Ibn Khaldun
(The Real Father Of Sociology)
Ibn Khaldun, a Sufi who died in 1406 AD, was a renaissance man, the real father of sociology. He defined the foundations of sociology more than 4 centuries before Auguste Comte "discovered" them. Ibn Khaldun lived in an era when the Muslim Nation in North Africa And the Iberian peninsula disintegrated into a multitude of city states fighting against each other. At the same time the Spaniards were uniting their kingdoms and steadily taking over the Muslim city states in Iberia.
He was directly involved in the political intrigue and served several Muslim rulers in different capacities ranging from diplomatic envoy to minister. His first hand observations led him to believe that societies are not controlled by resources or policies.
He concluded that societies are living organisms that experience cyclic birth, growth, maturity, decline, and ultimately death due to universal causes. Each phase of the cycle lasts for several generations. He also described the process through which peaceful or violent migrants blend with the native population to form a homogeneous society subject to the universal cycles.
He correctly associated the the maturity stage of any social system with affluence, luxury and reluctance to perform menial tasks or defend the society against external threats. This leads to the employment of foreigners and mercenaries which initiates the conflicts that lead to the decline phase.
He identified the impact of climate and available resources on migrations and social changes. He also identified the impact of governmental policy and taxation on social change.
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Revised on 10/3/99
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