Explain the Relationship between sociology and modernity and consider the implications of this relationship for sociological thinking
Sociology and modernity have a nexus in that both consider developments that occurred in the lives of human beings. In order to understand the relationship between the two, one needs to be able to define each. This essay shall demonstrate the relationship between sociology and modernity, seeking to highlight the effects modernity had on human beings lives which in other words are the subject of sociology. It is instructive to note from a definitional point of view that while sociology is the scientific approach in the study of human beings, modernity specifically refers to the era which has followed the Enlightenment Period, culminating in the globalized economy of today. Notably modernity has affected human lives in three main facets; socio-economic, political and cultural.
Modernity refers to the onset of the modern times. Modernity relates to the modern developments. This can be traced back from the Enlightenment Period all the way to the current globalized world economy. The tremendous developments that occurred in nearly all facets of life can be attributed to this movement in history. On the other hand, as these changes unfold, so do the lives of human beings. It is, therefore, possible to study the social aspect of humanity by considering modernity changes occasioned by the developments post the enlightenment period. Through this, the cyclical relationship between modernity and sociology becomes apparent, they are inherently intertwined in meaning as one brings about the other, as the sociological aspects in that period were influenced by the changes that define the new modernity. The most notable of recognized changes that continue to define the period include industrialization, capitalism, dynamism, secularity and political liberalism. It has been observed by scholars and theorists that it was due to the modernity changes that man’s social state as being individualistic was brought up.
Modernity was characterized by industrialization, arguably beginning with the introduction of the division of labor. Man’s arrangement and consequential execution of work changed, so the concept of industries become practical and man abandoned the traditional pre-industrial approaches. Industrialization would later affect the manner in which man interacted with each other and with the environment. It would equally influence the economics of nations which in turn determined their position in the world socio-political landscape. For instance, the fierce competition among the European states and the movement to the Americas can in the most part be attributed to industrialization. Suffice it to say that in the absence of industrialization, the evolutionary nature of Europe to the modern day states would not have been tenable. This definitely affected the overall sociological relations and thinking processes. It is at this time that scholars such as Durkheim and Marx penned their observations and conclusions on social relations.
In the modernity period, the world embraced the capitalist system. Under capitalism, the working relations were more individualistic as opposed to the preindustrial communitarianism and collectivism. Under the former, every individual sought to maximize the gains in his or her favor in turn leading to competition and conflict for the resources. In addition, capitalism led to the class system that Marx had intimated about earlier. The class system would stratify people into social classes based on one’s disposable income. Indeed, this would in overall occasion fundamental changes in the social thought process. It is the class system and the need to maximize the gains of the individual that would push the settlers out of England and occasion their venture into the new Lands. The aggression by the people resulted to an economic system that allowed free enterprising while at the same time allowing individualism on the part of the parties involved. In that vein, the industrial context which introduced capitalism may as well be responsible for the strain in social relations where collectivism was replaced by individualism in what Darwin would have described as the survival of the fittest. This aspect still remains to date as the motto remains everyone for himself.
Secondly, modernity facilitated urbanism as opposed to rural lives. Under modernity the traditional system of life which favored rural settlement was replaced by urbanism. Modernity which heavily influenced and developed the industrial system required that the masses collect in urban places for purposes of offering labor in the industries that had been setup. It is these migrations and establishment of urban centers that influenced the social relations in the modernity period. This period was marked by new developments in the social relations. In effect, the social relationships at this time were determined by the social class in which one lived in. This can be attested to by the fact that for people who lived in the upper class zones, their lives were more individualistic and organized in orderly and predictable manners while the for the others belonging to the lower classes, their lives were more communitarian and collective but equally disorganized and unpredictable. Ultimately, the modernity influences of urbanism lead to different social relations that would affect the nature of sociological studies and thought process.
In an equal measure, it is in the modernity period that secularity was emphasized to the extent that it replaced the previously religious foundations of life. During that time, people began to appreciate secularity for its contributions to society. A deviation was allowed from the traditionally rigid religious approach to a relaxed approach that allowed for thinking based on the secular foundations of the world. This equally affected the sociological thought in that it allowed for the application of concepts in relationships of man devoid of religious leanings. In addition, the modernity period was seen as being more dynamic as opposed to the static nature of the previous periods. The dynamism was seen in the fact that situations kept changing to the point that there was in essence no static fact except the fact that of change itself. It is this dynamism that would occasion different approaches by people in society. By thinking on dynamic conceptions rather than the static concepts, new and better ways of doing things were brought up. These ways in overall, influenced the manner in which people related with one another hence the sociological bearing.
Lastly, it is essential to appreciate the contribution of modernity to politics. It is at this time that political liberalism got traction. It is at this juncture that nations revolted and the journey towards a realization of democratic governance systems began. It is around this time that the French Revolution and later the American Civil War occurred. The modernity period equally saw the World Wars that would redefine the relationships among nation states. Generally, it is at this time that the concept of democracy was advanced and positively embraced by most nations. This approach would influence the nations towards prosperity. It would occasion a sense of freedom of expression and support the economic concept of free markets. From a sociological spectrum, the onset of democracy afforded the citizenry the opportunity of expression hence a more expressive society. This influenced the social relations among people for the better.
It should be noted that while modernity denotes a period, the events that transpired during that time are essential in appreciating the sociological developments. It is noteworthy that it is at this time that the society improved for the better. However, at an individual level, it had been observed that sociologically, people became more individualistic and less communitarian. This is because modernity dictates favored the former approach. On the overall, the developments that characterized the modernity period had a profound effect on sociology. The pressures in the modernity period redefined the relationships among the people at that time. It is in observing these changes that scholars would come up with different conceptions on the sociology discourse. This in essence influenced the sociological thought in a unique manner.
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