Sure. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_social_sciences

"The term "social science" first appeared in the 1824 book An Inquiry into the Principles of the Distribution of Wealth Most Conducive to Human Happiness; applied to the Newly Proposed System of Voluntary Equality of Wealth by William Thompson (1775–1833). Auguste Comte (1797–1857) argued that ideas pass through three rising stages, theological, philosophical and scientific."

What do you think rising through theological, philosophical and scientific implies? The lowest being theological, the highest being scientific?

1824 was around the time of the scientific revolution and enlightenment. Everyone wanted to latch onto the good name of science.

"Karl Marx was one of the first writers to claim that his methods of research represented a scientific view of history in this model."

"One of the most persuasive advocates for the view of scientific treatment of philosophy would be John Dewey (1859–1952)."

From history to philosophy to politics, everyone wanted to associate itself with "science" because of the credibility it brought.

Even religion got into the act.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creation_science