How We Got Here: Crash Course Sociology #12

How Did Human Societies Evolve?

The Scale of Early Human Gatherings

• Until about 12,000 years ago, the largest human gatherings were likely around 100 people, despite a global population of 1 to 10 million.

• Today, cities like Shanghai have populations exceeding 24 million, highlighting significant societal growth.

Understanding Society and Sociology

• To comprehend the transition from small groups to large cities, we must explore the nature of society and its evolution as populations grow.

• A society is defined as a group of people sharing culture and territory; this definition encompasses various societal forms from small hunter-gatherer groups to vast empires.

Gerhard Lenski's Sociocultural Evolution

• American sociologist Gerhard Lenski emphasized technology as a key driver in societal change through "sociocultural evolution."

• He categorized human history into five types of societies based on their technological advancements and social structures.

Hunting and Gathering Societies

• Early human societies (30,000 - 40,000 years ago) were primarily hunting and gathering communities using basic tools for survival.

• These societies are typically nomadic with small populations (25 to 40 people), relying heavily on shared resources for survival.

• Inequality was minimal due to communal resource sharing necessary for group survival. Hunting and gathering dominated human existence until approximately 12,000 years ago when agriculture began to emerge.

Transition to Horticultural and Pastoral Societies

• The domestication of plants and animals led to horticultural (plant cultivation) and pastoral (animal herding) societies around 12,000 years ago.

• Horticultural societies marked the beginning of permanent settlements due to reliable food sources, allowing for material surplus accumulation which facilitated societal growth.

Emergence of Specialization and Inequality

• Surpluses enabled specialization in roles such as political leaders or religious figures while introducing social inequality for the first time in these evolving societies.

Agrarian Societies: Growth and Complexity

• Starting around 5,000 years ago with advancements like animal-drawn plows, agrarian societies saw increased food production leading to larger populations and settlements with greater specialization.

• As these complex societies developed, traditional family roles diminished in importance; education shifted from familial structures to larger institutions like schools or churches.

Industrial Societies: A New Era

• Industrial societies emerged post-industrial revolution (around 1750), transitioning production from manual labor to machine power which drastically changed food production dynamics.

The Evolution of Society: From Subsistence to Postindustrial

Transition from Subsistence Economy to Capital-Based Economy

• The shift from a subsistence-based economy marked the beginning of mass production, leading to a capital-based economy characterized by significant wealth disparities.

• The rise of industrialization coincided with the emergence of Marxism and conflict theory, highlighting the diminishing role of family as institutions began to take over traditional roles like education and healthcare.

Urbanization and Technological Change

• Industrialization necessitated urbanization, as centralized resources in cities made it easier to manage production needs.

• The advent of computers signified the transition into postindustrial society, where economies shifted focus from raw materials and manufacturing to information, services, and technology.

Economic Dynamics in Postindustrial Society

• Despite a decline in manufacturing jobs, sectors such as tech and finance have seen substantial growth, indicating a transformation in economic dynamics.

• There is an interdependence between industrial and postindustrial societies; postindustrial societies rely on industrial counterparts for goods, contributing to global inequality.

Technology's Role in Societal Change

• Lenski posits that technological advancements drive societal change; however, these changes can lead to negative consequences like pollution and warfare.

• While technology reorganizes society, it does not inherently resolve fundamental social issues or promote justice.

Comparative Analysis: Lenski vs. Classical Sociologists

Marx's Perspective on Social Change

• Marx’s historical materialism emphasizes technology and economy as key drivers of history but insists that class struggle leads to significant social transformations through revolution.

Weber's Focus on Ideas

• Unlike Marx, Weber highlights rationalization as pivotal for societal transitions; he argues that shifts begin with new ideas alongside technological advancements.

Durkheim's View on Solidarity

• Durkheim analyzes societal evolution through changes in solidarity types—mechanical solidarity in hunting-gathering societies versus organic solidarity in more specialized societies.

Understanding Society and Its Changes

Perspectives on Society

• Various perspectives, including technology, conflict, revolution, ideas, and social structure, are crucial for comprehending society's nature and functionality.

• Each perspective reveals unique insights that others may overlook, highlighting the importance of a multifaceted approach in sociology.

Classification of Societies

• The lesson covered Gerhard Lenski's classification of societies into five distinct types based on technological advancements.

• Discussion included how technological changes facilitate transitions from one societal type to another.

Influential Sociologists

• The session revisited key theories from Karl Marx and Max Weber regarding their interpretations of societal change.

• Emile Durkheim's concepts were also explored, particularly his views on social solidarity as either mechanical or organic.

Production Credits

• Crash Course Sociology is produced in the Dr. Cheryl C. Kinney Studio located in Missoula, MT.

• Acknowledgment was given to the Animation Team (Thought Cafe), with production support from Adobe Creative Cloud.