Thoughts on the mechanism of societies

Casaux

• Publisher: Science & Technology Publishing
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN: 9782528123089
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Social History
• Index: Social Sciences

Thoughts on the Mechanism of Societies is a thought-provoking treatise by Auguste Comte, the renowned French philosopher and founder of positivism. In this seminal work, Comte delves into the intricate structures and underlying principles that govern human societies, offering a systematic analysis of social organization, progress, and cohesion. Drawing from his extensive knowledge of history, philosophy, and the emerging social sciences of his time, Comte explores the evolution of societies from primitive to advanced stages, emphasizing the importance of scientific reasoning and empirical observation in understanding social phenomena. The book presents Comte's vision of society as a complex, dynamic system governed by natural laws, much like the physical world. He discusses the roles of individuals, institutions, and collective beliefs in shaping social order, and argues for the necessity of a scientific approach to social reform. Comte's insights into the division of labor, the interplay between authority and liberty, and the moral foundations of social life remain influential, offering readers a framework for analyzing contemporary social issues. Throughout Thoughts on the Mechanism of Societies, Comte advocates for the application of positivist philosophy to the study of society, proposing that only through rational, methodical inquiry can humanity achieve lasting progress and harmony. His reflections on the challenges of social change, the dangers of anarchy and despotism, and the potential for moral and intellectual unity continue to resonate with scholars and general readers alike. This work stands as a foundational text in the development of sociology, providing a comprehensive and visionary account of the forces that shape human civilization.

Table of contents

• THOUGHTS ON THE MECHANISM OF SOCIETIES.
• PREFACE BY THE EDITOR.
• ERRATA.
• CONTENTS.
• THOUGHTS ON THE MECHANISM of SOCIETIES.
• A general View of the present State of Great Britain.
• A more particular View of the same Subject.
• Clear Savings of the Manufactories, Trade, and other Branches of Industry.
• Thoughts on Imposts and Reimbursements.—The Accumulation of public Treasure considered as the Means of preventing Taxation.
• On the grievous, but necessary part of the Impost.
• Of that part of the Impost, which is more useful than grievous.
• Objections of another kind against paying off the National Debt.
• In what manner the Interest of the National Debt will be probably paid off.
• Reflections on the two foregoing Articles.
• A Thought substituted to that of a Reimbursement.
• General Balance of Trade in England.
• Reflexions on some private Balances of England, both of the favourable and disadvantageous Kind.
• State of the Balance between England and Holland.
• Balance of France with England.
• Further Reasons why all Ideas of a favourable Balance in Money, different from that which I have supposed, should be rejected.
• Equilibrium necessary in all things.—On the surest means of establishing it.
• Various Causes of the Alteration in the Prices.
• On the Influence of the National Prices on the Sales in Foreign Markets.
• A necessary Principle of Trade, considered both as direct, and in Competition.
• Reflexions on a Letter from Philadelphia, inserted in the English News-papers.
• Under what Point of View Premiums and other Encouragements of Exportation may be considered.
• On the Influence of the various Kinds of Taxation upon National Prices.
• On the Object of all Ministers of Finance in laying Taxes.
• Effects of a general Poll-Tax.
• Effects of a Land-Tax.
• Reflexions on the foregoing System.
• Effects of an Impost exclusively laid on the Articles of Consumption peculiar to the rich, or in other words, on Luxury.
• Effects of a merciless Tax upon all the Articles of the most general Consumption.
• Effects of Compound Taxation.
• Some Doubts on the supposed Impossibility of laying all Taxes on Consumption.
• Recapitulation of the foregoing Thoughts on Taxes and their Effects.
• Further Considerations on the Necessity of a Correspondence between the Prices of Agriculture and those of Industry.
• On a Cause little suspected of high Prices.
• The happy Issue of a desperate Combat between Monopoly and some private Interests.
• Reflexions on a very strange Revolution in France.
• The pretended Balance of France in point of Trade.
• Exportations and Importations considered as a Game. Such a Game is as rational as any other, to whosoever will not content himself with playing at Cards, or with his own Thoughts.
• The nominal Value of the generality of Exports, considered in different Periods, and with respect to its Effect on foreign Correspondence.
• On Luxury.
• Thoughts on the Colonies.
• FINIS.
• PRÉFACE DE L’ÉDITEUR.
• FOOTNOTES