The promise: A Breakthrough for Social Science

Abstract

Sociology has long wrestled with theoretical fragmentation, hindering a unified understanding of social life. This paper unveils the General Social Theory of Compromises (G-STOC), a bold framework that reimagines social phenomena through the lens of promises and their reciprocal arrangements, termed compromises. G-STOC posits that all social interactions — whether mundane exchanges or transformative societal shifts — hinge on promises, broadly defined to include not just explicit pledges but also tacit expectations, norms, and imposed duties. These promises knit together into compromises, forming the essential fabric of social relationships. The theory advances several key insights: (1) social behavior springs from actual and virtual agency, with virtual agency rooted in anticipated promises; (2) emotions like anger and disappointment reveal breaches of these promises, highlighting their omnipresence; (3) compromises unify individual actions with broader social influences; and (4) sociological insight arises from tracing these compromises across time. Emphasizing the future-oriented nature of social action, G-STOC sidesteps perennial debates like agency versus structure, offering a potent, streamlined tool to decode human interactions. This paper urges scholars to engage with G-STOC, testing its potential to revitalize social science and deepen our grasp of society’s complexities.

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