Warren’s Theory of the Great Change•society has become large and interconnected

•shift of control from the local community to the large urban core

The Great Change leads to:•depersonalization•bureaucratization•rationalization•Intensification of capitalism

ASPECTS OF THE GREAT CHANGE

Roland Warren has capsulated "The Great Change" into seven aspects. Each of these is briefly described.

The Increasing Division of Labor

More groups of people earn their living doing different things.Functions one person performed in the past are now broken down into specialized, fragmented jobs.Production is increased exponentially rather than decreased.Specialization of work underlies community make-up and activities.

Greater Diversity of Interests and Associations

The division of labor (mentioned previously) splinters people into divergent interests and interest groups. People associate with work colleagues regardless of where they live.

Even in very small communities, people have diverse sets of interests and little emotional investments in their local communities

Increasing Vertical TiesLocal units in the community tend to become increasingly tied to organizations and systems outside the local community. Ties to the outside are increasingly strong and widespread in:

Governmental units, Branch banks, Business with headquarters elsewhereVoluntary associations affiliated with state and national groups and organizationsFood-store chainsNational unionsNational mass media affiliations for T.V., radio, and newspapersThink of your personal work situation and life. Howstrong are your ties to outside entities?

The Trend Toward Impersonal Bureaucracies

Standardization of routines.

Depersonalization of procedures.

Pressuring individuals to act like parts of a

machine.

Less contact with people we know.

Requirements that everyone be treated the same.

Gradual Transfer of FunctionsAccording to Roland Warren, there is a gradualtransfer of functions out of the home, neighborhood groups, and voluntary associations to profit enterprises and government. These vital functions have been affected:

Social control

Care of the sick

Preparation of food

Maintenance and repair of homes

Care of the aged and the very young

Gradual Transfer of FunctionsAccording to Roland Warren, there is a gradualtransfer of functions out of the home, neighborhood groups, and voluntary associations to profit enterprises and government. These vital functions have been affected:

The overall results have been:

Family members are not so dependent on each other.

Local neighborhood and community members are less dependent on each other.

Both the traditional family and the traditional community have been weakened.

The Trend to Urbanization and Suburbanization

Suburbanization continues to transform rural areas into urban areas.

Previously independent communities become a part of the urban complex.

The city grows beyond its official boundaries.

Shopping centers move out and people lose allegiance to the inner city.

All communities—villages, small cities, and larger cities—take on aspects of the big city.

The open country also takes on urban aspects.

Changing Values

As a result of the changes noted above, has come a shifting of the values held by people. Clearly, different values are prevalent in society and communities today than was the case twenty or even ten years ago

They are not changes that anyone at any level deliberately seeks to bring about. They are aggregate trends and are not subject to changes of reversal by individuals or communities.