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Sociological Thought
notes could analyse and study social events in a systematic and chronological manner. Auguste Comte
tried to convert it reality these very ideas of his teacher. He gave the nomeclature of social physics
to the socially related. In 1838–1839, he changed this name to sociology. This is why he is considered
the ‘father of sociology’.
The foundation stone of this huge mansion of Sociology is the idea of Auguste Comte. He was the
first to explain the difference between Social Philosophy and Sociology. He was the one to develop the
methods and systems used in Sociology. He stated clearly that like natural events, social events too
could be studied under a special subject–matter and in an evident methodology. In 1849, John stuart
mills introduced the word sociology in England. Later, the renowned British Sociologist Herbert
Spencer contributed actively to the development of Sociology. In his writing ‘synthetic philosophy’s’
chapter ‘principles of sociology’ he tried to gave shape to Comte’s ideas. In his famous “Organic
Theory” he has compared society to the human body. The first university to teach, and do research
work in Sociology was Yale University in America.
The credit for making Sociology a separate and independent subject goes foremost to French Scholar
Emile Durkheim (1858 - 1917). He believed that Sociology was a science of collective representations.
Edwood has noted that though Comte laid the foundation stone of Sociology in France, but Durkheim
should be considered as the father of the idea of regarding Sociology as a scientific subject. He was
the one who separated Sociology from other social sciences such as psychology, philosophy, history
etc., and gave it an independent form. Renowned German sociologist Max Weber (1864 - 1920) tried to
his Sociology a complete scientific shape. Italian sociologist Wilfredo pareto (1848 - 1923) contributed
greatly to give shape to sociology as a systematic science.
Many scholars from different countries of the world have contributed to the development of Sociology.
Especially in the 20 century this subject has greatly developed in United States of America, Germany
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and France. The speed of its development in England was slow. A great attention was given in America
to the development of teaching and research study of Sociology, but this subject was developed there
only in the 20 century. It is a fact that in a world–famous university like Harvard, there was no
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arrangement for the teaching–study and research of Sociology.
In England, Herbert Spencer, Mills, Charles Boothe, Hobhouse, Westermark, Mannhiem, Ginsberg
etc. must be mentioned for their contribution to Sociology. From the point of view of the development
of Sociology, the did commendable work. In 1907, the teaching and study of Sociology began here.
In France Durkhiem, Tarde, Limle, etc. had done remarkable work in development of Sociology.
There study-teaching started in 1989. In the last years of the 19 century and the beginnings of the
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20 century scholars like one, Van Wies, Max Weber, Karl Marx, Veirkant, Simmel etc. contributed
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to the development of Sociology in Germany. Sociology developed by leaps Giddings, Sumner,
Ward, Park, Burges, Sarokin, Jimmermann, MacIve, Ougburn, Parsons, Morton, Young, Coger, Rose
etc. collaborated in this direction. The teaching – study–research in Sociology began there initially
in Yale University in 1876. Sociology departments were established in Egypt in 1924 and in Sweden
in 1947. At present the study of Sociology has been started in almost all developed and developing
countries, although a few countries, remain exceptional. The utility and popularity of Sociology has
been increasing day by day in present times.
Task What is the role of France state revolution in development of Sociology.
6 LoVeLY professionaL uniVersitY