The Mind and Society

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The Mind and Society (1916) is the English title of the seminal sociological work Trattato di Sociologia Generale by the Italian sociologist and economist Vilfredo Pareto (1848-1923).

In this book Pareto presents the first sociological cycle theory, centered around the concept of an elite social class.

Pareto divided the elite class into two groups: the conservative defenders of status quo (cunning 'foxes'), and the radical promoters of change (violent 'lions'). In his view of society, the power constantly passes from 'foxes' to 'lions' and vice versa.

The Mind and Society is considered to be one of the most influential books ever written. The English edition was published in 1935.