The Mind and Society

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:

    We do not mind our not arriving anywhere nearly so much as our not having any company on the way.
    Frank Moore Colby (1865–1925)

    The basic thing nobody asks is why do people take drugs of any sort?... Why do we have these accessories to normal living to live? I mean, is there something wrong with society that’s making us so pressurized, that we cannot live without guarding ourselves against it?
    John Lennon (1940–1980)