Varieties of Classic Social Theory Author:Editied by Hendrik M. Ruitenbeek The Seventeen essays in thie invaluable anthology present an imprtant sampling of classic social theory of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and eary twentierth centuries. The volume has a twofold purpose:1) to show the growth of sociology from social philosophy through social criticism to the scientific discipline which sociology has become today; an... more »d 2) to illustrate the background of some current problems of much concern to modern soclilogists, such as the characteristics and causes of social disorganization. It is particularly interesting to note how these essays reflect the impct of the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, and the Industrial Reveolution, just as the work of modern sociologists reflects the impact of Freudian psycoloanalysis, the Russian Revolutionm, and the economic and social transformations caused by devbeloping technology.« less