The assigned reading supplies a sense of history and the context which gave rise to classical social theory. Changes occurring during the Industrial and French Revolutions greatly influenced early sociological thinkers. Political changes created disorder and chaos which led to a desire to restore order to society. Three significant social processes transpired during the Industrial Revolution: industrialization, urbanization and democratization. Western societies were transformed from agricultural systems to industrial factory work. Majority of the people worked long hours in hazardous conditions while receiving low wages and few profited. Vast numbers of individuals abandoned rural farm life and moved to more urban areas in search of work. This lead to exceedingly bigger cities and a new set of urban problems, namely, anonymity, crowding filth and poverty. The French Revolution notably shaped bureaucracy. Industrialism challenged the traditional order and facilitated changes in democracy. During this time class systems began to change and wealth became distributed equitably. Nationalist movements and colonialism are also attributed to the series of revolutions occurring at this time.
The Enlightenment also led to development, except this growth was intellectual, characterized by reason and empirical research. Religion came under scrutiny and had to undergo reform in order to find a place in modern society. Science was gaining esteem and influencing every area of life. These social changes undermined the traditional explanations of human existence and influenced early theorists to see modern social change as having a disorganizing effect on of the whole of society. Theologians, philosophers and theorists tried to create a logical range of thoughts and ideas that were both rational and deduced from observation of real life circumstances. It was their belief that the society could be understood and controlled using reason and research, claiming traditional values...