Page 507 - Essencials of Sociology

480 CHAPTER 15 Social Change and the Environment

civilization mentioned earlier (poverty, rape, murder, and so on) indicates that Spengler
FIGURE 15.1 Marx’s
was right, and we are now in decline. If so, it appears that China is waiting on the hori-
Model of Historical zon to seize global power and to forge a new civilization.
Change
Conflict over Power and Resources
Long before Toynbee, Karl Marx identified a recurring process of social change. He said
Thesis
(some current that each thesis (a current arrangement of power) contains its own antithesis (contradic-
arrangement of power) tion or opposition). A struggle develops between the thesis and its antithesis, leading
to a synthesis (a new arrangement of power). This new social order, in turn, becomes a
thesis that will be challenged by its own antithesis, and so on. Figure 15.1 gives a visual
Antithesis summary of this process.
(contradictions in the According to Marx’s view (called a dialectical process of history), each ruling group
arrangement of power)
sows the seeds of its own destruction. Consider capitalism. Marx said that capitalism (the
thesis) is built on the exploitation of workers (an antithesis, or built-in opposition). With
workers and owners on a collision course, the dialectical process will not stop until work-
Synthesis
(a new arrangement ers establish a classless state (the synthesis).
of power) The analysis of G7/G8 in the previous section follows conflict theory. G8’s current
division of the globe’s resources and markets is a thesis. Resentment on the part of have-
not nations is an antithesis. The demand to redistribute power and resources will come
Process continues
from any Least Industrialized or Industrializing Nation that gains military power. With
throughout history
their nuclear weapons, China, India, and Pakistan fit this scenario. Iran and North Korea
present especially threatening antitheses, as do the al-Qaedas and their desire to change
the balance of power between the Middle East and the industrialized West.
Classless state
Eventually, a new arrangement of power will form. Like the old, this new synthesis
will contain its own antitheses, such as ethnic hostilities or leaders who feel their coun-
Source: By the author. tries have been denied a fair share of resources. These contradictions will haunt the
rearrangement of power, which at some point will be resolved into another synthesis.
The process repeats, a continual cycle of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis.
Ogburn’s Theory

Sociologist William Ogburn (1922/1950, 1961, 1964) proposed a theory of social
change that is based largely on technology. As you can see from Table 15.2 below,
he said that technology changes society by three processes: invention, discovery, and
diffusion. Let’s consider each.

TABLE 15.2 Ogburn’s Processes of Social Change

Process of Change What It Is Examples Social Changes
Invention Combination of existing elements 1. Cars 1. Urban sprawl and long commutes
to form new ones to work
2. Microchip 2. Telecommuting and cyber warfare
3. Graphite composites 3. New types of building construction

Discovery New way of seeing some aspect 1. Columbus—North America 1. Realignment of global power
of the world 2. Gold in California 2. Westward expansion of the U.S.
3. DNA 3. Positive identification of criminals
Diffusion Spread of an invention or 1. Airplanes 1. Global tourism
discovery 2. Money 2. Global trade
3. Condom 3. Smaller families

Note: For each example, there are many changes. For some of the changes ushered in by the automobile and microchip, see pages 484–490. You can also see
that any particular change, such as global trade, depends not just on one item but also on several preceding changes.
Source: By the author.