Gerhard Lenski

Lenski's theory begins from the insights of T. Robert Malthus. From Malthus Lenski borrows the observation that human societies are part of the world of nature. Human societies are subject to natural law. Sociocultural systems can only be fully understood as being responsive to the interactions of populations to their environments. Like Malthus's theory, at the base of Lenski's perspective lies the relationship between population and production. Like many life forms humans have a reproductive capacity that substantially exceeds the necessary subsistence resources in the environment. Thus, Lenski concludes, human populations tend to grow until they come up against the limits of food production, and then they are checked. The checks, of course, consist of both the positive and preventive checks that Malthus first explored in 1798. The capacity for population growth, Lenski asserts, has been a “profoundly destabilizing force throughout human history and may well be the ultimate source of most social and cultural change.” Lenski posits that the relationships among population, production, and environment drive the evolution of sociocultural systems. Lenski's ecological-evolutionary theory successfully integrates and synthesizes a variety of theoretical perspectives. His macro social theory is arguably the most comprehensive perspective in sociology today.

Readings:

Chapter 4: Lenski's Ecological-Evolutionary Theory in Macrosociology: Four Modern Theorists

Gerhard Lenski's Ecological-Evolutionary Theory

Recommended Readings:

Review of Ecological-Evolutionary Theory

Glossary:
Look these words up in your chapter reading or in the Glossary of Social Science; study them and be ready for fill-in-the-blanks on the next exam:

ecosystem	Adaptation	Agrarian societies	class systems
deduction	induction	race	division of labor
paradigm	cumulative change	power	constitutional government
innovation	extinction	fundamental innovations	cultural diffusion
cultural lag	cultural transmission	demography	evolution
Hunting & Gathering societies	legitimacy	self consciousness	sex stratification
social evolution	stratification	technology

Essays:

On your next exam you will be asked to demonstrate that you have read and mastered the course material. You should take the time now to answer the following essay questions to create your study guide for that exam. Address the questions fully and completely in your own words and voice. Prepare your answers now.

What are the two "laws" of distribution? How do they operate?
What is Lenski's hypothesis on technology, surplus, and inequality? What did his research on this reveal?

Short Answers:

The following short answer questions are from your readings and may well appear on your next exam. Each can be answered with a short paragraph of three or four sentences; please use your own words and voice. You are encouraged to answer these questions now to create your study guide for that exam.

What are the differences and similarities between social and biological evolution?

What is a "class system"?

How is the rule of elites legitimated?

What eight factors influence the rate of change experienced by a society?

How has Lenski been influenced by Malthus/
What is Lenski's take on the relationship between group and self-interest?
What does Lenski mean by "antagonistic cooperation"?
According to Lenski, what are the primary and secondary needs of human beings?
How does Lenski explain the variation in the nature and intensity of human needs within the same society?
"Society is a system, but an imperfect system at best." Explain the significance of this statement.
What factor is the primary determinant of the distribution of goods and services within a society?
Why is force an inefficient way to maintain order within a society?
Why are societies so stable and resistant to change over time?
Who are the prime actors in sociocultural change? What is their calculus?
Why is there a tendency for sociocultural systems to become more complex over time?
What are Lenski's three major factors determining the characteristics of sociocultural systems?
How does Lenski classify different societies throughout human history?
According to Lenski, what factors have contributed to a lessening of inequality in modern industrial societies?
What societies are favored in the global world system?

Bibliography:

Lenski, G. (2003, October 13). About Lenski. (F. Elwell, Interviewer)

Lenski, G. (2005). Ecological-Evolutionary Theory: Principles and Applications. Colorado: Paradigm.

Lenski, G. (1966). Power and Privilege: A Theory of Social Stratification. New York: Random House.

Lenski, G., & Lenski, J. (1987). Human Societies: An Introduction to Macrosociology (5th edition). New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company.

Lenski, G., Lenski, J., & Nolan, P. (1991). Human Societies: An Introduction to Macrosociology (7th edition). New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company.

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