Social cycle theories are among the earliest social theories in sociology. Unlike the theory of social evolutionism, which views the evolution of society and human history as progressing in some new, unique direction(s), sociological cycle theory argues that events and stages of society and history generally repeat themselves in cycles.
Such a theory does not necessarily imply that there cannot be any social progress. In the early theory of Sima Qian and the more recent theories of long-term (“secular”) political-demographic cycles, an explicit accounting is made of social progress.
The cycle of civilization refers to a theory that civilizations rise, grow, and fall in a repeating pattern rather than following a path of linear progress. Prominent models, such as those by Arnold J. Toynbee and Polybius, describe a progression through stages like growth and expansion, followed by decline, breakdown, and eventually disintegration or transformation. These cycles are often driven by factors like the abuse of power, economic inequality, social division, and a decline in creativity or civic virtue.
Key stages and concepts
Emergence/Pioneers: A new civilization begins with creative energy, courage, and the establishment of a core group or nation.
Growth/Conquest: This stage involves the building of a more complex society, with expanding governance, division of labor, and military conquest.
Age of Commerce/Prosperity: A long period of peace and prosperity arises from expansion, but a focus on money and trade can replace older values.
Age of Affluence/Overshoot: The civilization experiences a period of wealth and comfort, which can lead to resource depletion, increased debt, and social inequalities.
Age of Intellect/Hubris: Power becomes concentrated in a few, often self-serving individuals, while standard of living declines, and inequality grows.
Decline/Totalitarianism: Internal divisions, materialism, and a sense of entitlement can lead to the rise of dictatorial governments, censorship, and civil uprisings.
Disintegration/Collapse: The civilization’s institutions crumble, leading to a period of disorder or low-level organization.
Re-emergence: A new cycle begins as society starts to reorganize, leading to the emergence of a new civilization.
Different perspectives
Polybius’s Anacyclosis: This theory focuses on the cycle of governments, where a healthy form (like monarchy) devolves into its corrupt counterpart (tyranny), leading to revolution and the rise of another form, which eventually devolves again.
Tytler’s Cycle: This perspective suggests that democracies decay as voters favor those who promise public benefits funded by the treasury, leading to loose fiscal policy and eventual dictatorship.
Oswald Spengler and Arnold J. Toynbee: Both historians argued that civilizations decline as their internal creative impulses wane and are replaced by “critical impulses” that break down social cohesion.
Social cycle theory
The cycle of civilization refers to a theory that civilizations rise, grow, and fall in a repeating pattern rather than following a path of linear progress. Prominent models, such as those by Arnold J. Toynbee and Polybius, describe a progression through stages like growth and expansion, followed by decline, breakdown, and eventually disintegration or transformation. These cycles are often driven by factors like the abuse of power, economic inequality, social division, and a decline in creativity or civic virtue.
Key stages and concepts
Different perspectives
AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] https://wiki.p2pfoundation.net/Cycle_of_Civilization
[2] https://www.reddit.com/r/collapse/comments/1i6u8u5/the_research_concludes_that_civilizations_evolve/
[3] https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5077209
[4] youtube/v=uqsBx58GxYY
[5] https://laughingsquid.com/cycle-of-civilization/
[6] https://medium.com/society4/the-cycle-of-civilization-9f96b9453c89
[7] youtube/v=6hUS0Q_lzNA
[8] wikipedia/en/The_Law_of_Civilization_and_Decay
[9] https://www.noemamag.com/the-cycle-of-civilizations/
[10] youtube/v=-uRZAgCGhCY
[11] https://faculty1.coloradocollege.edu/~bloevy/ArnoldJToynbee/Toynbee-CycleOfCivilizations.pdf