Alleged Inconsistency of William Graham Sumner

Steve J. Shone

American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 2004, vol. 63, issue 3, pages 697-715

Abstract: Judged by his political and economic writings, the 19th-century thinker William Graham Sumner (1840-1910) is a conservative, a Social Darwinist, and something of a libertarian, who looked down on members of less developed cultures. However, as a sociologist, he is remembered for formulating the distinction between ethnocentrism and cultural relativism, and is considered an early contributor to multiculturalism theory. Is it simply the case that Sumner was inconsistent, or have his works perhaps been misunderstood? Copyright 2004 American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Inc..

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.blackwell ... &year=2004&part=null link to full text (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.blackwell ... bs.asp?ref=0002-9246

Access Statistics for this article

American Journal of Economics and Sociology is edited by Laurence S. Moss

More articles in American Journal of Economics and Sociology from Blackwell Publishing
Series data maintained by Christopher F. Baum ().