What is the difference between evolutionary and revolutionary development? Interrelation and main differences

What is the difference between evolutionary and revolutionary development? These concepts are considered in the social and political sense as absolutely antagonistic. The word "evolution" is associated with gradual and continuous development, while the revolution is associated with dramatic changes in the life of society, sometimes accompanied by very radical means. Some call the revolution an accelerated evolution, then, in principle, it is one and the same. Mankind, on the one hand, has a tendency to believe in the rationality of gradual development, on the other hand, people are used to reckoning with the opinion about the need for periodic shocks that can quickly change the situation in society.

Changes: evolution or revolution?

Mao Tse-Tung claimed that political power grew out of the barrel of a rifle. The development of the revolutionary movement often takes place where control over the situation is lost. Manages the process, as a rule, one person surrounded by a small group of trusted like-minded people. The very process of change becomes dependent on the individual. As for the evolutionary changes, the leader must take a course toward change before the more radicalized leader does. Which method of change is correct? Despite the fact that most people intuitively prefer the evolutionary path, it is not always expedient.

The relationship between two opposing concepts

What is the difference between evolutionary and revolutionary development? The behavior of people is determined primarily by past events and experiences, and not by what lies ahead. Expanding this thesis with the problems of organizational development, we can single out a number of phases of development, each of which begins with a period of development, steady growth and stability, and ends with a revolutionary period of significant organizational upheavals and changes. The extent to which the revolutionary period was expedient and determines whether humanity will move forward in its next stage of evolutionary growth and development. Considering in detail the topic of how evolutionary and revolutionary development differ, it is generally accepted that evolution is a common path of progress at the physical, mental and spiritual levels in the universal framework of time and space. However, some changes in the history of mankind were truly revolutionary, despite the fact that they were transitional and gradual. In this connection, it can be assumed that a revolution can occur in the process of evolution, and it will simply be seen as an acceleration of the process, considered a giant leap forward.

Evolution

Culture and society evolved from simple to complex, from savagery through barbarism to civilization. This concept, like progress, has become an integral part of evolution. What is the evolutionary character of the development of society? In organic development, which includes a number of accompanying changes in a certain direction. Evolution is a sequence of interrelated phenomena aimed at transformation. This is the process of a continuous transition from the lower level to a higher and more complex one with the gradual strengthening of human control over the environment.

Revolution

The revolutionary theory of development manifests itself in a sudden, radical or complete change, a basic reorientation and reorganization. This is a fundamental change in a political organization or government, a renunciation of the constitution, or an unplanned overthrow of one ruler by another. Revolution can imply the use of both violent and non-violent actions. These are profound qualitative changes in the development of various phenomena of nature, society, or cognition. Answering the question about the difference between evolutionary and revolutionary development, it is important to note that this is a sharp interruption of gradual development, with a radical break-up of everything old. As history shows, such jumps often lead to a slowdown in the pace of development.

What is the evolutionary character of the development of society?

From the point of view of anthropologists and other scientists, culture as a whole develops in a uniform and progressive manner. Evolutionists, relying on Darwin's theory of evolution and natural selection, sought to trace the development of culture in time. It was believed that most societies go through a certain series of stages of development. What is the nature of evolutionary development? One of the schemes proposed by the philosopher Montesquieu in the 18th century consisted of three stages: hunting (savagery), shepherdism (barbarism) and civilization. The division into evolutionary stages, from primitive to civilized, is fundamental to the new ideas of the social evolutionists of the nineteenth century.

Evolution theory

Drawing on Darwin's theory and cultural, historical and archaeological data, social evolutionary theorists created competing schemes of general social and cultural progress, and they also explained the origins of various institutions. This includes religion, marriage and family. Summarizing all of the above, we can say that the evolutionary development of society is a change by gradual adjustment of the existing system, in contrast to the revolutionary measures by which a complete or partial replacement of the existing order occurs.