The document discusses Auguste Comte's theory of the three stages of social evolution: the theological stage, the metaphysical stage, and the positivist stage. It explains each stage in detail, from fetishism and polytheism in the theological stage to the emphasis on scientific observation and industry in the positivist stage. The document also discusses how Comte's philosophy of positivism influenced thinkers in Latin America and Brazil in particular in the 19th century.

1. Lecturer in the Department of
Development Studies, University
of Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,
Pakistan
 The Progress of Civilization
Sheraz Ali

2. The Progress of Civilization
 There is an observable remarkable identity
in the development of civilization of
different nations produced under the
influence of natural progress of civilization
and this is applicable to all the nations
because this is resulting from the
fundamental laws of human organization
common to all.

3. Continued
 For example the customs of the early time of
Greece were identical with the savage nations
of North America. Similarly the feudalism of
the Malays was in close resemblance with that
of Europe in the eleventh century.
 It means there is a natural law regulating the
progress of civilization and each phase of social
order is derived from that of the corresponding

4. Continued
 The discoveries of one age prepare those of
the following as the former themselves
prepared by those of the preceding.
 An individual is distinguished by the success
of his predecessors in the same career.

5. Auguste Comte (1798-1857)

6. Auguste Comte
 Background: Auguste Comte was a French
Phislosopher, who was born in 1798. His
doctrine of positivism in Sociology is quite
popular and he is sometimes regarded as the
first philosopher of science. Comte’s
doctrine of positivism was one of the major
influeincing thoughts of the 19th
century as
that of Karl Marx, John Stewart and George
Eliot.

7. French Revolution (1789-1799)

8. Henri de Saint Simon (1760-1825)

9. The Law of Three Stages
 The Theological Stage: In this state of society,
all theoretical conceptions bear a supernatural
impress, observations are predominated by
imaginations.
 Military conquest was the true aim of this state.
 Industrial pursuits quite rarely followed for the
support of human
 Slavery as the principal institution

10. Fetishism
 It was the primary stage of the
theological stage, throughout this stage
people worship inanimate objects such as
trees, stones and wood etc.

11. Continued:

12. Polytheism
 This is the second stage of theology,
where people believe in many deities
usually assembled into a pantheon of
gods and goddesses along with other
rituals. All the deities are worshiped
differently not equally, such as the god of
water, rain, fire, earth etc.

13. Monotheism
 Monotheism means the belief in one just and
true God. This is the last stage of theology,
where a society evolves from fetishism to
monotheism.

14. Metaphysical Stage
 This is the second stage of Comte’s social
evolution. In this stage the society is
neither completely military nor industrial
rather this is a transition stage.
 Observations are still kept sub-ordinate to
imaginations but modification of the later
is started in this stage.

15. Continued
 Industry makes new advances and
military conquests and production go side
by side.
 Europe in the post-medieval time focused
both on industry and military expansion,
particularly UK and France

16. Positivism
 This is the last stage of social evolution. In
this stage theoretic conceptions become
positive.
 Here the society organizes itself by making
production its true aim.
 A scientific stage where explanation based
on observations, experiments and
comparisons.

17. Continued
 Comte’s philosophy of positivism was very
much popular in the nineteenth century and
attracted greater attention in Europe and
Latin America. In Latin America positive
churches were built and technical education
was introduced in Schools operative under
churches which had great impact on their
scientific achievements.

18. Continued
 Brazilian thinkers also got influenced by
Comte’s ideas and they turned to have a
trained scientific elite in order to flourish in
the industrialization process. Brazil national
motto ‘Ordem e Progresso’ (Order and
Progress) was taken from the idea of
positivism.

19. Continued
 By the end of the nineteenth century these
elites wanted to import and copy everything
associated with France. At this time
positivism was extended from churches and
schools to military academies. They were
attracted by the idea of using military and
government officials to plan economic
development for progress and
industrialization.

20. Continued
 1) He for the first time presented a global
perspective on French Revolution
 2) He made the struggle of ordinary people
for freedom and enlightenment the focus of
his historical description
 3) He used history to explain and legitimize
the French Revolution