Theory of Human Evolution and Social Reconstruction by Shah Waliullah

Abstract

Shah Waliullah sees society as sui generis which means society is distinct from individuals but he does not take the extreme position of ignoring human agency. Societal structures definitely influence human behavior but at the same time there are human beings who change and challenge the existing structures. Shah Waliullah has advanced two important theories of social dynamics. Firstly, his theory of evolution and secondly, his theory of revolution. In his theory of social evolution, he has described four phases through which human civilization has passed, for which he has used the term of irtifaqat. First stage of this social journey refers to a simple nomadic society in which people are able to satisfy their physical needs along with some early forms of social solidarity. Second stage refers to a relatively settled and developed society in which people have been able to manage their affairs of economic life, domestic life and occupational life. Third stage refers to a city-state in which the political organization has become a central feature of society and is responsible for administering the affairs of state. Fourth stage refers to a confederacy or commonwealth of city-states in which different city-states join for peaceful co-existence. This article aims to discuss the thoughts of Shah Waliullah on social dynamics and discusses his theory of evolution. It also discusses all the phases of human civilization in detail, explains its features and characteristics and provides an in-depth analysis of Shah Waliullah’s work on social dynamics and evolution of human society. The article also discusses his theory of social reconstruction, the social pathologies and the strategies that he proposed in his writings.