Definition & Characteristics of Social change

Definition of Social Change

Ginsberg (By social change I understand a change in the social structure).

Kingsley Doris "By social change is meant only such alternations as occur in social organization i.e. the structure & functions of society".

Merril & Elbridge "Social change means, that large no. of persons are engaging in activities that differ from those which they or their immediate fore-fathers engaged in some time before."

Jones' "Social change is a term used to describe variations in or modification of any aspect of social process, social patterns, social interaction or social organization."

M.D.Jenson – Describes –Social change as "modification in ways of doing & thinking of people."

Characteristics of Social change

1. Social change is universal or it is an essential law.
2. Change with diff. in speed & form simple society … change was slower.
3. Change is unpredictable in general Revol is a process of social change. What speed & in what form the change takes place is not easily predictable.
4. Social change is change in community
5. Social change generally changes in direction. There are 3 patterns of social change.
   1. linear failure change generally leads to progress (change for good) can't cycle –car – train –plain
   2. Fluctuating change – the change may be upward & downward. The demographic change is such also economic change,
   3. Cyclical change – the change is in a cycle. Fashion, sometimes also in economical aspect (Karl max gave this idea. He says earlier there was no private property & we may go back to it).