Question 1(a) · 10 marks · 188 words written
Sociology as a by product of Industrial Revolution
Opening · a date or context
The Industrial Revolution which emerged in 18th-19th century Europe marked a major turning point in the evolution of society from 'traditional' to 'modern'.
Body · continuous prose
It refers to a scientific revolution characterised by mass scale production, growth of factory system, emergence of new social classes through ushering in of a modern capitalist economy, introduced urbanisation, growth of a rule bound political and administrative order to support the capitalist economy, growth of nuclear families and onset of 'alienation' among the working class, changes in demography like declining birth rate, etc.
It basically marked the beginning of a new economic system characterised by concepts of utilitarianism and materialism (Smith, Ricardo, Keynes, & others) based on principles of rationality and individual agency that in turn led to changes in polity, religion and other aspects of social life.
Close · a summary
The Industrial Revolution thus marked the third stage of Comte's societal evolution (Theological → Metaphysical → Scientific society) and the discipline of Sociology thus emerged as an intellectual necessity to study the monumental changes that 'modernity' and 'rationality' brought with them and their contest with 'tradition'. Thus, Sociology emerged as a by product of Industrial Revolution.