THE DEVELOPMENT OF FRENCH SOCIOLOGY 1789

The actual founding of  Sociology as a distinctive discipline- specifically, to the work of four French thinkers 

• Alexis De Tocqueville
• Claude Saint-Simon
• Auguste Comte
• Emile Durkheim

ALEXIS DE TOCQUEVILLE 1805-1859

He and his work were such pure products of the enlightenment ( he was strongly and directly influenced by Montensquieu) especially his "the spirit of the laws" and because his work was not part of the clear line of development in French social theory from Saint Simon and Comte to the crucially important Durkheim. Tocqueville has been seen as a political scientist, not a sociological and furthermore many have not perceived the existence of a social theory in his work, but it is one that deserves a much more significant place in the history of social theory not only in France but in the rest of the world like American democracy and French revolution.

C LAUDE SAINT-SIMON 1760-1825

Saint-Simon was older than Auguste Comte and in fact Comte, in his early years, served as Saint-simon's secretary and disciple. There is a very strong similarity between the ideas of these two thinkers, yet a bitter debate developed between them that led to their eventual split.

The most interesting aspect of Saint-Simon was his significance to the development of both conservative and radical Marxian theory. On the conservative side, Saint-Simon wanted to preserve society as it was, but did not seek a return to life as it had been in the middle ages- as did Bonald and Maistre. In addition, he was a positivist, which meant that he believed that the study of social phenomena should employ the same scientific techniques that were used in the natural sciences.

On the radical side, saint-simon saw the med for sociologist reforms, especially the centralized planning of the economic system. But saint-simon didn't go  nearly as far as Marx did later. Although he like Marx, saw the capitalists superseding (replace something less efficient) the feudal nobility, he felt it inconceivable that the working class would come to replace the capitalist, many of saint- simon ideas are found in comte's work, but comte developed them in a more systematic fashion.

AUGUSTE COMTE 1798-1857

Comte was the first to use the term sociology. He had influence on later sociological theorists especially Herbert Spencer and Emile Durkheim. He believe that the study of sociology should be scientific, just as many classical theorists did and most contemporary sociologists do.

Comte was disturbed by anarchy and thinkers who had spawned both the enlightenment and the French revolution. He developed "Positivism" or "Positive philosophy" to combat what he considered to be the negative and destructive philosophy of the enlightenment. Comte was influenced by the French counterrevolutionary Catholics especially Bonald adn Maintre. However, his work can be apart from theirs on at least two grounds-

• he didn't think it possible to return to the middle ages- advances in science and industry made that impossible
• he developed sophisticated theories than his predecessors

Comte developed "social physics" or what in 1839 he called 'sociology'. This new science ultimately become the dominant science, was to be concerned with both social statics and social dynamics. Although both involved the search for laws of social life, he felt that social dynamics was more important than social statics.This focus on change reflected his interest in social reform, particularly reform of the ills created by the French revolution and enlightenment. Comte didn't urge revolutionary change because he felt the natural evolution of society would make things better. Reforms were needed only to assist the process a bit. This leads us to the cornerstone of Comte's approach- his evolutionary theory, or the law of the three stages, The theory proposes three intellectual stages through which the would has gone throughout its history. According to Comte, not only the world go through this process but groups, societies, sciences, individuals and even mind.

1. The theological is characterized the world prior to 1300. During these period major idea system emphasized the belief in supernatural power and religious figures modeled after humankind, are at the root of everything. The social and physical world is seen as produced by God.
2. The metaphysical stage which occurred roughly between 1300 and 1800. This era was characterized by the belief that abstract forces like 'nature' rather than personalized gods explain virtually everything.
3. The positivistic stage which entered into the world 1800 and it is characterized by belief in science, people now tended to give up the search for absolute causes (god and nature) and concentrated instead on observation of the social and physical world in the search for the laws governing them.

Comte's point of view, it was intellectual change that was needed, and so there was little reason for social and political revolution. Comte emphasised the need to engage in abstract theorizing and go out and do sociological research. He urged that sociologists use observation, experimentation and comparative historical analysis. He was in the foremost of the development of positivistic sociology.

EMILE DURKHEIM 1858-1917

Durkheim has been seen as an inheritor of the enlightenment tradition because of his emphasis on science and social reformism and also of the conservative tradition. Durkheim developed an increasingly solid academic base as his career progressed. Durkheim legitimized sociology in France, and his work ultimately because a dominant force in the development of sociology in general and of sociological theory in particular like.

• social facts -material and non material
• suicide 
• religion