The first major event that led to the creation of sociology was a period known as ‘the enlightenment’. This occurred at the beginning half of the eighteenth century when a few people began to question why what happened did, and started to try and find answers to all types of problems, including social ones. Although at the time this was seen as philosophy, later events were to create a field that specialised in looking for answers to these questions, but purely the social ones. Before the enlightenment everything was due to divine will and thus pre-determined, what happened was meant to happen, but the enlightenment made people think about greater possibilities and people began to believe that their actions did matter and that they could change events. This was necessary for all the following social development to occur, and leads on to the next big change as the enlightenment was the fuel in order to bring this about – democracy.
Following the enlightenment, people began to believe they should have more of a say in their lives and became more interested in government as they realised there worth more and there ability to help themselves. Many weren’t content that an un-chosen person should rule them, especially as they were only there due to divinity. This caused mass trouble throughout Europe, especially France and in 1789 the French Revolution occurred. This was a huge blow to society as it was known with people asserting their rights by bringing feudalism to an end and creating a more equal and just society in the form of democracy. This event influenced many and led to people being more inward looking and introspective, trying to rationalise what had happened and come up with explanations, and ideas of where to go from here. In 1806, Hegel, although writing in a philosophical style, first began to theorise about social problems and observed that historical change takes a social form and occurs in distinct stages, reflecting the society at the time. He also observed a straight line of progression from slavery to this new democracy.
During this “great transformation” (Polanyi) of central Europe, another mass change that effected everyone occurred, the industrial revolution. This huge change brought about by technological development affected every person, especially in Britain as it became the workshop of the world. This led to fields being turned into sprawling great factories and masses of workers living in close confinement around a factory. This had a huge impact on society, politics and the economy. The old agrarian economies died as they could not compete and the workers began to leave for the new cities. Many tenant farmers were evicted to create space, and even more simply couldn’t afford the tenancy due to competition and demand for the land. This led to many being left homeless and poor, and again seeking jobs in the city. The new cities were built cheaply and so had many people living in close confinement, often whole families in one room. Disease was rife due to appalling living conditions and workers had to work long, arduous hours in conditions which are unimaginable to us today. No longer were people living in small, safe communities where everyone was in one group but instead you lived amongst thousands of people who you didn’t know with many varying cultures and ideas and it was every man for them selves. This again led to more people question why as a feeling of progress was felt and embraced. Every person had an increased sense of individualism and so had more freedom to do what they wanted socially, politically and religiously. People began to communicate more with a greater variety of people and so once embedded ideas were challenged and discussed both in the work place and socially, leading to people posing and answering questions.
The development of industry, coupled with democracy (all part due to the enlightenment) led to another new concept known as capitalism. All these factors led to a demise of the feudal system and people now traded goods and services in order to make a profit and to stockpile resources. Again seen as the way forward, many new jobs were created both as labourers and as ‘intellectual’ employees. People earned more money and for many their lifestyle improved. Now, money was an important commodity as it helped determine status. This all led to the emergence of a new class system with a larger amount of classes, such as the new working class and the urban middle class. Again, this led to a greater feeling of freedom and a want of understanding and explanation of this new society and individuals wanted to understand why they are in the position they are in – why do some live in luxury, and others live in squalor and how can this be made better (notably a part of Marx and Engel’s concern) . People became more politically concerned as they sought to make there own lives better, especially the new middle class who were newly enfranchised following the Reform Act of 1832.
All of the important changes that occurred in Europe over this time can be summed up into one phrase – modernity. This phrase is used to explain the new society that had developed following these events of the eighteenth and early nineteenth century that left Europe unrecognisable from how it was even 50 years previously. Therefore, it can be summarised that sociology was created in order to explain and understand the change from the belief of divinity, non-questioning, small rural communities and stability to the new modern society.
Bibliography
Morrision, K (1995) “Marx, Durkheim, Weber: Formations of Modern Social Thought”
Cuff, E.C. et al. (1998) “Perspectives in Sociology”
Engels, F (1845) “Conditions of the Working Class in England”
