Mind and Society

work by Pareto

Also known as: “Trattato di sociologia generale”

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 30, 2026

Quick Summary

Vilfredo Pareto's work, Mind and Society, explores the nature of individual and social action. He proposed that individuals with superior abilities strive to improve their social standing, leading to the formation of social classes. Pareto argued that there is a continuous "circulation of elites," where individuals from lower classes rise to challenge the established elite, and vice versa. This concept suggests that social mobility is a constant dynamic within societies. Pareto's theories have influenced sociology and theories of social action, particularly in the United States after World War II.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Vilfredo Pareto
…Trattato di sociologia generale (1916; Mind and Society), in which he inquired into the nature and bases of individual and social action. Persons of superior ability, he argued, actively seek to confirm and aggrandize their social position. Thus, social classes are formed. In an effort to rise into the elite…
Read More
…Trattato di sociologia generale (1916; Mind and Society), in which he inquired into the nature and bases of individual and social action. Persons of superior ability, he argued, actively seek to confirm and aggrandize their social position. Thus, social classes are formed. In an effort to rise into the elite…
Read More