Shaira Mae B.

Morcozo

ABS 2-1

A Case for Why the Classical Theory is Not Classical?

According to Cockerham (2013) classical sociology is the systematic study of human society and
social life in its earliest period that led to its establishment as a scientific discipline. Sociological theory
aims to understand what we know as the modern world. This is approached through understanding the
transition from pre-modern or traditional societies to modern societies (Shay-Akil 2017). The concern of
classical theorists is to understand what was unique about modern societies and where they were headed.
The classical theorists describe the outcome of transition from “traditional” to “modern” societies.

According to Curato (2013) the classics provide some baseline understanding for scholarly
conversation to ensue. It is difficult, if not impossible to speak the language of sociology without the
shared vocabulary of class, division of labor and rationality. These concepts have not only become
standard descriptors or conceptual frameworks for analyses. They have also been the bases for critique
and further theorizing that have fuelled developments in sociology today.

Marx, Weber, Durkheim, and Simmel are known as the pioneer thinkers who give importance about
foundational theories later called as classical theorists. These pioneer thinkers gave major contribution to
sociology especially at their times and they produced extensive works that are very much relevant until
now.

French sociologist Émile Durkheim (1858–1917) ranks with Max Weber as one of the most
important sociologists of all time (Cockerman 2013). Also Cockerman (2013) added another early
influence was the work of Karl Marx (1818–93), who was not a sociologist, but is regarded as a major
figure in the development of sociology because of his significant contributions to social thought. Classical
sociological theorists such as Émile Durkheim (b. 1858–d. 1917) and Max Weber (b. 1864–d. 1920), for
example, developed their theories of society in conversation with the works of Karl Marx (McCarthy and
Manza 2015). These three classical theorists provided different theoretical perspective of social problems.
Aside from those three pioneer thinkers, there are other classical social theorists, such as Ibn Khaldūn,
Alexis de Tocqueville, Thorstein Veblen, and Georg Simmel, whose writings place them among the early
scholars contributing to the field (Cockerham 2013). Ibn Khaldun, being the ‘real father of sociology’ since
14th century is being focused in order to remind the importance and extensive contribution of Islamic
scholars to the society. Some considered him as the first sociologist of the history of mankind (Wardī
1950). Georg Simmel was an early German sociologist known for creating social theories that fostered an
approach to studying society that broke with the scientific methods used to study the natural world
(Crossman 2018).
 However, not all these pioneer thinkers are considered as classical. Unlike Marx, Weber, Durkheim,
or Parsons, Simmel did not attempt to develop a general and systematic framework for social theory.
Therefore we regard him today as a “semi-classic” only. Simmel’s explicitly sociological writings make up
only a small portion of his work. After his grand Sociology (1908), he begins to lose interest in the field
and turns to more philosophical and metaphysical issues. (Fuchs 1991). Later on his work, he focused on
metaphysics his account of the origin of value, and his sacrificial theory, presupposes a Cartesian-Kantian
conception of mind and a monadic model of the subject unable to explain the attainment of reflective self-
consciousness or solve a crucial “bridging problem” (Kamolnick 2002).

In the assessments of the value of Simmel’s contributions to sociology range from characterization
of his work as brilliant and filled with penetarating insights to assertions that he was not a serious scholar
very little of consequence for the understanding of social life (Molseed 1987). Throughout the time,
Simmel is not commonly considered as being one of the persuasive prominent in the field of sociology
unlike Marx, Weber, Durkheim or even Parsons. Nevertheless, several of the early United States
sociologists studied with or were influenced by Simmel. As stated in Frisby (1992) recent work, he
observes that Simmel is the first sociologist of modernity.

Even though Simmel's work can't be considered as one of the classics, it didn't change the fact that
he played a vital role in the field of sociology. Although some of them were failed and leaning towards
pessimism, his fellow sociologists did the same thing and failures were always been a part of the work for
it to become greater and result in a better output.
 References:

Akil, Shay. 2017. “Summary of Classical Sociological Theory.” Decolonize ALL The Things. Retrieved July 22,
2019 (https://decolonizeallthethings.com/2017/01/31/summary-of-classical-sociological-theory/).

Cockerham, William C. 2013. “Classical Sociology - Cockerham - - Major Reference Works.” Wiley Online
Library. Retrieved July 22, 2019
(https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/9781118410868.wbehibs575).

Curato, Nicole. 2013. “A Sociological Reading of Classical Sociological Theory.” Philippine Sociological Review61(2):265–87 .

Crossman, Ashley. 2018. “Who Was Sociologist Georg Simmel?” ThoughtCo. Retrieved July 22, 2019
(https://www.thoughtco.com/georg-simmel-3026490).

Fuchs, Stephan. 1991. “From Theory to Critique of Modernity The Development of Simmel's Sociology.”
Michigan Sociological Review (5):1–18.

Frisby, David. 1992. Simmel and Since: Essays on Georg Simmel's Social Theory. London and New York:
Routledge.

Kamolnick, Paul. 2001. “Simmel's Legacy for Contemporary Value Theory: A Critical Assessment.”
Sociological Theory 19(1):65–85.