Gaurav KumarAIR 34 · CSE 2017 · 217 wordsTheir whole copy
Opening · a definition
The linear theories of social change advocate that the starting and end point of all societies are same. They passes through multiple stages based on pace of change. Thus they are also called evolutionary theory of social change.
It is of 3 types:
Body · points
(1) Unilinear social change (eg: by Spencer, Comte etc.) (2) Universal social change (eg: by Durkheim, Tonnies etc.) (3) Multilinear social change (eg: by Marshall Sahlins, Richard Lee etc.)
But this theory of unidirectional change has several limitations:
(1) Cyclic theory of social change says that all society passes through cycle of birth, youth, maturity and decline, thus linear theory is a myth. (eg: Spengler, Alvin Toffler)
(2) Conflict theory given by Marx and Weber advocate that there are conflicts and maladjustments present in different society. Thus society changes as per own unique conditions which may not be linear universally.
(3) Post modernist rejecting to evolutionary theory claim that reality is ever dynamic and social change is continuous process with no end point.
(4) System theory of Parsons also reject it by talking about function of various social systems which are fixed & universal (AGIL)
Close · a summary
Thus linear theories though recognisable for their logic of gradual evolutionary change, it is myopic in recognising the dynamics of culture & history affecting different societies in varied manner.