Essay on the Concept of Progress – Human society has evolved into a demonstrable certainty. But we cannot demonstrate with no less certainty that society has progressed? We may only believe in progress, but we cannot show it to others unless they first accept our evaluations. People may look on the same social changes and to some they spell progress, to others decadence.
In early modern times one of the most widely accepted notions of social change was that of continuous progress. This view reflects man’s growing confidence in himself and his conviction that he is a master of his own destiny. Then what do we mean by progress?
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Definition:
1. According to Ogburn progress “is a movement towards an objective thought to be desirable by the general group for the visible future”.
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2. MacIver writes: “By progress we simply not merely direction, but direction towards some final goal, some destination determined ideally not simply by the objective consideration at work”.
3. Ginsberg defines progress as “a development of evolution in a direction which satisfies rational criterion of value”.
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4. In simple words, it may be said that social progress, indicates a change or an advance towards a desirable end.
Thus, the concept of social progress definitely involves and implies value-judgements. Whenever the change is for the better for an upward trend, there is progress. Because, social progress connotes improvement, betterment, going up from a lower position. When we speak of progress we simply not merely direction, but direction towards some final goal, some destination determined ideally. Progress always refers to the change that leads to human happiness.
Nature of Social Progress:
Our concept of social progress involves the following attributes.
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1. There is change in progress:
The idea of social progress presupposes the presence of change. There can be no progress without some or the other change.
2. Change is towards some desired goal:
Not all changes imply progress. A change can be called progress only when it fulfils or on the process of fulfilling the desired end. The “desired end” is,
3. Progress is communal:
Progress from the sociological point of view is communal in nature. Here the progress or the welfare of the entire group or society in the desired direction is taken into consideration and not the happiness of an individual.
4. Progress is defined in terms of values:
It is on the basis of our value system that we always decide whether a particular change implies progress or not. Our own values would tell us whether a change is taking us towards the goal fixed ideally or towards the desirable end or not.
5. Progress does not have a definite measuring rod:
The idea of progress is more subjective than objective. Because we do not have any objective means of measuring it. It even differs with people. What sounds as progress to one may appear to be decadence to another. Further, the same person’s notion of progress may undergo change with the lapse of time.
6. Concept of Progress is subject to diverse interpretations:
Since the system of values differs from society to society and time to time within the same society, the interpretation of progress also differs accordingly. Goals and ideals change from time to time and place to place and along with them the idea of progress also changes.
According to Haridas T and Majumdar, the idea of social progress must at least conuun some or all of the following points: (7) Enhancement of dignity of man, (2) Respect for each human personality, (3) Ever increasing freedom for spiritual quest and for investigation of truth (4) Freedom for creativity and aesthetic enjoyment, (5) A social order that promotes the first four values, and (6) Promotion of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness with justice and equality to all.
Development of the Concert of Progress:
Historically speaking, as early as in the 17th century, Francis Bacon defended the concept of change as continuous progress. In the 18th Century, the French thinkers Turgot and Condorcet maintained that human society was gradually but constantly advancing towards desirability.
Auguste Comte believed that the positive attitude to life itself was progressive. Herbert Spencer maintained that human society had been gradually progressing towards a better state. But he regarded it as an automatic process beyond the human control.
He identified social progress with social evolution and said that the human society was inevitably moving towards ever greater heights of perfection. According to him, progress could not be affected by human engineering for it was determined by the cosmic forces.
The concept of progress was given greater importance during and after the Renaissance. After the American Revolution ushered in a new epoch of progress, the French Encyclopaedists began to preach the doctrine of progress and of human perfectibility.
American sociologist Lester F. Ward (1841-1915) was a strong believer and an advocate of social progress. His doctrine of Teleology or Telesis was not just philosophical; he related it to society – Social Telesis.
The modern writers today speak of social progress though they do not have a single satisfactory explanation of the concept. They do not, of course, subscribe to the view that society gradually and inevitably moves to an ever higher state of perfection. They have almost abandoned the idea that society evolves in a linear fashion and in the direction of improvement.
‘Social Progress’ is no doubt an abstract term. We may or may not agree that there is progress, but we cannot prove it. Progress is a reality which is immeasurable and undemonstrable. Anything that cannot be demonstrated and measured scientifically cannot be rejected socially. It is especially true in the case of social progress.