The sociological contributions of Youzhakov /Transl. by K.K.Oganyan

• Main Author: Ju. Hecker
• Format: Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Russian Academy of Sciences, Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology 2014-06-01
• Series: Социологический журнал
• Online Access: http://jour.fnisc.ru/upload/journals/1/articles/500/submission/proof/500-61-910-1-10-20150204.pdf

The article examines the sociological contribution of S.N. Yuzhakov in the sociology of his country presented in: Hecker J.F. Russian sociology. A contribution to the history of sociological thought and theory. New York, 1915 (p. 156–172). Yuzhakov’s sociological system is analyzed through the following: the definition of sociology and its main issues; organico-physical, ethical, and economic aspects of sociology. Special attention is paid by J. Hecker to the analysis of sources of Yuzhakov’s philosophical and sociological views. Socio-political factor had a particular influence on his outlook, as he was a populist leader and contributed to the development of the subjective school holding the same views as P.L. Lavrov and N.K. Mikhailovskiy in quest of Russian people to implement social reforms.S.N. Yuzhakov defined sociology as a science of laws that controls the life of the group, as well as its origin, development and degradation. Sociology summarizes the results of other social sciences, such as political economy, ethics, law, linguistics. Based on this understanding of sociology, S.N. Yuzhakov shows that the relationship between the individual and the group forms morale and create an ethical problem. Moral progress is to adapt the activity of the individual to the social context, and this adaptation is reflected in the creation of the perfect ideal of sociability and in perfect proportion of the ideals of the epoch and people's feelings. Consequently, the development of morality becomes the process of adaptation of life to social existence. In this process, a crucial role is played by the activity of a person, manifestation of his personality in the struggle for culture.Summarizing Yuzhakov’s basic sociological views, J. Hecker concludes that, generally, Russian sociologist continues to develop the basic ideas of P.L. Lavrov, N.K. Michaelovskiy, et al. Having not created a properly designed system of sociology, S.N. Yuzhakov emphasized several very important truths that are common today.