Social progress: concept, forms, examples

Humanity is not static, but constantly growing in all areas. Society is getting better with the advancement of technology, engineering and recycling of valuable resources. The inconsistency of social progress lies in the philosophical evaluation of human actions.

What is it?

In a broad sense, progress is the planned development from lower to higher. That is, a constant desire to grow, improve, and modernize. Progress is not quick or slow, it depends on the degree of movement. When you progress an increasing number of internal organizational relations, is complicated by their level. The opposite of progress is the recourse.

There are social progress, but rather depends on the criteria of social progress and shows how mankind developed in scientific-technical, moral and other fields. Our species progressed from wild apes to Homo sapiens.

The Problems of progress in society

In the Stanford philosophical encyclopedia, supported the same University, freely available online and constantly updating hundreds of articles from leading experts, identified three important issues that relate to progress.

1. Does the progress of mankind to well-being? If so, why?
2. Where is the progress and what are its historical laws?
3. What empirical evidence the theory of progress?

The Problem of social progress is impossible to determine it unequivocally as positive or negative phenomenon in human life. The researchers progress to understand the well-being of society in different ways. One of the theorists are of the opinion that the living standard measurement occurs in material terms. While others flatly denied the above, claiming a spiritual basis. The main values are: freedom, self-realization, actualization personality, happiness, and public support. In another case, the human values can be linked.

Modern discussion

The Concept of progress in society occurs with the development of history. In the period of the Enlightenment were formulated the basic theses of the human development and its role in world history. The researchers tried to find patterns in the historical process, and they planned to predict the future.

At that time the views of key philosophers are divided. Hegel and his followers considered ideas that foster universal development and improvement. A famous socialist Karl Marx believed that it is necessary to increase the growth of capital and, as a consequence, material well-being of mankind.

Criteria of social progress

At the moment there is no consensus regarding the assessment of progress. As noted, philosophers identify three key questions to development. And since to review progress as negative or positive phenomenon is impossible, it is possible to identify criteria of progress

• Increase production capacity.
• Scientific and technological development, which is supported by the government.
• The Extension of freedom of expression, freedom of speech and respect for human rights.
• Development of morality.
• Gradual progress of the human mind.

The criteria together often contradict each other in terms of the assessment of any progress (social, economic). For example, technical development contributes to environmental pollution. However, it is extremely useful for the development of society and also bad for the person because it impairs his health, falling moral and social development. Progress can adversely affect the development of other spheres of human activity.

Another striking example is the creation of the atomic bomb. The first studies in the field of nuclear fusion has shown to mankind that nuclear energy can be converted into electricity. With the progress in this direction as a byproduct of having a nuclear bomb. And if you delve, the warhead with a nuclear stuffing is not so bad. It provides relative stability in world politics, and the planet doesn't see a global war for more than 70 years.

The

Progress in society. Revolution

This is the quick but brutal way of the abrupt change of one socio-political system to another. Revolution begin when another of the possible change of power.

Examples of social progress that occurred through a violent regime change:

• The October revolution of 1917 in Russia.
• Turkish Kemalist revolution 1918-1922 years.
• The Second American revolution, when the North fought against the South.
• The Iranian revolution of 1905-1911.

After the establishment of the people's power, of the proletariat, military and other figures of the revolution the lives of ordinary citizens, generally, is deteriorating. But then she gradually recovered. During carrying out of mass actions with the use of weapons, the participants of the protest actions forget about civil rules and regulations. And in most cases, during the revolution, the mass terror, the division of Economics and iniquity.

Progress in society. Reform

Not always a revolution going on with saber-rattling. There is a special form of the change of power – this is a Palace coup. The so-called bloodless seizure of power by one political force from the current rulers. In this case, significant changes are planned, and the improvement of the economic, political and social situations happening through reforms.

Power is gradually creating a new society. Social progress is achieved through planned change and, as a rule, affects only one area of life.

A Bit of history and a deeper meaning of the term

Social progress is a large - scale historical process of development of society. In the broad sense implies a commitment to higher, from primitive Neanderthal to modern human civilization. The process is carried out through the development of scientific, social, political, cultural and other areas of society.

French writer the abbé Saint-Pierre made the first mention of the theory of progress in his book “Observations on the continuous progress of universal mind" (1737). The description in the book is very specific for the modern man. And the only true it certainly is not worth taking.

A well-Known journalist said that progress is by God's Providence. As a phenomenon, the progress of society, and always will be, and only the Lord is able to stop him. At the moment, research is continuing.

Social criteria

It indicates a level of social development. It means the freedom of society and people life level, the correlation of the amount of money from the population, level of development, taken the example of some of the country's middle class.

A Social criterion is achieved at the expense of two values: revolution and reform. If the first implies a hard change of power and radical change of the existing system, reforms the society develops gradually and not so rapidly. Reforms are also buffer the expected change of government and crises. To give some evaluation of them or the revolution impossible. We can only consider the opinions of political and philosophical schools.

One group of researchers believes that a change of government only by military means. Pro-democracy protests with banners and slogans of peace often fail. This method is extremely effective if the country is an authoritarian regime and the power is usurped.

If the country is an adequate leader, who understands the inconsistency, he can give the opposition power and to give the opportunity to carry out reforms. But how many such cases? Therefore, most of the radical population adheres to the ideas of the revolution.

Economic criteria

Acts as a form of social progress. All that concerns economic development, refers to this criterion.

• GDP Growth.
• Shopping.
• Development of the banking sector.
• Increase production capacity.
• Production.
• Modernization.

These parameters quite a lot, and therefore, the economic criterion is fundamental to any developed state. For a bright example we can take Singapore. It is a small country situated in South-East Asia. Here there is absolutely no drinking water, oil, gold and other valuable resources.

However, the standard of living in Singapore ahead of oil-rich Russia. Corruption in the country, and the welfare of the population is growing every year. All this is impossible without the following criteria.

Spiritual

Is Highly controversial, as all other criteria of social progress. Judgments about moral development differ. And it all depends on the state in which discusses any issue. For example, in Arab countries, sexual minorities - atheism and obscurantism. And their equality with other citizens is a public recourse.

And in the European countries in which religion does not act as a political force, sexual minorities are equated to ordinary people. They can have a family, get married and even adopt children.Definitely, there are factors that unite all countries. This acceptance of murder, rape, theft and social injustice.

Academic criteria

It's No secret that today man is in the information space. We have the opportunity to buy in the store all that your heart desires. Everything that didn't have a little more than 100 years ago. Communication issues also solved, it is easy to call a subscriber of another country at any time.

No More deadly epidemics, the viruses that killed millions. We forgot about the time, because the speed of moving from one point to another planet is minimal. If our ancestors got from point A to point B in three months, now this time, you can fly to the moon.

How is social progress?

We consider the example of an ordinary man his formation from the primitive an individual to a Mature personality. From birth, the child begins to imitate their parents, adopts their style and pattern of behavior. In the period of mindfulness eagerly absorbs information from all sources.

And the more he gets knowledge, the easier it will go directly to school learning. From the first to the fourth grade, the child actively interacts with the external environment. Haven't seen the skepticism and distrust of society, and developed a friendship with childish naivete. Next, the teenager develops as it is necessary to society. That is, it has formed the basic skills of mistrust, feelings and emotions to Express is not recommended. You have stereotypes imposed by society.

And since ninth grade teenager enters puberty. At this time, he is actively developing reproductive system, there is first the facial. And at the same time inside of the individual mental system is being reformed, and the teenager is experiencing incredible difficulties in self-determination.

During this period, the young man chooses a social model that in the future, change will be almost impossible. Under unfavorable circumstances the teenager grows up immature person, whose needs revolve around alcohol, sexual pleasures, and watching TV. Such people is a large part of the electorate of poor countries with poor education.

Or is the person who has their own opinion and sees himself in society. It is the Creator, he never criticizes, because it always offers. Such people become in that society where many middle-class people, actively working the political system, developed economy.

Society and its development

There are two ways of formation of a group of individuals. It is their collective interaction described in the works of Karl Marx and other socialists, and individual, reflected in the book "Atlas shrugged" writer Ayn Rand (Alisa Rosenbaum).

In the first case the outcome is well known. Soviet society fell apart, leaving behind the achievements of science, the best medicine, education, industry, and infrastructure. And most of the immigrants from the Soviet Union formally still lives for the benefit of the country collapsed. Unfortunately, modern Russia after the collapse of anything will not leave behind. While it reigns individualism.

Now about America, it also dominates the ideology of individualism. And it is the most militarized country that has military bases around the world. Spends huge money on the development of science reaches a certain height, is also developing health care, education, etc. and that is very strange, what is good for one society, it is deadly for another.