International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics

"A measure of the natural decay of the structure or of the disappearance of distinctions within the social system" (K. KRIPPENDORFF, 1986, p.70).

This concept is used by various authors. It must be however observed that it is mainly metaphoric. While phenomena of decay and destructuration are evident and frequent in social systems, they have really never been "measured". The concept should be refined and given a more precise content.

It is, notwithstanding, true that social systems ultimately subsist on energy inputs and produce entropy, as can be seen by their production of waste and the frequent degradation of their environment.

In more recent years, K.D. BAILEY (1990, and subsequent papers) expanded the scope of the social entropy concept, stating that "we clearly need a macrosociological systems theory that is broad enough to incorporate nonliving elements such as technology, along with living elements such as social organization"(1998, p. 6)

BAILEY proposes his social entropy theory (SET), including "six important and interrelated factors that are used by every society- large or small- in its everyday development", namely Population, Information, Space, Technology, Organization and Level of living (for which he stamped a vigorous acronym: PISTOL). Moreover, or one should say, to begin with, "each society utilizes energy… to adapt to its particular spatial environment".

"This involves doing work through both its available technology, and its particular level of organization". (Ibid)

As to entropy, according to Bailey, if the society is successful it can be controlled at acceptable levels, this allowing the society to maintain or even increase its level of living" (Ibid)

This corresponds obviously to PRIGOGINE's theorem of minimum entropy production and dissipative structuration in systems far from equilibrium.

In Bailey's model if the society is "unsuccessful for any reason (e.g. overpopulation, inadequate energy resources, faulty information processing, antiquated technology or bureaucratic pathology) then entropy may increase, perhaps to the point where the very future of the entire society is in doubt" (Ibid)

This apparently corresponds to a violation of the minimum entropy production theorem: the society squanders uselessly a considerable part of its energy's inputs.

On the other hand, Bailey's views are quite critical of T. PARSONS' ones, as this author based his social models on the concept of equilibrium, in a form that "precluded or blocked the effective analysis of social change in systems not characterized by equilibrium"(1996, p. 8)