Jacques Novikow’s Organicism: Social Evolution as an Adaptation Proccess and Criticism of Socialism

Jacques Novikow’s Organicism: Social Evolution as an Adaptation Proccess and Criticism of Socialism


Zotov A.A.

Research Fellow, Institute of Sociology of FCTAS RAS, Moscow, Russia andrzotow@yandex.ru

ID of the Article:


For citation:

Zotov A.A. Jacques Novikow’s Organicism: Social Evolution as an Adaptation Proccess and Criticism of Socialism. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2021. No 6. P. 105-114




Abstract

The article is devoted to consideration of the views of the sociologist of the early 20th century Jacques Novikow on the evolution of human population and modification in the natural world around them. The study of the adaptation of the natural environment by people in the course of their working life became for Novikow the key to understanding many social problems of his time. One of the theses of his bio-organic theory is that people change the world around them and raise the level of social and individual well-being primarily out of love for themselves, and not out of altruistic considerations or on the basis of the values of collectivism. Novikow stood on the positions of the autonomy of the individual, proceeding from the possibility of a comprehensive and complete emancipation of a person. This was also reflected in his criticism of the socialist doctrines, which he opposed to the idea of non-violent building of a harmonious society.


Keywords
Jacques Novikow; organic approach in sociology; anthropogenesis; labour; capital; criticism of socialism

References

De Roberty Е. (1912) Jacques A. Novikow. Vestnik Evropy [European Herald]. No. 6: 390–392. (In Russ.)

Dolgova E.A. (2011) The Educational Concept of the Russian Higher School of Social Sciences in Paris. Voprosy obrazovaniya [Educational Studies Moscow]. No. 2: 268–281. (In Russ.) DOI: 10.17323/18149545-2011-2-268-281.

Kostenko O.V. (2014) The Nature and Evolution of Struggle in the Writings of Jacques Novicow. Vestnik Sankt-Peterburgskogo universiteta. Ser. 12. Sotsiologiya [Vestnik of Saint-Petersburg University. Sociology. Ser. 12. Sociology]. No. 2: 127–133. (In Russ.)

Kukushkina E.I. (2013) The History of Sociology: Textbook. Moscow: INFRA-M. (In Russ.)

Marx K. (1960) Capital: A Critique of Political Economy. Vol. 1. In: Marx K., Engels F. Collected Works. 2nd ed. Vol. 23. Moscow: Gospolitizdat. (In Russ.)

Molinari G. (1907) Theory of Evolution: Progress Required for the Founding of States. Journal des Economistes: Revue mensuelle de la science économique et de la statistique [Journal for Economists: Monthly Review of Economic Science and Statistics]. Series 6. Vol. 14: 22–35. (In Fr.)

Novicow J. (1893) The Struggle between Human Societies and its Successive Phases. Paris: F. Alcan. (In Fr.)

Novicow J. (1894) War and its Alleged Benefits. Paris: Collin. (In Fr.)

Novicow J. (1901) The European Federation. Paris: Félix Alcan éditeur. (In Fr.)

Novicow J. (1905) Justice and Life Expansion: Essay on the Happiness of Human Societies. Paris: Félix Alcan éditeur. (In Fr.)

Novicow J. (1908) The Problem of Poverty and Natural Economic Phenomena. Paris: Félix Alcan éditeur. (In Fr.)

Novicow J. (1910) Criticism of Social Darwinism. Paris: Félix Alcan éditeur. (In Fr.)

Novicow J. (1912) Morality and Interest in Individual and International Relations. Paris: Librairie Félix Alcan. (In Fr.)

Novicow J.A. Protectionism. 4th ed. Moscow; Chelyabinsk: Socium. (In Russ.)

Savchenko M.M. (2020) The Convinced and Generous-hearted Idealist. In: Novikow J.A. Protectionism. 4th ed. Moscow; Chelyabinsk: Socium: 7–44. (In Russ.)

Content No 6, 2021