Page 33 - DSOC402_SOCIOLOGY_OF_KINSHIP_ENGLISH

Unit 4: Approaches to the Study of Kinship: Historical and Evolutionary

4.2 Evolutionary Approaches Notes
When sociology was developing, at the same time (1859 A.D.), Charles Darwin had published
a book named Origin of Species. The evidence of evolutionary approaches and agreements of
Darwin which affected the sociologists are as follows— (i) Development takes place from simple
to complex stage. (ii) Semics of Development is linear. (iii) Development passes through definite
steps. (iv) As development takes place, the structures also develops from micro-labour division
to major labour division. (v) As the labour division develops micro-specilisation also develops
to major specilisation and micro interdependency to major interdependency.
The sociologist in that period studied the society, culture, social institutions, religion, tradi-
tion, family, marriage, kinship, views, economics, art, etc., through evolution system. They also
propounded evolutionary theory of the events related to their studies. Remarkable scientists in
these are—Spensor, Durkheem, Toyler, Marse, Morgan, Sir Henry Main and Mc. Milan, etc.
Some scholars had concentrated on art, religious-philosophy and logic etc, whereas some schol-
ars studied on entire society and culture and presented their evolutionary views.
Robert Spensor has defined evolution in this form, “Evolution is a co-ordination of element and
a motion related to it during which an element changes from an indefinite-incongrous-similarity
to definite-diversity.” According to Spensor, the same law appplies to the society and culture.
It was a concept of primitive evolutionists that social change and development of culture takes
in linear form, in definite steps all the societies, culture of the world and its several parts have
passed through a definite growth steps. This development takes place in direction or simple to
complex, similar to dissimilar and indefinite to definite. For example—It is very primitive era,
all people know about themselves only—social law, culture, etc., were unknown to them, all
people were generally alike and even they don’t know to work together. This stage can be called
“Indefinite incongrous-similarity.” Gradually, their experience, knowledge and view got ma-
tured and they started working together, later on, the stage of labour division also arrived. Each
person started working that job which he can do properly and in this way, the united and start-
ed advancing towards a definite aim. This stage became the stage of definite-congrous-diversity.
This theory of evolution based on the system of evolutionary approach was explained by Spen-
sor, Morgan, Hedden, Toyler and Durkheem, etc., in their works. This development are de-
scribed in economic field—(i) Stage of hunting and gathering fruits, (ii) Stage of pasturage and
(iii) Agricultural stage. Three stages of the development of technology are as following—(i)
Stone Age (ii) Copper Age and (iii) Iron Age.
Name of Morgan is specially worthy in this view. His belief is that the history of human species
is one in its origin, experience and programmes. In his view, the theory of “gradual change from
simplicity to complexity” of evolution applies truly in the development of human society and
culture. According to Morgan, “there are three stages of the evolution of Human society—(i)
First of all, Human-culture was in Savagery stage (ii) Second, was Barbarian Stage, and (iii)
third was Civilized Stage.” He divided each stage in lower, middle and high levels. Man was
originated in the lower level of Savagery Stage. In the middle level, he learnt to burn fire and
hunting fish and at high level cross-low, arrow, etc., were invented.
At Lower level of Barbarian or uncivilised stage, the art of pottery started. In middle level,
animal husbandry and agriculture by irrigation started and in high level use of iron begun. At
the lower level of the third civilised stage, language and art of writing begun to use. In middle
level, trade and use of machines started and at high level, today capitalist and socialist European
civilisation is developing.
Morgan has seen marriage and origin of family and evolution in human history. According to
him, there were free-sex in human society in the begining in which sexual relation is made with
any one. Thereafter group-marriage, polyandry, polygamy, etc., became popular and gradually
the stage of monogamy arrived. Change in family is also seen with marriage. From gotra, there
were maternal, paternal, etc., basis of family.

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