Progress in the life of society. Criteria for social progress

Any development is a movement forward or backward. Likewise, society can develop either progressively or regressively, and sometimes both of these processes are characteristic of society, only in different spheres of life. What is progress and regression?

Progress

Progress- from from lat. progressus - movement forward, This is a direction in the development of society, which is characterized by movement from lower to higher, from less perfect to more perfect, this is a progressive movement forward, to the better.

Social progress- this is a world-historical process, which is characterized by the ascent of humanity from primitiveness (savagery) to civilization, which is based on scientific, technical, political, legal, moral and ethical achievements.

Types of progress in society

Social	The development of society along the path of justice, the creation of conditions for the comprehensive development of the individual, for his decent life, the fight against the reasons that interfere with this development.
Material	The process of satisfying the material needs of humanity, which is based on the development of science, technology, and improving people's living standards.
Scientific	Deepening knowledge of the surrounding world, society and people, further development of micro- and macrocosmos.
Scientific and technical	The development of science is aimed at developing technology, improving the production process, and its automation.
Cultural (spiritual)	The development of morality, the formation of conscious altruism, the gradual transformation of a human consumer into a human creator, self-development and self-improvement of the individual.

Progress criteria

Question about progress criteria(that is signs, reasons, allowing one to judge phenomena as progressive) has always caused ambiguous answers in different historical eras. I will give some points of view regarding the criteria for progress.

Thinkers	Perspectives on progress criteria
J. Condorcet	Development of the human mind
Voltaire	The development of enlightenment, the triumph of the human mind.
C. Montesquieu	Improving country legislation
C. Saint-Simon C. Fourier, R. Owen	No exploitation of man by man, happiness of people.
G. Hegel	The maturity of freedom of society.
A. Herzen, N. Chernyshevsky, V. Belinsky, N. Dobrolyubov	Spreading education, developing knowledge.
K. Marx	Development of production, mastery of nature, replacement of one formation by another.

Modern criteria for progress are not so clear. There are many of them, together they testify to the progressive development of society.

Criteria for social progress of modern scientists:

Development of production, the economy as a whole, increase in human freedom in relation to nature, living standards of people, growth of people's well-being, quality of life.
Level of democratization of society.
The level of freedom enshrined in law, the opportunities provided for the comprehensive development and self-realization of the individual, the reasonable use of freedom.
Moral improvement of society.
The development of enlightenment, science, education, the increase in human needs for scientific, philosophical, aesthetic knowledge of the world.
Life expectancy of people.
Increasing human happiness and goodness.

However, progress is not only a positive thing. Unfortunately, humanity both creates and destroys. Skillful, conscious use of the achievements of the human mind is also one of the criteria for the progress of society.

The contradictions of social progress

Positive and negative consequences of progress	Examples
Progress in some areas can lead to stagnation in others.	A striking example is the period of Stalinism in the USSR. In the 1930s, a course was set for industrialization, and the pace of industrial development increased sharply. However, the social sphere developed poorly, light industry operated on a residual basis. The result is a significant deterioration in people’s quality of life.
The fruits of scientific progress can be used both for the benefit and harm of people.	The development of information systems, the Internet, is the greatest achievement of humanity, opening up vast opportunities for it. However, at the same time, computer addiction appears, a person withdraws to the virtual world, and a new disease has appeared - “computer gaming addiction.”
Making progress today can lead to negative consequences in the future.	An example is the development of virgin lands during the reign of N. Khrushchev. At first a rich harvest was indeed obtained, but after a while soil erosion appeared.
Progress in a water country does not always lead to progress in another.	Let us remember the state of the Golden Horde. At the beginning of the 13th century there was a huge empire, with a large army and advanced military equipment. However, progressive phenomena in this state became a disaster for many countries, including Rus', which was under the yoke of the horde for more than two hundred years.

Summarizing, I would like to note that humanity has a characteristic desire to move forward, opening up new and new opportunities. However, it is necessary to remember, and scientists first of all, what will be the consequences of such a progressive movement whether it will turn into a disaster for people. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the negative consequences of progress to a minimum.

Regression

The opposite path of social development to progress is regression(from Latin regressus, that is, movement in the opposite direction, return back) - movement from more perfect to less perfect, from higher forms of development to lower ones, movement back, changes for the worse.

Signs of regression in society

Deterioration in people's quality of life
Decline in the economy, crisis phenomena
Increase in human mortality, decrease in average standard of living
Deteriorating demographic situation, declining birth rate
An increase in the incidence of people, epidemics, a large percentage of the population having

Chronic diseases.

The decline in morality, education, and culture of society as a whole.
Resolving issues using forceful, declarative methods and methods.
Reducing the level of freedom in society, its violent suppression.
Weakening of the country as a whole and its international position.

Solving problems associated with the regressive processes of society is one of the tasks of the government and the country’s leadership. In a democratic state that follows the path of civil society, which is Russia, public organizations and the opinion of the people are of great importance. Problems need to be solved, and solved together - by the authorities and the people.

Material prepared by: Melnikova Vera Aleksandrovna

Progress and regression of society - (from the Latin progressus - movement forward), a direction of development, which is characterized by a transition from lower to higher, from less perfect to more perfect. The concept of progress is opposite to the concept of regression. Belief in progress is one of the basic values of industrial society. Progress is directly related to freedom and can be considered as its steady historical realization. Progress can be defined as progressive development, in which all changes, especially qualitative ones, follow an ascending line, revealed as a transition from lower to higher, from less perfect to more perfect. On the cultural and value horizon of humanity, the idea of progress appeared relatively late. Antiquity did not know it. The Middle Ages did not know it either. Truly faith in progress began to assert itself in the struggle against religious faith for the spiritual emancipation of man. The triumph of the idea of progress, corresponding moods and expectations occurred in the 18th century, the century of enlightenment, reason, faith in the great liberating mission of science, objectively true knowledge. Faith in progress becomes something taken for granted, and in depth, inner conviction, readiness to serve, follow and obey - even akin to faith in God. An attribute is assigned to progress
historical immutability.

Progress and regression are dialectical opposites; development cannot be understood as only progress or only regression. In the evolution of living organisms and the development of society, progressive and regressive tendencies are combined and interact in complex ways. Moreover, the relationship between these trends in living matter and in society is not limited to connections of alternation or cyclicity (when development processes are thought of by analogy with the growth, flourishing and subsequent withering, aging of living organisms). Being dialectically opposed, progress and regression of society are inextricably linked and included in each other. “...Every progress in organic development,” Engels noted, “is at the same time a regression, because it consolidates one-sided development and excludes the possibility of development in many other directions”102.

In the twentieth century, progress was made ambiguously. The First World War dealt a tangible blow to guaranteed progress. She showed
the futility of hopes for a significant improvement in human nature. Subsequent events only strengthened this trend of disappointment in progress. In the conditions of post-industrial society, the realization has come that progress in itself is neither automatic nor guaranteed, but that we must fight for it. And that progress is ambiguous, that it carries with it negative social consequences. When applied to an individual, progress means belief in success, approval and encouragement of productive activity. Success and personal achievements determine a person’s social status and his own progress. A success-oriented lifestyle is extremely creative and dynamic. It allows a person to be optimistic, not to lose heart in case of failure, to strive for something new and tirelessly create it, to easily part with the past
and be open to the future.

Progress and regression in the development of society

All societies are in constant development, in the process of change and transition from one state to another. At the same time, sociologists distinguish two directions and three main forms of movement of society. Let's look at the essence first progressive and regressive directions.

Progress(from Latin progressus - movement forward, us-infantry) means development with an upward tendency, movement from lower to higher, from less perfect to more perfect. It leads to positive changes in society and manifests itself, for example, in the improvement of the means of production and labor, in the development of the social division of labor and the growth of its productivity, in new achievements in science and culture, improvement in people’s living conditions, their comprehensive development and etc.

Regression(from Latin regressus - reverse movement), on the contrary, presupposes development with a downward tendency, movement backward, transition from higher to lower, which leads to negative consequences. It can manifest itself, say, in a decrease in production efficiency and the level of people’s well-being, in the spread of smoking, drunkenness, drug addiction in society, deterioration in public health, an increase in mortality, a drop in the level of spirituality and morality of people, etc.

Which path is society taking: the path of progress or regression? People's idea of the future depends on the answer to this question: does it bring a better life or does it not promise anything good?

Ancient Greek poet Hesiod (8th-7th centuries BC) wrote about five stages in the life of mankind.

The first stage was "golden age", when people lived easily and carelessly.

Second - "silver Age"- the beginning of the decline of morality and piety. Descending lower and lower, people found themselves in "Iron Age" when evil and violence reign everywhere, justice is trampled underfoot.

How did Hesiod see the path of humanity: progressive or regressive?

Unlike Hesiod, ancient philosophers

Plato and Aristotle viewed history as a cyclical cycle, repeating the same stages.

The development of the idea of historical progress is associated with the achievements of science, crafts, arts, and the revitalization of public life during the Renaissance.

One of the first to put forward the theory of social progress was the French philosopher Anne Robbert Turgot (1727-1781).

His contemporary, French philosopher-enlightenment Jacques Antoine Condorcet (1743-1794) sees historical progress as a path of social progress, at the center of which is the upward development of the human mind.

K. Marx believed that humanity was moving toward greater mastery of nature, the development of production and man himself.

Let us recall the facts from the history of the 19th-20th centuries. Revolutions were often followed by counter-revolutions, reforms by counter-reforms, radical changes in the political system by the restoration of the old order.

Think about what examples from national or world history can illustrate this idea.

If we tried to depict the progress of mankind graphically, we would end up with not a straight line, but a broken line, reflecting ups and downs. There have been periods in the history of different countries when reaction triumphed, when the progressive forces of society were persecuted. For example, what disasters did fascism bring to Europe: the death of millions, the enslavement of many peoples, the destruction of cultural centers, bonfires from the books of the greatest thinkers and artists, the cult of brute force.

Individual changes occurring in different areas of society can be multidirectional, i.e. progress in one area may be accompanied by regression in another.

Thus, throughout history, the progress of technology can be clearly traced: from stone tools to iron ones, from hand tools to machines, etc. But the progress of technology and the development of industry led to the destruction of nature.

Thus, progress in one area was accompanied by regression in another. The progress of science and technology has had mixed consequences. The use of computer technology has not only expanded the possibilities of work, but has led to new diseases associated with prolonged work at the display: visual impairment, etc.

The growth of large cities, the complication of production and the rhythms of everyday life have increased the load on the human body and created stress. Modern history, like the past, is perceived as the result of the creativity of people, where both progress and regression take place.

Humanity as a whole is characterized by upward development. Evidence of global social progress, in particular, can be not only an increase in material well-being and social security of people, but also a weakening of confrontation (confrontation – from Latin con – against + irons – front – confrontation, confrontation) between classes and peoples of different countries, the desire for peace and cooperation of an ever-increasing number of earthlings, the establishment of political democracy, the development of universal human morality and a genuine humanistic culture, of everything human in man, finally.

Further, scientists consider an important sign of social progress to be the growing tendency towards human liberation - liberation (a) from state suppression, (b) from the dictates of the collective, (c) from any exploitation, (d) from the isolation of life space, (e) from fear for their safety and future. In other words, a trend towards expanding and increasingly effective protection of civil rights and freedoms of people throughout the world.

In terms of the degree to which citizens' rights and freedoms are ensured, the modern world presents a very motley picture. Thus, according to estimates of the American organization in support of democracy in the world community, Freedom House, founded in 1941, which annually publishes a “freedom map” of the world, from 191 countries on the planet in 1997

– 79 were completely free;

– partially free (which includes Russia) – 59;

– unfree – 53. Among the latter, the 17 most unfree states (category “worst of the worst”) are highlighted – such as Afghanistan, Burma, Iraq, China, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and others . The geography of the spread of freedom across the globe is curious: its main centers are concentrated in Western Europe and North America. At the same time, out of 53 African countries, only 9 are recognized as free, and among Arab countries - not a single one.

Progress can also be seen in human relationships themselves. More and more people understand that they must learn to live together and abide by the laws of society, must respect other people's living standards and be able to seek compromises (compromise - from Latin compromissum - agreement based on mutual concessions), must suppress their own aggressiveness, appreciate and protect nature and everything that previous generations have created. These are encouraging signs that humanity is steadily moving towards relationships of solidarity, harmony and goodness.

Regression is more often of a local nature, that is, it concerns either individual societies or spheres of life, or individual periods. For example, while Norway, Finland and Japan (our neighbors) and other Western countries were confidently climbing the steps of progress and prosperity, the Soviet Union and its “comrades in socialist misfortune” [Bulgaria, East Germany (East Germany) , Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and others] regressed, sliding uncontrollably in the 1970s and 80s. into the abyss of collapse and crisis. Moreover, progress and regression are often intricately intertwined.

So, in Russia in the 1990s, both of them clearly take place. The decline in production, the severance of previous economic ties between factories, the decline in the standard of living of many people and the increase in crime are obvious “marks” of regression. But there is also the opposite - signs of progress: the liberation of society from Soviet totalitarianism and the dictatorship of the CPSU, the beginning of the movement towards the market and democracy, the expansion of the rights and freedoms of citizens, significant freedom of the media, the transition from the Cold War to peaceful cooperation with the West, etc.

Questions and tasks

1. Define progress and regression.

2. How was the path of humanity viewed in ancient times?

What changed about this during the Renaissance?

4. Given the ambiguity of change, is it possible to talk about social progress as a whole?

5. Think about the questions posed in one of the philosophical books: is it progress to replace an arrow with a firearm, or a flintlock with a machine gun? Can the replacement of hot tongs with electric current be considered progress? Justify your answer.

6. Which of the following can be attributed to the contradictions of social progress:

A) the development of technology leads to the emergence of both means of creation and means of destruction;

B) the development of production leads to a change in the social status of the worker;

C) the development of scientific knowledge leads to a change in a person’s ideas about the world;

D) human culture undergoes changes under the influence of production.

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Unified State Exam. Society. Topic 6. Progress. Regression

Progress

Progress - from from lat. progressus - movement forward, This is a direction in the development of society, which is characterized by movement from lower to higher, from less perfect to more perfect, this is a progressive movement forward, to the better.

Social progress is a world-historical process, which is characterized by the ascent of humanity from primitiveness (savagery) to civilization, which is based on scientific, technical, political, legal, moral and ethical achievements.

Types of progress in society

Social	The development of society along the path of justice, the creation of conditions for the comprehensive development of the individual, for his decent life, the fight against the reasons that interfere with this development.
Material	The process of satisfying the material needs of humanity, which is based on the development of science, technology, and improving people's living standards.
Scientific	Deepening knowledge of the surrounding world, society and people, further development of micro- and macrocosmos.
Scientific and technical	The development of science is aimed at developing technology, improving the production process, and its automation.
Cultural (spiritual)	The development of morality, the formation of conscious altruism, the gradual transformation of a human consumer into a human creator, self-development and self-improvement of the individual.

Progress criteria

The question of the criteria of progress (that is, the signs, grounds that allow us to judge phenomena as progressive) has always evoked ambiguous answers in different historical eras. I will give some points of view regarding the criteria for progress.

Modern criteria for progress are not so clear. There are many of them, together they testify to the progressive development of society.

Criteria for social progress of modern scientists:

Development of production, the economy as a whole, increase in human freedom in relation to nature, living standards of people, growth of people's well-being, quality of life.
Level of democratization of society.
The level of freedom enshrined in law, the opportunities provided for the comprehensive development and self-realization of the individual, the reasonable use of freedom.
Moral improvement of society.
The development of enlightenment, science, education, the increase in human needs for scientific, philosophical, aesthetic knowledge of the world.
Life expectancy of people.
Increasing human happiness and goodness.

The contradictions of social progress

Positive and negative consequences of progress	Examples
Progress in some areas can lead to stagnation in others.	A striking example is the period of Stalinism in the USSR. In the 1930s, a course was set for industrialization, and the pace of industrial development increased sharply. However, the social sphere developed poorly, light industry operated on a residual basis. The result is a significant deterioration in people's quality of life.
The fruits of scientific progress can be used both for the benefit and harm of people.	The development of information systems, the Internet, is the greatest achievement of humanity, opening up vast opportunities for it. However, at the same time, computer addiction appears, a person withdraws to the virtual world, and a new disease has appeared - “computer gaming addiction.”
Making progress today can lead to negative consequences in the future.	An example is the development of virgin lands during the reign of N. Khrushchev. At first a rich harvest was indeed obtained, but after a while soil erosion appeared.
Progress in a water country does not always lead to progress in another.	Let us remember the state of the Golden Horde. At the beginning of the 13th century there was a huge empire, with a large army and advanced military equipment. However, progressive phenomena in this state became a disaster for many countries, including Rus', which was under the yoke of the horde for more than two hundred years.

To summarize, I would like to note that humanity has a characteristic desire to move forward, opening up new and new opportunities. However, we need to remember, and scientists first of all, what the consequences of such a progressive movement will be, whether it will turn into a disaster for people. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the negative consequences of progress to a minimum.

Regression

The opposite path of social development to progress is regression (from the Latin regressus, that is, movement in the opposite direction, return back) - movement from more perfect to less perfect, from higher forms of development to lower ones, movement back, changes for the worse.

Signs of regression in society

Deterioration in people's quality of life
Decline in the economy, crisis phenomena
Increase in human mortality, decrease in average standard of living
Deteriorating demographic situation, declining birth rate
An increase in the incidence of people, epidemics, a large percentage of the population having

Chronic diseases.

The decline in morality, education, and culture of society as a whole.
Resolving issues using forceful, declarative methods and methods.
Reducing the level of freedom in society, its violent suppression.
Weakening of the country as a whole and its international position.

Solving problems associated with the regressive processes of society is one of the tasks of the government and the country's leadership. In a democratic state that follows the path of civil society, which is Russia, public organizations and the opinion of the people are of great importance. Problems need to be solved, and solved together - by the authorities and the people.

Material prepared by: Melnikova Vera Aleksandrovna

Concept of social progress

When starting a new business, a person believes that it will be successfully completed. We believe in the best and hope for the best. Our grandfathers and fathers, enduring all the hardships of life, the hard times of war, working tirelessly, were convinced that we, their children, would have a happy life, easier than the one they lived. And it has always been like this.

During the 16th – 17th centuries, when Europeans expanded the expanses of the Oikumene (the Promised Land) by discovering the New World, when new branches of science began to emerge, the word “ progress».

This concept is based on the Latin word “progressus” - “moving forward”.

In the modern scientific dictionary under social progress began to understand the totality of all progressive changes in society, its development from simple to complex, the transition from a lower level to a higher one.

However, even inveterate optimists, convinced that the future must inevitably be better than the present, realized that the process of renewal does not always proceed smoothly and progressively. Sometimes, forward movement is followed by a rollback - a backward movement, when society can slide into more primitive stages of development. This process was called " regression" Regression is opposed to progress.

Also in the development of society, we can distinguish periods when there is no obvious improvement, forward dynamics, but there is no movement back. This state began to be called the word “ Withstagnation" or "stagnation". Stagnation is an extremely dangerous phenomenon. It means that “inhibition mechanisms” have turned on in society, that it is not able to perceive the new, advanced. A society in a state of stagnation rejects this new, striving at all costs to preserve old, outdated structures, and resists renewal. Even the ancient Romans emphasized: “If you don’t move forward, you move backward.”

Progress, regression and stagnation do not exist separately in human history. They are intricately intertwined, replacing each other, complementing the picture of social development. Often, when studying historical events, for example, reforms or revolutions, you have come across such concepts as “counter-reforms”, “reactionary turn”. For example, when considering the “great reforms” of Alexander II, which affected all spheres of Russian society, led to the overthrow of serfdom, the creation of classless local governments (zemstvos and city councils), an independent judiciary), we cannot help but note the reaction that followed them – “counter-reforms” of Alexander III. This usually happens when innovations are too significant and fast and the social system does not have time to successfully adapt to them. A correction of these changes, a kind of “shrinkage” and “dwindling”, is inevitable. The famous Russian publicist M.N. Katkov, a contemporary of the “great reforms,” wrote that Russia had moved too far along the path of liberal reforms, that it was time to stop, look back, and understand how these changes relate to Russian reality. And, of course, make amendments. As you know from history lessons, it was in the 1880s and early 1890s that the powers of jury courts were limited and stricter control over the activities of zemstvos was established by the state.

The reforms of Peter I, in the words of A.S. Pushkin, “raised Russia on its hind legs,” caused significant shocks for our country. And to a certain extent, as the modern Russian historian A. Yanov aptly defined, the “de-Petrovization” of the country was required after the death of Tsar Peter.

However, the reaction should not be viewed only in a negative way. Although most often, in history lessons we talk about its negative side. A reactionary period is always a curtailment of reforms and an attack on the rights of citizens. “Arakcheevshchina”, “Nikolaev reaction”, “dark seven years” - these are examples of such an approach.

But the reaction is different. It can be a response to both liberal reforms and conservative transformations.

So, we noted that social progress is a complex and ambiguous concept. In its development, society does not always follow the path of improvement. Progress can be complemented by regressive periods and stagnation. Let us consider another side of social progress, which convinces us of the contradictory nature of this phenomenon.

Progress in one area of social life, for example, in science and technology, does not necessarily have to be complemented by progress in other areas. Moreover, even what we consider progressive today can turn into a disaster tomorrow or in the foreseeable future. Let's give an example. Many great discoveries of scientists, for example, the discovery of X-rays or the phenomenon of nuclear fission of uranium, gave rise to new types of terrible weapons - weapons of mass destruction.

Further, progress in one country does not necessarily entail progressive changes in other countries and regions. History gives us many similar examples. The Central Asian commander Tamerlane contributed to the significant prosperity of his country, the cultural and economic rise of its cities, but at what expense? Due to the robbery and ruin of other lands. Colonization of Asia and Africa by Europeans contributed to the growth of wealth and living standards of the peoples of Europe, but in a number of cases preserved archaic forms of social life in the countries of the East. Let's touch on another problem that touches on the topic of social progress. When we talk about “better” or “worst,” “high” or “low,” “primitive” or “complex,” we always mean the subjective characteristics inherent in people. What is progressive for one person may not be progressive for another. It is difficult to talk about progress when we mean the phenomena of spiritual culture and creative activity of people.

Social development will be influenced by both objective factors independent of the will and desires of people (natural phenomena, disasters), and subjective factors determined by the activities of people, their interests, aspirations, and capabilities. It is the action of the subjective factor in history (man) that makes the concept of social progress so complex and contradictory.

What is progress? The idea of regression

Progress(from Latin: “moving forward”) is a direction of development characterized by a transition from lower to higher.

Regression- movement from higher to lower, processes of degradation, return to obsolete forms and structures.

Humanity as a whole has never regressed, but its forward movement could be delayed and even stopped for a while, which is called stagnation.

Characteristics of progress

1. Inconsistency

2. Specific historical character

3. Multidimensionality

4. Nonlinear nature

5. Relativity of progress

Social progress- a global, world-historical process of the ascent of human societies from primitive states (savagery) to the heights of a civilized state, based on the highest scientific, technical, political, legal, moral and ethical achievements.

Areas of progress: economic progress, social (social progress), scientific and technological progress.

Forms of social progress:

1. Reformist (evolutionary), i.e. gradual

2. Revolutionary, i.e. spasmodic

Reforms can be economic, political, social.

There are short-term revolutions (the French Revolution of 1848, the February Revolution of 1917 in Russia, etc.) and long-term ones (“Neolithic Revolution”, “Industrial Revolution”)

The inconsistency of progress

What is the inconsistency of progress?

1) If you depict the progress of humanity graphically, you will get not an ascending straight line, but a broken line, reflecting the ups and downs, ebbs and flows in the struggle of social forces, accelerated movement forward and giant leaps back.

2) Society is a complex organism in which different “bodies” function (enterprises, associations of people, government institutions, etc.), and various processes (economic, political, spiritual, etc.) occur simultaneously. These parts of one social organism, these processes, various types of activity are interconnected and at the same time may not coincide in their development. Moreover, individual processes and changes occurring in different areas of society can be multidirectional, that is, progress in one area may be accompanied by regression in another.

Throughout history, the progress of technology is clearly visible: from stone tools to iron ones, from hand tools to machines, from the use of the muscular power of humans and animals to steam engines, electric generators, nuclear power plants, from transportation by pack animals to cars, high-speed trains, airplanes, spaceships, from wooden abacus with dominoes to powerful computers.

But the progress of technology, the development of industry, chemicalization and other changes in the field of production have led to the destruction of nature, to irreparable damage to the human environment, and to the undermining of the natural foundations of the existence of society. Thus, progress in one area was accompanied by regression in another.

3) The progress of science and technology has had ambiguous consequences. Discoveries in the field of nuclear physics made it possible not only to obtain a new source of energy, but also to create powerful atomic weapons. The use of computer technology has not only unusually expanded the possibilities of creative work, but also caused new diseases associated with long-term, continuous work at the display: visual impairment, mental disorders associated with additional mental stress.

The growth of large cities, the complication of production, the acceleration of the rhythm of life - all this has increased the load on the human body, created stress and, as a consequence, pathologies of the nervous system and vascular diseases. Along with the greatest achievements of the human spirit, the world is experiencing an erosion of cultural and spiritual values, drug addiction, alcoholism, and crime are spreading.

4) Humanity has to pay a high price for progress. The conveniences of city life are paid for by the “diseases of urbanization”: traffic fatigue, polluted air, street noise and their consequences - stress, respiratory diseases, etc.; Convenience of traveling in a car - due to congestion of city highways and traffic jams.

The idea of the cycle

The circulation of historical theory– various concepts according to which society as a whole or its individual spheres move in their development in a vicious circle from barbarism to civilization and to a new barbarism.

Progress criteria

Progress criteria

1) French enlighteners (Condorcet): development of the mind.

2) Utopian socialists (Saint-Simon, Fourier, Owen): society must adopt a form of organization that would lead to the implementation of the moral principle: all people should treat each other as brothers.

3) Schelling (1775 – 1854): gradual approach to a legal structure.

4) Hegel (1770 – 1831): as the consciousness of freedom grows, society develops progressively.

6) Marxism:

The highest and universal objective criterion of social progress is the development of productive forces, including the development of man himself. The direction of the historical process is determined by the growth and improvement of the productive forces of society, including the means of labor, the degree of man's mastery of the forces of nature, and the possibility of using them as the basis of human life. The origins of all human life activities lie in social production.

According to this criterion, those social relations are recognized as progressive, which correspond to the level of productive forces and open up the greatest scope for their development, the growth of labor productivity, and human development. Man is considered as the main thing in the productive forces, therefore their development is understood from this point of view and as the development of the wealth of human nature.

Just as it is impossible to find a general, universal criterion of progress only in social consciousness (in the development of reason, morality, consciousness of freedom), so it cannot be found in the sphere of material production (technology, economic relations). History has provided examples of countries where a high level of material production was combined with the degradation of spiritual culture.

Conclusion: The disadvantage of all attempts to solve this problem was that in all cases only one line (or one side, or one sphere) of social development was considered as a criterion. Reason, morality, science, technology, legal order, and the consciousness of freedom - all these are very important indicators, but not universal, not covering human life and society as a whole.

Universal criterion of progress

The criterion of social progress is the measure of freedom that society is able to provide to the individual, the degree of individual freedom guaranteed by society. The free development of a person in a free society also means the revelation of his truly human qualities - intellectual, creative, moral.

The development of human qualities depends on people's living conditions. The more fully the various needs of a person for food, clothing, housing, transport services, and in the spiritual field are satisfied, the more moral the relations between people become, the more accessible to a person the most diverse types of economic and political, spiritual and material activities become. The more favorable the conditions for the development of a person’s physical, intellectual, mental strength, his moral qualities, the wider the scope for the development of individual properties inherent in each individual person. The more humane the living conditions, the more opportunities there are for the development of humanity in a person: reason, morality, creative powers.

Humanity, the recognition of man as the highest value, is expressed by the word “humanism”. From the above, we can draw a conclusion about a universal criterion of social progress: that which contributes to the rise of humanism is progressive.

Integrative indicators of the progressive development of modern society

Integrative indicators of the progressive development of modern society:

1. average life expectancy;

2. child and maternal mortality;

3. level of education;

4. development of various spheres of culture;

5. interest in spiritual values;

6. health status;

7. feeling of satisfaction with life;

7. degree of respect for human rights;

the progressive development and movement of society, characterizing the transition from lower to higher, from less perfect to more perfect. The concept of social progress applies not only to the system as a whole, but also to its individual elements. In philosophy, the idea of public (social) progress arose by analogy with the idea of the development of nature. In the history of mankind, the idea of progress took shape in the 17th century, which was associated with the development of science and technology, accompanied by the recognition of the legislative power of reason. However, social progress was viewed and assessed differently. Some thinkers recognized social progress, seeing its criterion in the growth of science and reason (J. Condorcet, C. Saint-Simon), the rooting of the ideals of truth and justice in society (N.K. Mikhailovsky, P.L. Lavrov); others rejected the idea of progress, considering it false (F. Nietzsche, S.L. Frank).

Excellent definition

Incomplete definition ↓

Social progress

progressive development of society from lower to higher levels. O.p. manifests itself in the growth of the material capabilities of society, the humanization of social relations, and the improvement of man. Idea of O.p. was first expressed in the 18th century by J. Condorcet and A. Turgot and became widespread in European social thought of the 19th century under the conditions of the rapid development of capitalism. A progressive character is inherent in the concepts of society of Hegel and Marx. The criteria of social progress characterize progressive processes in the main spheres of society: economic, political, social and spiritual. To the economic criteria of O.p. include the level of development of the productive forces of society and the degree of compliance of production relations with the needs of the development of productive forces. Political criteria O.p. are the degree of involvement of the masses in historical transformations, the degree of participation of the masses in political life and management of society, the degree of liberation of the masses from exploitation and social inequality, the degree of political protection of fundamental human rights. Social criterion O.P. is the quality of life of people, which is characterized by the achieved level of material security, accessibility of healthcare and education, environmental safety, social security, the degree of employment of the active population, the level of social justice and humaneness of society. Spiritual criteria of O.P. are the level of education and culture of the masses and the degree of comprehensiveness and harmonious development of the individual. It should be noted that among famous philosophers there are not only supporters, but also many critics of the idea of progress: F. Nietzsche, O. Spengler, K. Popper, etc.

47. Social progress. The contradictory nature of its content. Criteria for social progress. Humanism and culture

Progress in the general sense is development from lower to higher, from less perfect to more perfect, from simple to complex.

Social progress is the gradual cultural and social development of humanity.

The idea of the progress of human society began to take shape in philosophy from ancient times and was based on the facts of man’s mental movement forward, which was expressed in man’s constant acquisition and accumulation of new knowledge, allowing him to increasingly reduce his dependence on nature.

Thus, the idea of social progress originated in philosophy on the basis of objective observations of socio-cultural transformations of human society.

Since philosophy considers the world as a whole, then, adding ethical aspects to the objective facts of socio-cultural progress, it came to the conclusion that the development and improvement of human morality is not the same unambiguous and indisputable fact as the development of knowledge, general culture, science, medicine , social guarantees of society, etc.

However, accepting, in general, the idea of social progress, that is, the idea that humanity, after all, moves forward in its development in all the main components of its existence, and in the moral sense too, philosophy, thereby, expresses his position of historical optimism and faith in man.

However, at the same time in philosophy there is no unified theory of social progress, since different philosophical movements have different understandings of the content of progress, its causal mechanism, and in general the criteria of progress as a fact of history. The main groups of theories of social progress can be classified as follows:

1. Theories of natural progress. This group of theories claims the natural progress of humanity, which occurs naturally due to natural circumstances.

The main factor of progress here is considered to be the natural ability of the human mind to increase and accumulate the amount of knowledge about nature and society. In these teachings, the human mind is endowed with unlimited power and, accordingly, progress is considered a historically endless and non-stop phenomenon.

2. Dialectical concepts of social progress. These teachings believe that progress is an internally natural phenomenon for society, inherent in it organically. In them, progress is the form and goal of the very existence of human society, and the dialectical concepts themselves are divided into idealistic and materialistic:

- idealistic dialectical concepts social progress are closer to theories about the natural course of progress in that connect the principle of progress with the principle of thinking (the Absolute, the Supreme Mind, the Absolute Idea, etc.).

Materialistic concepts of social progress (Marxism) connect progress with the internal laws of socio-economic processes in society.

3. Evolutionary theories of social progress.

These theories arose in attempts to place the idea of progress on a strictly scientific basis. The starting principle of these theories is the idea of the evolutionary nature of progress, that is, the presence in human history of certain constant facts of complication of cultural and social reality, which should be considered strictly as scientific facts - only from the outside of their indisputably observable phenomena, without giving any positive or negative ratings.

The ideal of the evolutionary approach is a system of natural science knowledge, where scientific facts are collected, but no ethical or emotional assessments are provided for them.

As a result of this natural scientific method of analyzing social progress, evolutionary theories identify two sides of the historical development of society as scientific facts:

Graduality and

The presence of a natural cause-and-effect pattern in processes.

Thus, evolutionary approach to the idea of progress

recognizes the existence of certain laws of social development, which, however, do not define anything other than the process of spontaneous and inexorable complication of the forms of social relations, which is accompanied by the effects of intensification, differentiation, integration, expansion of the set of functions, etc.

The whole variety of philosophical teachings about progress is generated by their differences in explaining the main question - why the development of society occurs precisely in a progressive direction, and not in all other possibilities: circular motion, lack of development, cyclical “progress-regression” development, flat development without qualitative growth, regressive movement, etc.?

All these development options are equally possible for human society, along with the progressive type of development, and so far no single reasons have been put forward by philosophy to explain the presence of progressive development in human history.

In addition, the very concept of progress, if applied not to the external indicators of human society, but to the internal state of a person, becomes even more controversial, since it is impossible to assert with historical certainty that a person at more developed socio-cultural stages of society becomes happier personally . In this sense, it is impossible to talk about progress as a factor that generally improves a person’s life. This applies to past history (it cannot be argued that the ancient Hellenes were less happy than the inhabitants of Europe in modern times, or that the population of Sumer was less satisfied with the course of their personal lives than modern Americans, etc.), and with particular force inherent in the modern stage of development of human society.

Current social progress has given rise to many factors that, on the contrary, complicate a person’s life, suppress him mentally and even create a threat to his existence. Many achievements of modern civilization are beginning to fit worse and worse into the psychophysiological capabilities of man. This gives rise to such factors of modern human life as an overabundance of stressful situations, neuropsychic traumatism, fear of life, loneliness, apathy towards spirituality, oversaturation of unnecessary information, a shift in life values to primitivism, pessimism, moral indifference, a general breakdown in the physical and psychological state, unprecedented in history of the level of alcoholism, drug addiction and spiritual oppression of people.

A paradox of modern civilization has arisen:

In everyday life for thousands of years, people did not at all set as their conscious goal to ensure some kind of social progress, they simply tried to satisfy their basic needs, both physiological and social. Each goal along this path was constantly pushed back, since each new level of need satisfaction was immediately assessed as insufficient and was replaced by a new goal. Thus, progress has always been largely predetermined by the biological and social nature of man, and according to the meaning of this process, it should have brought closer the moment when the surrounding life would become optimal for man from the point of view of his biological and social nature. But instead, a moment came when the level of development of society revealed the psychophysical underdevelopment of man for life in the circumstances that he himself created for himself.

Man has ceased to meet the requirements of modern life in his psychophysical capabilities, and human progress, at its current stage, has already caused global psychophysical trauma to humanity and continues to develop along the same main directions.

In addition, current scientific and technological progress has given rise to an ecological crisis situation in the modern world, the nature of which suggests a threat to the very existence of man on the planet. If the current growth trends continue in the conditions of a finite planet in terms of its resources, the next generations of humanity will reach the limits of the demographic and economic level, beyond which the collapse of human civilization will occur.

The current situation with ecology and human neuropsychic trauma has stimulated discussion of the problem of both progress itself and the problem of its criteria. Currently, based on the results of understanding these problems, the concept of a new understanding of culture arises, which requires understanding it not as a simple sum of human achievements in all areas of life, but as a phenomenon designed to purposefully serve a person and favor all aspects of his life.

Thus, the issue of the need to humanize culture is resolved, that is, the priority of man and his life in all assessments of the cultural state of society.

In the outline of these discussions it is natural the problem of criteria for social progress arises, since, as historical practice has shown, consideration of social progress simply by the fact of improvement and complication of socio-cultural circumstances of life does not give anything to resolve the main question - is the current process of its social development positive or not in its outcome for humanity?

The following are recognized as positive criteria for social progress today:

1. Economic criterion.

The development of society from the economic side must be accompanied by an increase in human living standards, the elimination of poverty, the elimination of hunger, mass epidemics, high social guarantees for old age, illness, disability, etc.

2. Level of humanization of society.

Society must grow:

the degree of various freedoms, the general security of a person, the level of access to education, to material goods, the ability to satisfy spiritual needs, respect for his rights, opportunities for recreation, etc.,

and go down:

the influence of life circumstances on a person’s psychophysical health, the degree of a person’s subordination to the rhythm of working life.

The general indicator of these social factors is the average human lifespan.

3. Progress in moral and spiritual development of the individual.

Society must become more and more moral, moral standards must be strengthened and improved, and each person must receive more and more time and opportunities for developing their abilities, for self-education, for creative activity and spiritual work.

Thus, the main criteria of progress have now shifted from production-economic, scientific-technical, socio-political factors towards humanism, that is, towards the priority of man and his social destiny.

Hence,

The main meaning of culture and the main criterion of progress is the humanism of the processes and results of social development.

Basic terms

HUMANISM- a system of views that expresses the principle of recognizing a person’s personality as the main value of existence.

CULTURE(in a broad sense) - the level of material and spiritual development of society.

SOCIAL PROGRESS- gradual cultural and social development of humanity.

PROGRESS- ascending development from lower to higher, from less perfect to more perfect, from simple to more complex.

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