Sociology of Revolution facts for kids
Sociology of Revolution is a book written in 1925 by Pitirim Sorokin. He was a Russian American sociologist. This book explores why revolutions happen and what they are like.
The idea of studying revolutions as a part of sociology was also explored earlier. Thomas Hobbes, a thinker who lived during the English Revolution, wrote about it. He believed that during a revolution or civil war, society can become chaotic. He called this a "war of all against all." Sorokin later added to these ideas. He looked at newer revolutions like the French Revolution and the Russian Revolution of 1917.
Contents
Understanding Revolutions
Wilbur Cortez Abbott wrote that Sorokin studied revolutions up close. Sorokin was actually living through the Russian Revolution himself. He couldn't write his book in Russia. So, he wrote it in Czecho-Slovakia after being sent away from Russia in 1922.
Sorokin was a professor and a leader in a moderate revolutionary party. He was even part of the Constituent assembly in 1917-1918. Because of his views, he was arrested three times and eventually exiled by the government. His book is a deep look at revolutions in general. It describes how civilized people can sometimes act in wild ways during these times.
How the Book Was Written
Sorokin first thought about writing Sociology of Revolution during the Russian Civil War (1917–1922). He started writing it in Prague in 1922. The book was published in the United States in 1925.
Sorokin was a university professor in Russia. After the February Revolution in 1917, he became a newspaper editor. He also worked as a secretary for the prime minister, Alexander Kerensky. Later, he was arrested by the Bolsheviks. After his release, he stopped being involved in politics. He went back to teaching. However, his critical views on the new government's ideas led to problems. He was arrested again and forced to leave Russia in 1922. This is how he ended up in the US.
Are Revolutions Good or Bad?
Some thinkers, like Vladimir Lenin and Karl Marx, believed revolutions were good. They saw revolutions as "festivals of the oppressed." They thought revolutions were the only way for common people to gain power. Marx even called revolutions "the locomotives of history." This means they drive big changes.
However, Sorokin and Hobbes had a different view. They believed revolutions were very bad. Sorokin called revolution a "severe social illness." He thought it could destroy society. He argued that revolutionaries promise great things, but people often get hunger, epidemics, and violence instead. The small good results of a revolution, he said, come at a huge cost.
Sorokin suggested better ways to improve society:
- Peaceful changes: Make changes slowly and without violence.
- Scientific study: Understand problems fully before trying to fix them.
- Small tests: Try new ideas on a small scale first.
- Legal methods: Make changes using laws and the constitution.
He believed that if we value human life, we should choose peaceful reforms. They are much better than violent revolutions.
Why Revolutions Happen
Vladimir Lenin thought a revolution happens when:
- The ruling class can no longer stay in power.
- The suffering of the common people becomes too great.
- People become very active and want change.
Sorokin had two main reasons for revolutions:
- People's basic needs and desires are ignored or suppressed.
- The government and social rules become weak and disorganized.
When people's basic needs are not met, they become desperate. For example, extreme hunger can make people do things they normally wouldn't. They might steal or break laws. When people feel completely trapped, they might lose their civilized behavior. This can lead to society falling apart.
Suppressed Needs and Desires
Here are some "suppressed instincts" that Sorokin believed lead to revolution:
- Hunger: When people don't have enough to eat. Hunger often happens before revolutions.
- Poverty: When many people are very poor. Poor people often join revolutionary armies because they have nothing to lose.
- Losing Wars and State Terror: When a country loses a war, soldiers return home angry. This can lead to unrest. Also, governments that use extreme fear or violence against their own people often face revolutions.
- Lack of Freedom: When people cannot speak freely or move around as they wish. This includes censorship and limits on human migration.
- Limited Opportunities: When people cannot improve their lives or reach their full potential because of their social class. Talented people who are held back might become revolutionary leaders.
These are the real reasons for revolutions. The specific ideas or slogans used might change. For example, people might fight for "holy earth" or "socialism." But the underlying reasons are often the same.
Which groups become revolutionary? The groups whose needs are most ignored. For example, in Russia in 1917, many soldiers and workers supported the revolution. Wealthy people, whose needs were met, often opposed it.
Weak Governments and Leaders
The second reason for revolution is when the government becomes weak. It cannot control the country or solve problems. Leaders might be unable to stop unrest. They might also fail to unite people.
Before revolutions, governments often seem weak and their leaders ineffective. For example, in Russia in 1917, many leaders were seen as poor rulers. History shows that even harsh governments can survive if they are strong. But weak and ineffective governments often fall.
When leaders become a closed group, they stop letting talented new people join. This can lead to a decline in leadership. When a revolution happens, it often sweeps away these old, ineffective leaders. New, often strong, leaders emerge from different social backgrounds.
The Two Stages of Revolution
Revolutions often have two main stages. The first stage is full of wild energy and change. But people eventually get tired and exhausted. This leads to the second stage.
In the second stage, a strong group or leader can take control. They use the widespread tiredness and desire for order to restore stability. This stage is often called "reaction" or "restraint." People face a choice: continue the chaos or bring back order at any cost.
Leaders like Vladimir Lenin, Maximilien de Robespierre, and Napoleon are examples of those who brought order after periods of revolution. Societies that cannot change peacefully often pay a high price in lives during revolutions. This shows that peaceful reforms are much better than social revolutions.
See also
Major works
- Sorokin P. A. Sociology of Revolution. Philadelphia, 1925.
- Russian edition of this work - Сорокин П. А. Человек. Цивилизация. Общество..—Политиздат, 1992.—543 с. "Социология революции".]
