Social and Technological Evolution: Theories and Impact

Classical Approaches to Social Change

Auguste Comte (1798-1857)

• Social Dynamics: The processes that operate within society.
• Social Statics: The study of the parts of society and their relations.

Herbert Spencer (1850-1903)

• Structures: Relationships that shape a society.
• Functions: The role played by each social group within the social system.

Basic Sociological Laws

• Laws of Coexistence: Why certain social phenomena invariably appear together.
• Inheritance Laws: Why certain social phenomena precede others.

Understanding Technological Change

Partial Technological Change

Occurs when there is a change in perception, use, or characteristics of a given technology:

• Change in the social perception of a given technology.
• Change in the types of uses of a given technology.
• Change in the characteristics of a given technology.

Full Technological Change

Occurs when the most socially, politically, and economically relevant technology is replaced by a different technology that takes the place of the old.

Key Theories of Technological Change

Classical Economic Approach

• The entrepreneur is the agent of technological change.
• The agent of technological change is a rational individual seeking to maximize their utility. For entrepreneurs, this means increasing production.
• It is an agent with complete information.

Classical Marxist Approach

• The means of production are political, social, and economic tools.
• The main struggle is for the domination of tools and technology.
• Technological change is an adaptation of technology to sustain relations of domination.

Evolutionary Approach

• Technological change is not determined by maximization but by the search for innovative solutions for production.
• System trial and error.
• The key element for technological change is not reducing costs but profit growth through innovation as a key competitive element.

Constructivist Approach

• Technology is a social construction.
• Actor-Network Theory.
• The actors are scientists, technologists, policymakers, entrepreneurs, designers, and the whole society.

Science and the Industrial Revolution

• In the first part of the Industrial Revolution, science had little impact on its technology.
• Exception: The steam engine.
• The European Enlightenment of the 18th century paved the way for 19th-century science-based technologies and products. It was a uniquely European experience.

Traditional View of the Industrial Revolution

• 'The Industrial Revolution marked a radical break with the past.'
• 'Low or insignificant growth rates were replaced by substantially higher rates in many (or all?) sectors.'
• 'A large number of sectors became part of the modern economy.'
• 'Science became increasingly important as a source of technological change.'

Contemporary Perspective on Industrial Change

• Growth rates were (just a little) higher than in the past but initially (1760-1800) only slightly higher.
• The modern sector was limited to a few initially small dynamic sectors, such as the cotton industry.
• Water mills remained an important energy source in industry.
• Science played a minor role in the advancement of technological knowledge until mid-19th century, but the knowledge base increased.
• Innovations relied on skilled workers and mechanics.