Srushti Jayant DeshmukhAIR 5 · CSE 2018 · 215 wordsTheir whole copy
Opening · a definition
Social change is seen as a significant alteration in the social structures, behaviour, patterns of values and norms in society.
Body · points and prose
Considering the Evolutionary-functional approach adopted by Talcott Parsons, he saw social change as a process of evolution from one stage to another. This was due to the structural differentiation in the society owing to proliferation of jobs and division of labour. Hence, Parsons conceptualises Evolutionary Universals as the characteristic features of different societies based on which their value systems, production systems, stratification, social institution etc can be classified & categorised. Based on this stages are →
In contrast to this, the Marxian conception of social change is rooted in the political philosophy of Revolution. Though Karl Marx also notes an evolutionary succession of modes of production in the society, he argues that the Real Social Change would occur only when manual working class changes from class in itself to class for itself. The subjective understanding of the objective reality would drop the false consciousness and people would collectively own all resources and the dialectic of classes would end.
Marx saw revolution as indispensable due to polarisation of classes caused due to bougeoisisation & proletarisation & pauperisation.
Close · a summary
Both these understanding of social change has widened our perspective about social and provided contrasting process/reasons for social change.