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Most culturologists distinguish several major theoretical concepts or
paradigms in the development of the culturology. They include: 1)a cyclic concept,
2) evolutionary, 3) anthropological, 4) philosophical, 5)a revolutionary and
democratic one.

The founder of the cyclic concept of culture is Italian philosopher G.Vico
(1668-1740). According to the scientist, every nation passes a cycle of three
epochs in its development: childhood or stateless period with the leading role of

priests; youth which is characterized by the formation of a state and worship of
heroes; maturity when human relations are governed by conscience and
consciousness of their duty. A monarchy and democratic republic are common

political systems. Having reached the highest stage of the development, people
come back to the lower one. For example, G. Vico considers the Middle Ages as
an epoch of the ‘second barbarism’. A concept of the cyclic development was

further researched in the works of M. Danylevskiy (1882-1885), O. Spengler
(1880-1936), A. Toynbee (1889-1975) and other scientists.
The evolutionary theory of culture is represented in the works of American
scholar L. Morhan (1818-1881), English historian E. Tylor (1832-1917) and other

researchers. The essence of this concept of culture is the principle of unity of the
human race and affinity of the needs of different peoples to form the culture.

Analyzing the culture of a primitive society, E. Tylor concluded that the
development of a nation moves from the simplest to more complex forms. L.
Morhan identifies the following main stages in the development of a society: a
savagery, barbarism, civilization. The leading idea of evolutionism is the direct

motion of cultural progress which requires that every nation should pass through
all the necessary stages of development.
The anthropological or functional concept of culture is found in the works of

English sociologist and anthropologist B. Malinowski (1884-1942), French
ethnologist and sociologist C. Levi-Strauss (1908-1991), American anthropologist
A. Kroeber (1876-1960) and others. The essence of this concept is that the

emergence and development of culture is associated with the needs of humanity. B.
Malinowski divides the needs that led to the emergence of culture into primary,
original and integrative. Primary needs are aimed at continuing the race and

ensuring its viability; they correspond to the development of knowledge, education
and housing. The derived needs are directed at crafting and improving tools; they
relate to the economy and culture of management. Integrative needs manifest the
necessity of uniting and bringing people together for the need of authority. One

should have the consistent political organization of a society to meet these needs.
A difference between cultures is due to a variety of ways to meet the needs.
The founders of the revolutionary and democratic or Marxist concept of

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