1. Important People in Sociology
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2. August Comte (1798-1857) (French)
Coined term, “sociology”
Background: The French Revolution in 1789 had thrown over the government of French kings, who had ruled with absolute power. He observed the rise and fall of the revolutionary general and emperor, Napoleon.
He asked “How can France ever regain stability and what patterns exist between order and chaos?
Contribution
2 basic problems:
1. Order: what forces (such as kings or economic prosperity) bring order to a society
2. Change: What forces (such as new enlightenment ideas bring change?
***** He theorized that any social change can best be understood by this analysis. The Social world can be studied with the same scientific accuracy as the natural world. *********
Ultimate goal of sociology:
social engineering - rational planning to solve social problems

3. Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) (English)
Influenced by the events following the French Revolution
Wrote in response to conditions caused by the industrial revolution
He asked “How can sociologists explain who will become rich and powerful in this new age and who will be left behind?”
Developed a theory known as Social Darwinism
Societies evolve from lower (barbarian) to higher (civilized) forms
“Natural selection”: most capable surviving, least capable dying out
wrong to interfere with this process

4. Karl Marx ( ) (German)
He saw exploitation and misery where Spencer saw order and positive change
Background:
Marx saw people working for low pay in filthy, unsafe factories, who at night went home to miserable, crowded slums that had been built up around the places where they worked. He attributed these conditions to historical economic facts.
Contribution
Believed that the organization of the economy is basic to society, and that political, social, and religious beliefs grow out of the economic structure
Viewed society in 2 groups
Those who control the economy
Those who don’t
Focus on conflict between classes
production/distribution of wealth
bourgeoisie - owners
the proletariat - lives by selling their labor
Free competition: greed and self- interest drive some workers to seize control. The worker becomes the victim of the factory owner
He advocated a revolution of the workers to overcome unfair advantages of the rich. He believed that the capitalistic system would disappear and a new communist system would take its place one I which the inequalities among the members of society would be removed.

5. Max Weber ( ) (German)
Interested in society and the individual
Examined the role of individual beliefs and feelings played in society.
Argued that society can not be understood by objective measurement. This can only be used for accurate weights and heights not for people and societies
Contribution
Sociologists must learn the subjective meaning people attach to actions
meaning underlies human action/interaction
Developed the Concept of ideal type
A model that can be used to measure reality.
a researcher examines many examples of an aspect of a society and identifies what he or she believes to be its essential features.
Examined the role of Protestantism in the development of capitalism
Developed concept of bureaucracy

6. Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) (French)
Also interested on questions of order such as “what forces keep a society together and what influences tear them apart?”
Contributions
Believed the answers to his questions were in terms of functions
If an element of society fulfills a true function then it must be important in keeping things orderly. Its removal would cause disorder
Shared values and beliefs hold society together