When did Ferdinand Tonnies live?

Ferdinand Tonnies was born in 1855 and died in 1936.

Where was Ferdinand Tonnies from?

Ferdinand Tonnies was a German philosopher of the Contemporary era.

What philosophical movements is Ferdinand Tonnies associated with?

Ferdinand Tonnies was associated with Continental Philosophy.

How many quotes are attributed to Ferdinand Tonnies?

There are 5 attributed quotations from Ferdinand Tonnies in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.

Ferdinand Tonnies 1855 – 1936

Ferdinand Tonnies (1855 – 1936) was a German philosopher of the Contemporary era, associated with Continental Philosophy.

Ferdinand Tonnies was a German sociologist and philosopher and one of the founders of the modern discipline of sociology. His Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft, published in 1887, introduced the now-classic distinction between community and society, in which traditional bonds of common life are gradually displaced by deliberate association based on contract and exchange. He was a co-founder and the first president of the German Sociological Association and held a long professorship at Kiel. He refused to join the Nazi party despite considerable pressure and was stripped of his emeritus status in 1933. His work shaped Max Weber and the wider development of European social theory.

Key facts

Nationality: German
Era: Contemporary
Movements: Continental Philosophy

Selected quotes

Attributed to Ferdinand Tonnies:

“Gemeinschaft is bound by common life; Gesellschaft, by contract.”
Attributed to Ferdinand Tonnies:

“Modern society replaces organic community with deliberate association.”
Attributed to Ferdinand Tonnies:

“Will is the matrix of every social form.”
Attributed to Ferdinand Tonnies:

“What custom holds together, contract can only formalize.”
Attributed to Ferdinand Tonnies:

“Public opinion is the conscience of Gesellschaft.”

Ferdinand Tonnies by topic

Ferdinand Tonnies on Politics 5 quotes

Frequently asked about Ferdinand Tonnies

When did Ferdinand Tonnies live?: Ferdinand Tonnies was born in 1855 and died in 1936.
Where was Ferdinand Tonnies from?: Ferdinand Tonnies was a German philosopher of the Contemporary era.
What philosophical movements is Ferdinand Tonnies associated with?: Ferdinand Tonnies was associated with Continental Philosophy.
What was Ferdinand Tonnies known for?: Ferdinand Tonnies was a German sociologist and philosopher and one of the founders of the modern discipline of sociology.
How many quotes are attributed to Ferdinand Tonnies?: There are 5 attributed quotations from Ferdinand Tonnies in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.