What is the multivariate nature of social development? What are the types of societies

Today we will talk about what is the multivariate nature of social development. Revolutions and reforms are the first thing we need to get to know. Forward!

Reforms

First of all, it should be said that the multivariate nature of social development is all the ways in which different societies develop. It's no secret that the development of society can not be linear, because of which there is a sufficient number of different groups that are very different from each other. The nature of social development can have two main forms: reforms and revolutions. Let's take a closer look at the first one.

So, what is reform? From Latin, this word is translated as "convert." Reform is a method of social transformation, which is realized gradually, through the successive change of individual elements. A characteristic feature is that they do not violate any basic norms. Reforms can be progressive and regressive. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to predict in advance. Obviously, the first kind of change brings society benefits now or in the future (for example, the great reforms of Alexander II), and the second - harm (for example, counter-reforms of Alexander III). It is necessary to understand that progressive reforms allow the society to make a step forward in its development, and regressive or reactionary return society to the previous stage of development.

The direction of reforms

There are three main directions in which reforms are carried out. Of course, they can be distinguished much more, but the basic ones are only these three: political, economic and social. The first are aimed at some transformations in the political life of society (changing laws, extending rights, modernizing the electoral system, etc.). The second aim is to transform the economic aspect, that is, everything related to the management of the economy (antitrust law, excise taxes, private business, etc.). Social reforms are aimed at the society itself. They make it possible to improve or complicate the lives of people (changing the retirement age, social protection, providing jobs, etc.).

Reforms can be carried out in all spheres of society, for there is no one that would not be amenable to change. They can have insignificant consequences, and can drag behind themselves a change in the social system or the change of power: the reforms of Peter I, the reforms of the 1990s of the last century in Russia, and so on.

Revolution

The multivariance of social development is not only reforms, but also revolutions. From Latin this word is translated as a "revolution". It can be said that revolution is a process opposite to reforms. It involves the qualitative and quantitative change of many or even all spheres of society's life, which is achieved by decisive actions. Most often, these are coups and riots, which have long-lasting consequences. Revolutions can be long-term and short-term. The first can last very long: for example, the Neolithic revolution. The second lasts up to a year.

Innovation and modernization

The multivariate nature of social development is impossible without innovation. At the present time such concepts as revolution or reform are replaced by the word "innovation". What it is? This is a small one-time improvement, which maximally improves something to the limit under the created conditions. It is also often possible to find such a notion as "modernization". Sociologists closely connect the development of societies with this term, because it means a transition from something traditional to a new, developed and perfect. There are two theories of modernization:

• Primary, which is based on the type of development of Western capitalism.
• Secondary, which means the replacement of identity and the introduction of uniqueness by the Western type. Sometimes this theory is called direct borrowing theory, or Westernization.

Multivariate social development: typology of societies

Most societies are classified according to four basic criteria: writing, number of levels of management, level of development, formational characteristics. According to the first criterion, there are written and pre-written types of society. The second (the number of levels of government, the differentiation of society) are simple (in which there is no distinction between ordinary people and power, between rich and poor) and complex (multistage management system, there is a stratification of society) socium. By level of development, any of them can be developed, developing or backward. The formative attribute classifies societies as follows:

• A classless society that includes primitive communities and a communist society.
• Class society, which includes slave-owning, feudal and capitalistic societies.

Formational approach of Marx

What can be the multivariate social development? What is it - we already know, but to answer the question about what it can be, perhaps with the help of special approaches. There are several of them, but we will consider two - civilizational and formational. The latter was developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.

The key concept in their approach is the socio-economic formation. If we generalize, it turns out that this is the same as society - the society, which is at a certain stage of development and is considered in the unity of its productive and economic forces, over which there must necessarily be a superstructure. It represents an ideology or system of views that is inherent in the whole of society, and plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion, and is also closely intertwined with economic postulates. There must also be a certain basis, which is a certain economic system that does not depend on the subjects that enter into economic relations.

In Marx's theory, an important place is occupied by the productive forces-people and means of production, who possess the necessary knowledge or skills. The superstructure is selected depending on which base was chosen. The latter determines the basis of the formation and solves the question of the society's belonging to this or that type.

The civilizational approach

What is the multivariate nature of social development? This definition in the civilizational approach has a number of differences from the first approach considered:

• The object of research is not a type of economic system, but a society of individuals that develops according to their needs and interests.
• A person is viewed not only as a productive resource, but also as a person with his moral, moral and social principles.
• Different spheres of life of society are equal to each other (politician, culture, law, economy). Economic development does not play a dominant role.

Multivariate social development: types of societies

There are three main types of societies:

1. Traditional, in which the main factor of production is land. It itself is aimed at getting food and is done by manual individual labor. Agriculture in this society takes about 80%. A person lives for 40-50 years. Characteristic features: closed social systems, there is no contact with other countries, low social mobility.
2. Industrial, in which industry and capital accumulation come first. The society becomes controlled, relations with other states are established, the rule of law is proclaimed.
3. Post-industrial, in which knowledge and services have value. Sharply increases the level of automation of labor, life expectancy increases (more than 70 years). The society remains controllable, political pluralism arises, and democracy develops.

As we see, the multivariate nature of social development (the types of societies we have discussed above) has many differences. Not all countries today have switched to a post-industrial kind. What can the states remaining at the industrial level do? To make a plan. The multivariate nature of social development will make it possible to select the necessary development strategy for the coming years in order to move to a postindustrial type.