THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL THEORY.

This article focuses on the book " Development of Social Theory," by James P. Lichtenberger. The plan of the book is admirable, each chapter containing a biographical sketch, a description of the author's social, economic, and political background, and a detailed discussion of his theories. The biographical sketches emphasize the effect of a man's formative influences upon his social philosophy, and the background studies amply demonstrate that social theory reflects the character of the social environment. The most striking feature of the discussions of theory is the wealth of quotation, both direct and indirect. In the treatment of the principal authors these quotations are so comprehensive that for general use they provide a fairly adequate source book and enable the reader to gain almost the equivalent of a first-hand knowledge of the material under consideration. Rarely does Lichtenberger indicate adequate acquaintance with the classic monographs of commentators on the various periods of social theory or the theorists studied.