Sociology of the revolution by Pitirim Sorokin

Abstract

The article is dedicated to analysis of the “Sociology of Revolution” as a turning point in Pitirim Sorokin’s scientific activities. The concept of the sociological study of revolution played a principal role in Sorokin’s academic career and scientific heritage. The article discusses the concept of revolution in the scientific heritage of Pitirim Sorokin with respect to its history. Sorokin’s first book in English was “Leaves from a Russian Diary” (1924), a description of his ideological change during the Revolution. “The Sociology of Revolution” (1925) is strongly colored by Sorokin’s revolutionary experiences. His main purpose is to chart the course of internal events in typical revolutions. Every revolution, he says, follows a cycle of license, reaction, repression, and new equilibrium. A few years later, Sorokin returned to the subject of the revolution and analyze this social phenomenon in his famous work «Social mobility” (1927) and “Social and cultural dynamics” (1937-1941).The key concepts elaborated by Sorokin – social stratification, social mobility, and sociocultural dynamics – are related to the concept of sociology of revolution. Sorokin in his youth was a revolutionary, politician, and publicist in the Russian revolution. He watched the revolution from the inside, but only years later did he try to find the answer to the question: “Under what conditions do revolutions occur?” Refs 15. Tables 2.