Stage One
Stage Two
Stage Three
Cyclical Theory of Change
by: Altamash, Sepaseh, Summer
Real Examples
What is the
Cyclical Theory?
- Earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours
- the seasons of the year
- repeating cycles of an engine, compact disc player, tire, etc.
- the water cycle
- states that the development of societies occurs in cycles
- these cycles parallel the lives of individuals
- societies are born, mature, age, and die, just like a human does
- a society reaches a certain level of power and relevance and then it will die off
Stages of the Cycle
1
- stage of growth
- individuals are not fully united
- solidarity and unity among members of society
- no regular military force
Growth
2
- society becomes stronger in economic, political, social fields
- strong government
- well organized military
- try to extend power over neighbouring societies
Development
3
- process of decaying
- people start thinking individually
- decline in all social institutions
Decay
The Roaring 20's
The Dirty 30's
Pioneers to the Theory
Arthur Schlesinger
Ibn Khaldoon
Growth: drastic changes after WWI
Development: automobiles
Decay: Wall Street Crash of 1929
- historian
- attempted to explain the fluctuations in politics in American History using the cycle
- no time period may be defined entirely as one stage or another of the Schlesinger cycle
- most important and famous Muslim philosopher
- agreed that the changes in human society follow the cycle
- repeat every 120 years
- each stage is 40 years
photo credit Nasa / Goddard Space Flight Center / Reto Stöckli