2019;Spohn, 2017). Following Durkheim (1982), "Comparative sociology is not a special branch of sociology; it is sociology itself, in so far as it ceases to be purely descriptive and aspires to account for facts" (p. 158).…”

Sustainability and Digital as Challenges of Sociology

“…There are several factors potentially involved in social change, notably the demographic, geographic, technological, cultural, social and environmental (Guclu, 2019). "Social change is a social phenomenon and a natural social process.…”