Sociocultural and Political Evolution Flashcards
THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIETIES FROM THE HUNTING AND GATHERING TO THE AGRICULTURAL, INDUSTRIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND POST-INDUSTRIAL STAGES
SOCIOCULTURAL EVOLUTION
Happens when societies
develop new forms of economic subsistence, acquired knowledge and apply new technology.
SOCIOCULTURAL
EVOLUTION
“the more technology a society has, the faster it changes”
Gerhard Lenski
American sociologist who argued that society undergoes transformation and evolution and in the process develops technological advancement.
Gerhard Lenski
the oldest and most basic way of economic subsistence
Hunting and Gathering Societies
making use of simple tools to hunt animals and gather vegetation for food
Hunting and Gathering Societies
depend on the family to do many things
Hunting and Gathering Societies
most hunters and gatherers see sexes as having the same social importance (Leacock, 1978)
Hunting and Gathering Societies
people come close to being socially equal
Hunting and Gathering Societies
large-scale cultivation using plows harnessed to animals or more powerful energy sources
Horticultural and Pastoral Societies
money was a common standard of exchange; the old barter system was abandoned
Horticultural and Pastoral Societies
extreme social inequality; more than our modern societies
Horticultural and Pastoral Societies
raises men to a position of social dominance
Agriculture (in Horticultural and Pastoral Societies )
reinforces the power of elites
religion (in Horticultural and Pastoral Societies )
reinforces the power of elites
religion (in Horticultural and Pastoral Societies )
humans began to farm and domesticate animals
Agricultural Societies and the Neolithic Revolution
provided important contributions to the Neolithic people
Animal Domestication (in Agricultural Societies and the Neolithic Revolution)
The development of agriculture also led to an increase in social inequality
Agricultural Societies and the Neolithic Revolution
production of goods using advanced sources of energy to drive large machinery
Industrial Societies
operated mills and factories filled with large machines
Water power and steam boilers (in industrial Societies)
sparked the birth of sociology because of rapid changes
Industrial Societies
weakening of close working relationships, strong family ties, and traditional customs, values and beliefs
Industrial Societies
production of information using computer technology
Post-industrial Societies
production of information using computer technology with less and less of labor force
Post-industrial Societies
at the heart of globalization
Post-industrial Society
technology has improved life and brought the world’s people closer (except for complete peace, justice, and protected environment)
Post-industrial Societies
Characteristics of Post-industrial Societies
transfer of labor workforce from manufacturing to service
significant increase in the number of professional and technical employment ;decline in the number of skilled/semi workers
education as the basis of social mobility
human capital
application of “intellectual technology”
focus is on communication infrastructure
knowledge as source of invention and innovation
Four major civilizations in Political Evolution
Sumerian
Indus Valley
Shang
Egyptian
Developments in the major civilizations
developed highly advanced cities
well-defined city centers
complex and systematic institutions
organized and centralized system of government
formalized and complex form of religion
job specialization
development of social classes
advance technology
system of writing and recording
Role of a political leader
crafts laws implement laws impose justice and punishment collect taxes acts as religious leaders as well
Sumerian hierarchy
servants - craftsmen - officials/scribes/minor priests - high priests and nobles - Sumerian Priests
Egyptian hierarchy
slaves - peasants - craftsmen - merchants - scribes - soldiers - government officials - Pharaoh
Indus Valley hierarchy
untouchable outcasts/street sweepers/cleaners - Sudra/commoners/servants/peasants - Vaishya/merchants/landowners - Kshatriya/warriors/kings - Brahmin/priests
Shang hierarchy
slaves - soldiers/artisans/merchants - peasants - state officials/nobles and scholars - king/governor - emperor
Where did the Sumerian Civilization develop?
Along West Asia in Tigris, Mesopotamia
Where did the Indus valley civilization came from?
India
Where did the Egyptian civilization started?
Nile River
Where did Shang civilization started?
China; (Huang He) Yellow River
roots of corruption; funds of the city
Taxes
Highest ranked in the Sumerian civilization
Sumerian Priest
Highest ranked in the Egyptian civilization
Pharaoh
Highest ranked in the Indus Valley Civilization
Brahmin
Highest ranked in the Shang Civilization
King Priest
people left their farmlands
Industrial Societies
Period of permanent settlement where people developed the ability to be self-sustaining
Neolithic Revolution
