Editing A Study of History (section)

=== Universal church ===
Toynbee developed his concept of an "internal proletariat" and an "external proletariat" to describe quite different opposition groups within and outside the frontiers of a civilization. These groups, however, find themselves bound to the fate of the civilization.<ref>Arnold J. Toynbee, ''A Study of History'' (Oxford University 1934–1961), 12 volumes, in volume V ''The Disintegration of Civilizations (Part One)'' (Oxford University 1939), at 58–194 (internal proletariats), and at 194–337 (external proletariats).</ref> During its decline and disintegration, they are increasingly [[disenfranchise]]d or [[Social alienation|alienated]], and thus lose their immediate sense of loyalty or of obligation. Nonetheless an "internal proletariat," untrusting of the dominant minority, may form a "universal church" which survives the civilization's demise, co-opting the useful structures such as marriage laws of the earlier time while creating a new philosophical or religious pattern for the next stage of history.<ref>Toynbee, ''A Study of History'' (1934–1961), e.g., in volume VII ''Universal States, Universal Churches'' (Oxford University 1954), at 70–76, and in volume VIII ''Contacts between Civilizations in Space'' (Oxford University 1954) at 82–84 (referring to Islam, Christianity, Mahayana Buddhism, and Hinduism).</ref>

Before the process of disintegration, the dominant minority had held the internal proletariat in subjugation within the confines of the civilization, causing these oppressed to grow bitter. The external proletariat, living outside the civilization in poverty and chaos, grows envious. Then, in the social stress resulting from the failure of the civilization, the bitterness and envy increase markedly.

Toynbee argues that as civilizations decay, there is a "schism" within the society. In this environment of discord, people resort to [[archaism]] (idealization of the past), [[Futures studies|futurism]] (idealization of the future), detachment (removal of oneself from the realities of a decaying world), and [[transcendence (philosophy)|transcendence]] (meeting the challenges of the decaying civilization with new insight, e.g., by following a new religion). From among members of an "internal proletariat" who transcend the social decay a "church" may arise. Such an association would contain new and stronger spiritual insights, around which a subsequent civilization may begin to form. Toynbee here uses the word "church" in a general sense, e.g., to refer to a collective spiritual bond found in common worship, or the unity found in an agreed social order.