Napoleon, Jesus, Lenin, and Gandhi are individuals that have had great impact on society. Although individuals have impact on society, we tend to exaggerate what an individual can do . The actions of individuals happen within power structures, culture, and institutions inherited from the past. These exiting conditions make it difficult for an individual to change society substantially. Social Patterns Broad social trends include shifts in population , industrialization , urbanization , technology , and bureaucratization .
Modernization can explain much of the change.
Trends, such as population growth and urbanization, have tremendous impact on other features of society like social structure, culture, and all the institutions that tie society together. A Brief Introduction .