Excerpt from Sociology, Vol. 2 of 2: The Science of Human Society
247. The preceding discussion of the Nature, the Causes, and the General Characteristics of social evolution aimed to present such features as apply more or less to all social development, without taking into account the particular stages through which society passes. After the general characteristics have been considered it is advisable to take up certain dominant stages of evolution in order to obtain their most typical features. Since evolution takes place in time, it is most natural to follow the chronological order in dealing with the various stages of progress attained. Here the question of division confronts us. We might discuss savage, barbarian, semi-civilised, and civilised peoples, thus making four divisions. But, as we have seen, there is no agreement respecting the characteristics of these classes. Who can discriminate closely between the savage and the barbarian, between the semi-civilised and the civilised? Especially for prehistoric times is this division impracticable.
Perhaps we can find some general scheme which includes the above classes, reveals significant successive stages of evolution, and gives a summary view of the entire process of development. The social structure establishes the basis for such a scheme. The general structure of an era furnishes the outlines within which all the movements take place. Social development will become clearer if we find a succession of social structures through which society passes in the evolution of its forces.
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