The Sociological Theory

Question 1

The 4 theorists

Answer 1

Gerhard Lenski, Karl Marks, Max Weber, Emile Durkheim

Question 2

Sociocultural evolution

Answer 2

the changes that occur as society gains new
technology
-A feedback loop
-Simple technology can only support small numbers of people who live smaller lives
-Advanced technology can support much
larger societies with exponentially more
complex lives

Question 3

What are Lenski’s 5 societies

Answer 3

Hunting-Gathering: using simple tools to hunt and gather
Horticultural and pastoral: the use of hand tools to raise crops and domestication
Agrarian: large scale cultivation using plows and animals
Industrial: production of goods using advanced sources of energy to drive large machines
Postindustrial: information as a good, made using computers

Question 4

Karl Marx’s 3 social classes

Answer 4

Focuses on inequality between these groups:
-Bourgeoisie : owners of the means of production
-Proletariat: does not own the means of production, sells their labor for wages
-Lumpenproletariat: “ragamuffin proletariat”, the bottom of society, “social scum”

Question 5

Class vs false consciousness (Marx)

Answer 5

Class: The concept Marx used to identify the awareness of members of a class of their class interests and enemies
False: A term Marx implied to members of one class who think they have common interests with members of another class

Question 6

What was Marx’s prediction for the
future of capitalistic societies?

Answer 6

Believed increasing technology in capitalist
societies furthers the power gap and leads to
alienation
Alienation - the experience of isolation and
misery resulting from powerlessness
=>the act of working
=>from the products of their labor
=>from other workers
=>from human potential

Question 7

What two concepts did Weber think were
linked?

Answer 7

Believed that societies progress away
from traditional thought to rational thought

=>The degree to which a society adopts
technology is an indicator of rationality to
Weber.