Background
Sorokin, Pitirim was born on January 21, 1899 in Vologda Gouvernement. Son of a goldsmith.
Sorokin, Pitirim was born on January 21, 1899 in Vologda Gouvernement. Son of a goldsmith.
Studied at the Teachers’ Seminary at Khrenovo, Kostroma province, 1903. Studied law at Petersburg University under Petrazhitskii. Studied at the Teachers’ Seminary at Khrenovo, Kostroma province, 1903. Studied law at Petersburg University under Petrazhitskii. Graduated from Petersburg University, 1914.
Deprived of his mother at 3 years of age, left home at 10. With his brother, became an itinerant craftsman in Northern Russia, repairing crosses and cupolas of village churches. After receiving a grant, joined a village school.
Lay preacher from the age of 12. Joined the SRs at 16. After the 1905 Revolution, arrested for revolutionary activity.
During his 4 months in prison, studied revolutionary literature. After his release, continued his revolutionary work in IvanovoVoznessensk. After a Cossack raid, which left dead on both sides, decided to give up political activity and concentrate on his education.
First scientific work on criminology, 1913. Edited the SR newspaper Volia Naroda, elected to the Constituent Assembly and the Soviet of Peasant Deputies, 1917. Secretary to A. Kerenskii.
3 days before the Constituent Assembly was due to meet, arrested by the Cheka. After his release, joined the anti-Bolshevik Soiuz Vozrozhdeniia Rossii. Went to the North to organize resistance to communism (with N. Chaikovskii), but, unable to get to Arkhangelsk, had to hide in the forests.
In the winter, gave himself up to the Cheka, expecting to be executed. (His older brother, who was in the White Army, was executed, his younger brother died in a Bolshevik prison). Saved by Lenin’s article, which stressed the need to preserve intellectuals of worker or peasant origin.
Returned to Petrograd and scientific work, 1919. Sistema Sotsiologii, circumventing censorship. During NEP, continued his teaching activity and his polemics with the Bolsheviks.
Banned from teaching, 1921. Tried to publish a brochure on the horrors of hunger, seen during his trip to Samara, 1922. Expelled from Russia along with a group of famous intellectuals, 23 Sep.
1922. Moved from Berlin to Prague, where he edited the magazine Krestianskaia Rossiia, and published several sociological works. Invited by American sociologists to the USA, 1923. First professor of sociology at Harvard, 1930.
Adopted American citizenship. One of the founders of American and world sociology. Founded and directed the Harvard Center for the Study of Creative Altruism, 1949.
Retired from academic life, 1959. His numerous works on sociology, philosophy and morals were very influential worldwide.
Religion makes people base their lives on false foundations.
The role of the individual as a member of a collective is more important than the individual.