Modernization
Dr.Saramma Mathew
Modernization
an evolutionary transition
from a 'traditional' to a 'modern'
society.
Modernization
• society is transformed from a rural and agrarian state
to an industrialized, secular, urban society.
• In a modernized society, an individual becomes the
basic unit of society and this makes them more
important than the family or community.
• The importance of traditional religious beliefs
declines, leading to the loss of distinctive cultural traits
Modernization
• societies have a standard evolutionary
pattern, as described in the social
evolutionism theories.
• According to this each society would evolve
inexorably from barbarism to ever greater
levels of development and civilization.
Talcot Parson
Definition…….
• Modernization, according to Lerner (1958)
involves complementary changes in the
• demographic,
• economic,
• political,
• communication, and
• cultural sectors of a society
Definition…….
• Heady (2001)
simplifies the task by saying that for nationstates, modernization consists of
• economic development,
• political development,
• and freedom from dependency upon other
states.
Characteristics
of
Modernization
Empathy :
• The capacity to see one self in others
situations
• Modern
societies
are
more
compassionate and accept the variations
and situations which do not conform to
usually accepted social values
• for e.g. AIDS patients are no longer
stigmatised or out cast from societies.
This is not the case in closed or orthodox
societies.
Mobility:
• Modern societies give opportunities for
individual to climb the social and economical
ladder.
• An individual’s worth and success depends on
his ability and merit rather than his birth.
• Closed and orthodox societies on the other
hand still cling on to hereditary values.
• For eg. in our Indian context, we have adopted
democracy as a political institution but elect
leaders because of their parentage.
High participation:
• Citizens of a modern society have high
awareness levels and they participate
activity in the affairs of the state
governance.
• Social issues are openly debated and
relevant solutions are provided.
• For example people activity participate in
exercising their franchise whenever
corruption issues are brought out the
public insists on proper justice
Interest articulation:
• Individual in a modern society do not
allow themselves to be exploited there is
an awareness in the society regarding the
various social issues facing them.
• There are people of various interests in a
society but when there is a clash it solved
through public debates.
• For eg. Issues like corruption are
discussed and debated.
Interest aggregation:
• Here individuals with community interest
push forward this demands.
• For e.g. a factory polluting the environment
can be taken to task by concerned citizens of
the area.
Institutionalized political
competitions:
• People with different political ideologies
interest groups can compete in an accepted
and just manner.
• People participate politically through
elections and change opinion on matters of
public business.
• multiparty system is an example of this.
Achievement motivation:
• Individual in a modern society have high
aspirations.
• To achieve success they are realty to put in
hard work and make sacrifices.
• For example young people who may have
been considered lazy in their villages
transform into enterprising people when they
come and work in cities.
Rational ends means calculation:
• Here individuals are not dependent on the
super natural or fate for the happenings in
life rather they analyse the situation to solve
problems.
• The ends and means are not decided by
religious or social controls but
on
independent and rational thinking.
• For eg.taking decisions regarding marriage,
family size or career.
New attitude to wealth, work, saving
and risk taking :
• individuals in a modern society take more
risk invests in new business and are more
innovative.
• Faith in desirability and possibility of change.
• for e.g. we see the orthodox individuals
investing in gold or government securities
while modern and enterprising people invest
themselves in the share market.
New attitude to wealth, work saving
and risk taking :
• Orthodox individuals avoid any kind change
and views change as a threat or evil.
• Modern individual believes that change is a
permanent fact of life it is desirable and will
bring about progress in the society.
Only 2.77 percent of India‘s population pay income tax
Social economic and political
discipline:
• Modern individuals beliefs in self discipline.
Their code of conduct is based of social &
moral values that bring a balance in the
society.
• They believe that every citizen is responsible
for the social economic & political stability of
the country.
Capacity to put off immediate and
short term needs:
• for higher satisfactions in the longer run.
• Here we see a modern individual who saves
for the future
• takes care of the environment as it will affect
his future
• puts off immediate luxuries for education
and health of the family..
• The attributes from (viii) to (xii) are drawn
from the writings of Ithiel Desola Wilbert
Moore and Dube.
• The last five attributes refer to individual
attitudes which characterise a modern
individual
Process of modernization
Awareness
Process of modernization
Trial
Process of modernization
Shaping
Process of modernization
Adoption
Process of modernization
Dissemination
Process of modernization
Diffusion