Sorokin was a professor at Saint Petersburg Imperial University, three times imprisoned by the Czarist regime for "revolutionary activity." His active opposition to the Bolsheviks led, after they were in power, to his arrest and sentence to death. Only with the help and intervention of friends, including Thomas Masaryk and Edouard Beneš, was his sentence commuted to permanent exile, which led Sorokin to flee to Czechoslovakia.
Life and Career
Moving to the United States, he became a professor of sociology at the University of Minnesota in 1924, and, in 1930, he was hired as head of the newly formed department of sociology at Harvard University.
Key Facts
- Born: January 21, 1889 in Turya, Yarensky Uyezd, Vologda Governorate, Russian Empire (
- Died: 1968
- Field: Politics
Legacy and Impact
The influence of Pitirim Sorokin extends far beyond their own lifetime. They fundamentally shaped governance and political thought, and their leadership and political achievements remain foundational to this day.
Though they passed away in 1968, their ideas continue to be studied, debated, and built upon by scholars and practitioners worldwide.
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