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Auguste Comte
Auguste ComteComte wanted to use scientific observation in the study of social behavior. He called this positivism. He meant that sociology should be a science based on knowledge of which we can be "positive" or sure. Comte also distinguished between Social statics, the study of social stability and order, and social dynamics, the study of social change. -
Harriet Martineau
HarrietMartineau established herself as a pioneering feminist theorist. Because she saw a link between slavery and the oppression of women, she was a strong and outspoken supporter of the emancipation of both women and slaves. -
Karl Marx
KarlMarx identified several social classes in nineteenth century industrial society. Among them were farmers, servants, factory workers, craftspeople, owners of small businesses, and moneyed capitalists. He predicted that at some point all industrial societies would contain only two social classes: the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. -
Herbert Spencer
HerbertTo explain social stability, Herbert Spencer compared society to the human body. He explained that, like a body, a society is composed of parts working together to promote its well-being and survival. -
Emile Durkheim
EmileWas the first sociologist to use statistical methods in the study of human groups. He was also the first to teach a university sociology course. -
Max Weber
MaxHis model of bureaucracy reflected greatly increased efficiency in business and government. Today, however, bureacratic is often used as a synonym for unimagnitave, pldding, or despotic. -
Jane Addams
JaneWas a socail reformer who spent her life working on the socal problems created by the imbalance of power among social classes.
