William Graham Sumner

William Graham Sumner was a highly influential American social scientist, clergyman, and neoclassical liberal. He is best known for his work as a professor at Yale University. At Yale, he held the first professorship in sociology in the United States. Sociology is the scientific study of human society and social behavior. Sumner was a prolific writer who explored many different subjects. He wrote about ethics, history, economics, and political theory. His ideas helped shape American conservatism for many years.

Sumner's life began in Paterson, New Jersey, on October 30, 1840. His father, Thomas Sumner, was an immigrant from England. His mother, Sarah Graham, was also born in England. His mother passed away when he was only eight years old. After his father moved the family to Connecticut, Sumner attended public schools. He worked as a store clerk for two years before entering Yale College. He graduated from Yale in 1863. During his time there, he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa society. He was also a member of the Skull and Bones society.

During the American Civil War, Sumner avoided being drafted into military service. He paid a substitute $250 to enlist in his place. This allowed him to travel to Europe to continue his education. He studied at the University of Geneva and the University of Göttingen. He became a master of many languages through formal study and self-teaching. He learned Hebrew, Greek, Latin, French, and German in school. Later, he taught himself Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Russian, Polish, Danish, and Swedish. At Oxford University, he studied theology and was influenced by the thinker Herbert Spencer.

Sumner's career involved both religious and academic roles. He was ordained as a deacon in 1867 and a priest in 1869. He served as a rector at the Church of the Redeemer in New Jersey from 1870 to 1872. In his sermons, he emphasized virtues like hard work and self-reliance. However, he eventually preferred the classroom to the pulpit. He returned to Yale in 1872 as a professor of political and social science. He taught the very first sociology course in North America. Students often crowded his classes because of his commanding personality and deep learning.

As a scholar, Sumner introduced several important concepts to the social sciences. He coined the term "ethnocentrism" to describe a specific worldview. Ethnocentrism is the tendency to view one's own culture as superior to others. He used this term to explain the roots of imperialism. Sumner strongly opposed imperialism, which is when one country extends its power over others. He also created the term "the forgotten man" to describe the middle class. He used this phrase to advocate for the interests of middle-class citizens against elitism.

Sumner was a firm believer in laissez-faire economics. This is an economic system where the government does not interfere in business. He also supported free trade and the gold standard. He was a vocal opponent of socialism. In his writing, he often argued against what he called ecclesiastical prejudice. He believed some religious leaders showed unfair bias toward the poor and against the rich. This caused tension in his life and his work. He also became a leader in the fight for academic freedom at Yale. He refused to stop teaching certain books even when university leaders disagreed.

In his later years, Sumner's health began to fail. He suffered from declining health starting in 1890. In December 1909, he suffered a fatal paralytic stroke while in New York. He was there to deliver a speech to the American Sociological Society. He died on April 12, 1910, at a hospital in New Jersey. Before he died, he expressed a pessimistic view of the future. He believed the next generations would face social calamities and wars. Despite this, his impact on how we study society remains significant.