Vilfredo Pareto’s Sociology: A Framework for Political Psychology (Rethinking Classical Sociology)

Vilfredo Pareto is a key figure in the history of economics and sociology. His sociological works, which attempted to merge these two disciplines, hinge upon a psychologistic analysis of society, economy and politics. Much has already been written on Pareto but this is the first book to rethink his contribution to classical sociology by focusing upon its psychological underpinning.The author locates the origins of Pareto's psychologistic approach to sociology, both within the history of Italian thought, and within Pareto's own experiences of business and politics. He then evaluates Pareto's sociology through the lens of contemporary social science, to reach the conclusion that its explanatory power may well be growing rather than diminishing, as levels of social and epistemological complexity rise. The author also looks at Pareto's assumptions concerning human personality through the lens of contemporary psychology, showing that Pareto's sociology is likely to be of particular value to those interested in political psychology. The book concludes with a psychometric study of Westminster MPs which clarifies and attests to Pareto's contemporary relevance, leaving readers with the thought that practitioners of politics may also gain much by reading Pareto. Contents......Page 6 List of Tables......Page 8 Series Editor’s Preface......Page 10 Author’s Preface......Page 20 1 Introduction......Page 22 2.1 Pareto and Marx......Page 30 2.3 A Brief Biography......Page 31 2.4 Pareto’s Italy: Clientelismo and Trasformismo......Page 34 2.5 Pareto and Machiavelli: Similar Theories of Human Nature......Page 42 2.6 Pareto’s Historical Cycle and the Circulation of Elites......Page 46 2.7 Pareto and Parsons: Similar Theories of Social System?......Page 52 2.8 Pareto’s Residues......Page 58 2.9 Conclusion: Pareto’s Political Sociology......Page 62 3.1 Introduction......Page 64 3.2 Social Personality......Page 66 3.3 Cognitive Indeterminacy......Page 72 3.4 Conservative and Liberal Heuristics under Conditions of Cognitive Indeterminacy......Page 80 3.5 The Evolution of Knowledge through Trial and Error Experimentation......Page 84 3.6 Social Complexity......Page 88 3.7 Conclusion......Page 98 4.1 Introduction......Page 100 4.2 Cultural Conservatism and Liberal Scepticism......Page 104 4.3 Individualism and Collectivism......Page 110 4.4 Creativity......Page 120 4.5 Risk......Page 129 4.6.1 Force......Page 137 4.6.2 Fraud......Page 144 4.6.3 The Dark Triad and Superego Strength......Page 155 4.6.4 The Rise of the Dark Triad?......Page 157 4.7 Ideological Conviction-Relativism......Page 163 5.1 Introduction......Page 172 5.2 The Student Study......Page 173 5.3 The MP Study: Variable Selection......Page 179 5.4 Scale Analysis......Page 187 5.6 Comparing the Three Parliamentary Parties......Page 188 5.7 Seniority within Parliament......Page 199 5.8.1 Introduction......Page 204 5.8.3 Individualism-Collectivism......Page 205 5.8.5 Do these Clusters form Broader Personality Configurations?......Page 206 5.8.6 Demographic Analysis......Page 210 5.9 Final Conclusion......Page 212 Bibliography......Page 216 C......Page 232 K......Page 233 P......Page 234 T......Page 235 Z......Page 236 Vilfredo Pareto is a key figure in the history of economics and sociology. His sociological works attempted to merge these two disciplines through a psychologistic analysis of society, economy and politics. This is the first book to rethink Pareto's contribution to classical sociology by focusing upon its psychological underpinning. The author locates the origins of Pareto's psychologistic approach both within the history of Italian thought and within Pareto's own experiences of business and politics. He evaluates Pareto's sociology through the lens of contemporary social science, examining whether its explanatory power is growing rather than diminishing as levels of social and epistemological complexity rise. The volume also explores Pareto's assumptions about personality through the lens of contemporary psychology. It concludes with a psychometric study of Westminster MPs which clarifies and attests to Pareto's contemporary relevance, and indicates that even practitioners of politics may gain much from reading Pareto. Pareto's Psychologistic Sociology -- Social Personality -- Pareto's Psychology -- Testing Pareto's Theory. Alasdair J. Marshall. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [195]-209) And Index.