Social Trajectory and Sociological Theory: Edmond Goblot, the Bourgeoisie, and Social Distinction

A French philosopher specializing in logic, E. Goblot (1858–1935) is especially remembered today for his book, La Barriere et le Niveau (1925), which, because it lays the groundwork for a theory of social distinction, has become a classic of sociology. Generally presented as a simple precursor which merely anticipates the more noteworthy work of P. Bourdieu, La Barriere et le Niveau is in fact a work mobilizing arguments which tap into the reality of a social class, the bourgeoisie, with which E. Goblot is intimately familiar. By adopting a critical and reflexive posture, it is possible to appreciate the extent to which E. Goblot’s familial and professional experience contributed to framing the issues and the theses which he would develop regarding the French bourgeoisie’s social-distinction strategies in the fields of education, sociability, and morality.