The social as“DriverOf Interaction”
The process of sociocultural evolution explains why human societies change
through time. In this process, societies produce new forms of subsistence, acquire more
knowledge, develop different levels of innovation, and apply new forms of technology as
a response to the challenges posed by the environment.
Gerhard Lenski
He is an american sociologist that argued human society undergoes
transformation and evolution and in the process develops technological advancement.
For him the development of technology, the information acquired by humans on how to
apply societal resources as a response to humans needs and wants, leads to the
evolution and transformation of society.
Different Types Of Societies
1.HUNTING AND GATHERING SOCIETIES
The oldest and most basic way of economic subsistence is hunting and
gathering. Hunting and gathering societies produce simple forms of tools used to hunt
for animals and gather plants and vegetation for food. In this society the men are
tasked to hunt large animals like deer, elk, moose, and other animals available in their
areas.While the women in this society they responsible for the collection of vegetation,
berries, and small edible crops.Most of the time, hunters and gatherers live in caves and
pit or underground houses that are dug and covered with tree branches and leaves.
Hunting and gathering societies spend most of their time hunting animal game and
collecting edible crops and vegetation.These societies lived in small groups with only
20-30 members, if there were an abundant supply of food, members increased to 40-50.
Family is the basic unit of hunting and gathering societies, that they usually have a
shaman or a priest who acts as the leader of the group. Since hunters and gatherers
rely on nature for food and survival, they believe that spirits live in the world.
2.HORTICULTURALANDPASTORALSOCIETIES
Horticultural societies developed around 10,000 years ago and they are described as
semi-sedentary societies because they do not frequently move as opposed to hunting
and gathering societies. These societies subsist through small-scale farming. They
produce and use simple forms of hand tools to plant crops. They use hoes and digging
sticks to bore holes in the grounds for seed planting. These artifacts were first used in
the fertile regions in west asia( Middle East ) and southestasia. By around 6,000 years
ago, these simple farming tools were also used in WestrnEurope and China.
In horticultural societies, there is a surplus of food. Because food supply is more
than enough to feed the members of society. Pastoral societies developed around
10,000 years ago, pastoralist societies developed in dry regions of the world where
raising crops was not possible, pastoralist are also engaged in a small-scale trading
with other groups. As opposed to hunting and gathering societies, both horticultural and
pastoral societies are described as having unequal social relations because some
members act as the ruling elite.
3.AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES AND THE NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION
Agricultural societies began 5,000 years ago during the Neolithic Period (8000-
4000 BCE ) During this time, the neolithic Revolution occurred. With this major
sociocultural and economic development,agricultural societies startedto cultivate wheat,
barley, peas, rice and millet between 8000 and 3500 BCE. During this time, humans
began to farm and domesticate animals.
This was evident in Jericho located in the Jordan River Valley and CatalHuyuk
located in Turkey. This new form of economic subsistence eventually spread in
different parts of the world and it became known as the NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION ,
which transformed societies into agricultural societies. The agricultural revolution that
started in west asia (middle east) moved to the east of india. The cultivation of wheat
and barley crops also spread northward toeurope where people also developed the
cultivation of oats and rye.
Plant cultivation also spread in norhern china during the neolithic period. A millet-
based system of agriculture developd along the Huang-he river basin. Animal
domestication provided important contributions to the neolithic people. Sheep, goats,
and pigs were the first animals domesticated in west asia between 8500 and 7000
BCE. Animal meat, for exampla, provided them with more sources of protein while
animal hides and skin served as materials for clothes.
Animal horns and bones were also utilized for making needles and other utensils
while animal manure was used as soil fertilizers. During the Neolithic Revolution,
agricultural societies developed and their population increased into millions. They also
setteled permanently and improved the technology for farming. Through agricultural
revoluion, members of society produced surplus of food supply that were transported by
animal-powered wagons.
Money became a form of exchange replacing the barter system. The
development of agriculture also led to an increase in social inequality because most
people in society acted as serfs and slaves while a few members became elites and
acted as owners af lands and other resources.
4.INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES
Industrial societies began when the industrial revolution swept through europe
during the late eigthteenth century and the first half of the nineteenth century (from
1780’s to 1850’s ) during the industrial revolution, new sources of energy were
harnessed, advanced forms of technology were applied, and machineries were
invented. These changes led to industrialization or the transformation of an agricultural
society into a production and manufacturing based one.
This was made possible by the use of advanced sources of energy that operated
factory machineries. Industrialization produced a number of changes in society. It
created centralized workplaces,;
-Economic interdependence
-Formal education
-Complex social system
During this time,people left their farm lands and transferred to the urban areas to
work in factories.
5.POST INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES
With the development of information technology and computers, many societies
transformed into post-industrial societies. The post industrial revolution is an important
development from the industrial revolution as economic production focused on the use
and application of new information technology rather than factories. In the post industrial
era, macionis writers that production “ Centers on computers and other electronic
devices that create,process, and apply ideas & information”.
Daniel Bell
- He is an american sociologist at harvard university, introduced the rise of the
post-industrial society. According to Bell (1999) post industrial societies are
characterized by the following:
1.Transfer of labor workforce from manufacturing to service.
2. A significant increase in the number of professional and technical employment
and a decline in the number of skilled and semiskilled workers.
3. Education as the basis of social mobility.
4.Human capital as an essential aspect of understanding the strength of society.
5. Application of “ intellectual technology’’ which is based on the application of
mathematics and linguistics and the use of algorithms and software programming
models.
6. Focus on communication infrastructure.
7. Knowledge as source of invention and innovation.
POLITICAL EVOLUTION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY
CIVILIZATION
The development of the early civilizations showed the political evolution of
society. A civilization develops because of a society’s highly advanced;
- Level of culture
- Social organization
- Political developments
- Judicial system
- Arts
- And other forms of culture at a particular time
The four major civilizations in the world flourished along the rich river
plains or river valleys.
1. SUMMERIAN CIVILIZATION
- That developed along the Tigris and Euphrates River in West Asia
2. INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION
- That started along the indus river valley in india
3. SHANG CIVILIZATION
- Of china, that developed near the Huang Ho/ Huang He River
4. EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION
- That started along the nile river
CHARACTERISTICS OF THESE CIVILIZATIONS
1. Developed and highly advanced cities
2. Well defined city centers
3. Complex and systematic institutions
4. Organized and centralized system of government
5. Formalized and complex form of religion
6. Job specialization
7. Development of social classes
8. Implementation of large-scale public works and infrastructure like defense walls,
monuments, temples, mausoleums, government edifices, trading centers, and
markets
9. Sophisticated and detailed forms of arts and architecture
10. Advanced technology
11. System of writing and recording
Political systems of civilizations have a highly centralized and well organized
form of government whose leaders are powerful enough to order the building of
massive infrastructure and implement new policies for citizens.The political
system of the early civilizations had a clear hierarchy of officials with specific
functions and responsibilities. They also had codified laws and rules that were
obeyed and followed by the people. The early civilizations also developed an
organized, stable, and effective government to ensure the safety of the people
and supervise the prouction and distribution of the food supply.
Political leaders of early civilizations were also tasked to do the following;
1. Craft law
2. Implement laws
3. Impose justice and punishment
4. Collect taxes
Social Sumer Egypt Indus valley Shang
class
Political Priest
leader and
highest And Pharaoh Brahmin King priest
social class royalty
Other 1.Wealty 1.Government 1.Kshatriyas Working class
social merchants officials ( farmers,
classes 2.Vaisyas craftsmen,
2.Ordinary 2. Soldiers soldiers)
workers 3.Sudras
3.Scribes
4.Pariah
4. Merchants
5. Craftsmen
6. Peasants
7. Slaves
5. Sometimes act as religious leaders as well
