The Mind and Society (1916) is the English title of the seminal Italian sociological work Trattato di Sociologia Generale by sociologist and economist Vilfredo Pareto (1848-1923).
In this book Pareto presents the first sociological cycle theory, centered around the concept of an elite social class.
Pareto divided the elite class into two groups: the conservative defenders of the status quo (violent 'lions'), and the radical promoters of change (cunning 'foxes'). In his view of society, the power constantly passes from 'foxes' to 'lions' and vice versa.
The Mind and Society has been named one of the most influential books ever written by Martin Seymour-Smith. The English edition was published in 1935.
Famous quotes containing the words mind and/or society:
“... the sad increase
Across the mind of this prolific plant,
Dumb idleness?”
—Philip Larkin (1922–1986)
“The hippie is the scion of surplus value. The dropout can only claim sanctity in a society which offers something to be dropped out of—career, ambition, conspicuous consumption. The effects of hippie sanctimony can only be felt in the context of others who plunder his lifestyle for what they find good or profitable, a process known as rip-off by the hippie, who will not see how savagely he has pillaged intricate and demanding civilizations for his own parodic lifestyle.”
—Germaine Greer (b. 1939)