Social change refers to an alteration in the social order of a society. Social change may include changes in nature, social institutions, social behaviors, or social relations. The base of social change is change in the thought process in humans.
Social change may also refer to the notion of social progress or socio-cultural evolution, the philosophical idea that society moves forward by dialectical or evolutionary means. It may refer to a paradigmatic change in the socio-economic structure, for instance a shift away from feudalism and towards capitalism. Accordingly it may also refer to social revolution, such as the Socialist revolution presented in Marxism, or to other social movements, such as Women's suffrage or the Civil rights movement. Social change may be driven by cultural, religious, economic, scientific or technological forces.
Sources of Social Change
• Change of Ideology – A general change in the social views and opinions of the community with the advent of new discoveries and philosophies.
Example:
The change of religion in England during the time of Henry VIII from Roman Catholicism to Anglicanism.
Change of political and economic views of communists countries with the development of Marxism.
• Demographic Change – Changes brought by the increase or decrease in population and/or population density.
Example:
The change in the community particularly in the National Capital Region due to very dense concentration of population.
• Environmental Change – Changes in the weather and natural resources with occurrences of natural phenomena and including changes in topography and climate in cases of mass migration that can cause changes in culture.
Example:
The change in planting and harvest traditions brought by drought.
• Political Change – Changes in the political structure, leadership or constitution.
Example:
The changes in Filipino society in during the martial law and Parliamentary Government of Ferdinand