ABSTRACT
Entropy is a term which originated in thermodynamics. It measures the ability of a system to perform work or activity in the future. The famous second law of thermodynamics states that as work is performed entropy increases—that is, the potentiality for the performance of further works declines. The second law of thermodynamics can therefore be generalized under the name of the principle of diminishing potential. This principle takes many forms both in physical and biological and in social systems. Entropy can also be thought of as a measure of chaos—which may be defined, oddly enough, as the most probable state of any system. Negative entropy can then be thought of as measuring the degree of organization, structuring, or improbability of a system. Social movements as well as commodity movements can be classified either as entropic or anti-entropic. There are those which tear down and those which build up.
