In this anthology, texts by the main representatives of sociology are included. Through these texts, the evolution of this science in relation to the development of capitalist society is demonstrated.

At the beginning, Comte, with his intuition about the role of science in modern life; then the bourgeois apologist Spencer and his counterpart, Marx; and Durkheim, who, with his critical attitude towards Spencer, concludes the first cycle.

In the early 20th century, we have the German sociologists: Weber, Simmel, and Scheler, who will interpret the "logic" of money and industrial society with its distant religious prerequisites.

Then comes the iconoclast Veblen, Pareto with his theory of elites, and Michels, who examines the structure of modern parties.

Finally, Mannheim and Marcuse: the former deals with the role of intellectuals today, while the latter wonders where our society is heading.

The texts included are:
First part "The Inevitability of Progress"

- Auguste Comte: "The Theory of the Natural Progress of Humanity"
- Herbert Spencer: "Industrial Society"
- Karl Marx: "The Direct Effects of Machine Production on the Worker"
- Emile Durkheim: "Organic Solidarity and Conventional Solidarity"

Second part "The Foundations of Industrial Society"
- Max Weber: "The Economic Ethics of World Religions"
- Georg Simmel: "Money and Lifestyle"
- Max Scheler: "The Bourgeoisie and Religious Forces"
- Thorstein Veblen: "Conspicuous Leisure"

Third part "Sociology against Myths"
- Vilfredo Pareto: "The Use of Violence in Society"
- Robert Michels: "The Iron Law of Oligarchy"
- Karl Mannheim: "The Sociological Problem of Intelligence"
- Herbert Marcuse: "One-Dimensional Society"