Pitirim Sorokin
Russian American sociologist and social cycle theorist.
Pitirim Alexandrovich Sorokin was a Russian American sociologist and political activist known for his contributions to social cycle theory. Born in the Russian Empire, he was a professor at Saint Petersburg Imperial University, three times imprisoned by the Czarist regime for revolutionary activity, and later sentenced to death by the Bolsheviks before being exiled. He emigrated to the United States, becoming a professor at the University of Minnesota and later founding the department of sociology at Harvard University.
- born
- 4 February 1889 (O.S. 23 January 1889), Turya, Vologda Governorate, Russian Empire
- died
- 10 February 1968
- field
- Sociology
- nationality
- Russian American
- known_for
- Social cycle theory, Social and Cultural Dynamics, critique of Sensate culture
Lore & Background
Sorokin was born in a small village in the Vologda Governorate to a Russian father and Komi mother. After his mother's death, he traveled with his father, a goldsmith, and his elder brother. His father's alcoholism led to physical abuse, and at age eleven, Sorokin and his brother left to live independently. He was arrested at age 17 and twice more for anti-Czarist activities. He attended Saint Petersburg Imperial University, earning a master's degree in criminal law and a doctorate in sociology, and becoming a professor. During the Russian Revolution, he was a member of the Socialist Revolutionary Party, a deputy of the Russian Constituent Assembly, a supporter of the White movement, and secretary to Alexander Kerensky (who became Prime Minister later in 1917). After the October Revolution, he was arrested by the new regime and condemned to death, but his sentence was commuted to permanent exile primarily through the intervention of Lenin and other Bolshevik officials, leading him to flee to Czechoslovakia.
Reader's Guide
Sorokin's significance lies in his development of social cycle theory and his extensive critique of modern society's Sensate culture, which he argued was overly materialistic and in danger of collapse. His major work, Social and Cultural Dynamics (4 volumes, 1937–41), set the tone for his later writings. He also wrote Leaves of a Russian Diary (1924), a daily account of the Russian Revolution, and later an addendum, The Thirty Years After (1950). His work covered rural sociology, war, revolution, social mobility, and altruistic behavior. He was a vocal critic of his colleague Talcott Parsons at Harvard. His theories were often challenged, and he was viewed by some as an outcast. He was one of the signatories of the agreement to convene a convention for drafting a world constitution.
Did You Know?
- Sorokin was three times imprisoned by the Czarist regime for revolutionary activity.
- His death sentence by the Bolsheviks was commuted to permanent exile primarily through the intervention of Lenin and other Bolshevik officials.
- He was personally requested to accept a position at Harvard University, where he founded the Department of Sociology.
- Sorokin was deeply inspired by Leo Tolstoy, writing an article in 1912 reconstructing Tolstoy's religious and moral teaching.
More in Sociologists And Cultural Theorists 1-20
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record