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William Graham Sumner
108quotes
Full Name and Common Aliases
William Graham Sumner was a prominent American sociologist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on October 30, 1840, in Paterson, New Jersey. He passed away on April 12, 1910, in New Haven, Connecticut.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Sumner was an American of British descent and a sociologist by profession. His work spanned multiple disciplines, including sociology, economics, and anthropology.
Early Life and Background
William Graham Sumner grew up in a family that valued education and intellectual pursuits. He attended Yale University, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in 1863. After the American Civil War, Sumner traveled to Europe, where he studied at Oxford University and later became a tutor at Harvard University.
Major Accomplishments
Sumner made significant contributions to sociology through his research on social inequality, conflict theory, and cultural diffusion. He is often credited with developing the concept of "social Darwinism," an idea that posits that societies are subject to the same laws as biological organisms. This theory has been both praised for its originality and criticized for its perceived connections to social hierarchy.
Notable Works or Actions
Sumner's most notable work, _What Social Classes Owe to Each Other_, published in 1883, laid out his theories on social Darwinism and social inequality. He also co-authored the influential book _The Science of Ethics_ with Paul Hanriot-Nicolas in 1912.
Impact and Legacy
Sumner's ideas about social hierarchy and competition between individuals and groups have had a lasting impact on sociology and economics. Critics argue that his theories contributed to the rise of Social Darwinism, which was used to justify the subjugation of minority groups during the early 20th century. On the other hand, some scholars see Sumner as a precursor to later sociologists who focused on the role of conflict in shaping social structures.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Sumner's ideas and theories continue to influence contemporary thought on social hierarchy and the relationships between individuals and groups within society. His emphasis on competition, inequality, and the importance of individual agency in shaping social outcomes has made him a widely quoted figure among scholars across various disciplines.
As an influential thinker, Sumner has left behind a legacy that continues to be studied and debated by sociologists and economists alike.
Quotes by William Graham Sumner
William Graham Sumner's insights on:
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The men who start out with the notion that the world owes them a living generally find that the world pays its debt in the penitentiary or the poor house.
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Before the tribunal of nature, a man has no more right to life than a rattlesnake; he has no more right to liberty than any wild beast; his right to the pursuit of happiness is nothing but a license to maintain the struggle for existence, if he can find within himself the powers with which to do it.
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I have lived through the best years of this country’s history. The next generations are going to see war and social calamities. I am glad I don’t have to live on into them.
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The taxing power is especially something after which the reformer’s finger always itches.
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The State cannot get a cent for any man without taking it from some other man, and this latter must be a man who has produced and saved it. This latter is the Forgotten Man.
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The men who start out with the notion that the world owes them a living generally find that the world pays its ‘debt’ in the penitentiary or the poor house.
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Here we are, then, once more back at the old doctrine – Laissez faire. Let us translate it into blunt English, and it will read, Mind your own business. It is nothing but the doctrine of liberty. Let every man be happy in his own way.
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If you want a war, nourish a doctrine. Doctrines are the most frightful tyrants to which men are ever subject, because doctrines get inside a man’s reason and betray him against himself. Civilized men have done their fiercest fighting for doctrines.
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The Forgotten Man is delving away in patient industry, supporting his family, paying his taxes, casting his vote, supporting the church and the school, reading his newspaper, and cheering for the politician of his admiration, but he is the only one for whom there is no provision in the great scramble and the big divide.
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