MODERNISATION THEORY
For a country to be seen as modern, modernisation theorists say it has to undergo an evoluti
onary advance in science and technology which in turn would lead to an increased standard o
f living for all. Modernisation is the total transformation of a traditional or pre-modern into
the type of technology and associated social and political organisation that characterise the
western world. Countries develop out of a functionalist and evolutionary system of theory of
social development that is linear . Modernisation theorist believe that modernisation is an all
encompassing process which dvpt theorist generally perceive developing countries have to
undergo for dvpt to occur . This highlight the positive role played by the developed world in
modernising and facilitating dvpt in underdeveloped nations.
Causes of lack of development or progress towards
modernisation
That some countries have not modernised is seen to be the result of internal factors such as
(a) poverty and (b) inadequate culture (c) insufficient capital (human, financial)
Historical background to modernisation theory
Post world war two’s deepening poverty in some countries
Ideological competition from communism
Increasing unrest in some countries
The above posed a threat to capitalism, and especially the USA
This led to the development of modernisation theory (mainly by US economists and policy
makers)
Modernisation theorists aimed to:

explain why poorer countries failed to evolve into modern societies

Reduce the spread of communism by presenting capitalist values
as the solution to poverty

Adopt the evolutionary theory which stated that social change is unidirectional from
primitive to an advanced state. and that social change is evolutionary and not
revolutionary –slow gradual and piecemeal
Modernisation theory has become increasingly influential, especially since post
collapse of USSR. The theory dichotomised the developed and the developing countries
Comparisons where made between the backward and the advanced societies, the barbarian
and the civilised, the traditional and the modern. The traditional sector is agriculture based –
low technology, capital and worker productivity. The traditional society relies on kinship
structure, has little social or spatial mobility and has a traditional elite and hierarchical
organisation. The modern sector –high productivity manufacturing or urban centred
industrialisation which requires growth in savings and increased capital accumulation. It has
got highly differentiated political structures and l rational legal sources of authority.To close
the gap AN Smelser in Burns (1969) recommended that there should be a move from the
simple to complex technology, subsistence farming to cash crops, animal and human power
to machine power, rural settlements to urban settlements
Rostow recommended the five stage evolutionary ladder of development (economic factors)
1 Traditional society: characterised by poverty, primary production, traditional values,
subsistence economy –output not traded or recorded, existence of barter trade, and high levels
of agriculture and labour intensive agriculture
2 Pre-conditions for take-off: the West assists development through aid and industrial
investment ,necessity of external funding, some growth in saving , investment and dvpt of
mining industries and increase in capital use in agriculture
3 Take-off: high economic growth and investment in infrastructure begins, increasing
industrialisation and further growth in savings and investments and number of people
employed in agriculture declines
4 The drive to maturity: economic and cultural factors lead to increasing prosperity for all.
Growth becomes self sustaining wealth generation enables further investment in value adding
industry and development, industry more diversified and increase in levels of technology
utilised
5 The age of high Mass consumption:high output levels ,mass consumption of consumer
durables and high proportion of employment in the service sector
Modernisation theory –
role of the West in developing countries

Western investment in factories, expertise and equipment – use loans from
World Bank (Trickle down)
 Western funding to introduce meritocratic education (values
of universalism, individualism and competition
 Mass media to disseminate modern ideas e.g. nuclear families
 Urbanisation to be encouraged
With such help from the west poor countries would develop
capitalist entrepreneurial ,middle class to develop business opportunities,
high mass consumption, an urban population and lifestyles of conspicuous
consumption
Criticism of modernisation theory
 It is ethnocentric because
(a) it devalues traditional values and social institutions e.g. extended families
(b) it ignores increasing inequality within and between countries

(c) it is not a neutral theory as it suggests (it promotes western capitalist values) A
Eurocentric development thinking the dvpt theory and model is rooted in western
European history .Mistakenbly concluded that the history of the developed industrial
state is taken as a model which should be followed by the rest of the world
irrespective of the different institutional ,structural, attitudinal and cultural conditions.

Education in developing world mainly benefits small, local elites (those at the top)

It assumes unlimited natural resources for industrial expansion. (ignores ecological
issues)

The theory perpetuates imperialism in all forms ie economic, cultural and social. A
way developed nations creates barriers to the progress of poor nations.

Emphasised economic growth at the expense of equality –widening the gap between
the rich and the poor.

Supporters of the modernisation theory assumed that the linear process exist whereby
developing countries progressively become industrialised

Reduced the reasons for underdevelopment to internal factors ie their traditions, lack
of sufficient capital, ignoring the external factors ie colonialism and the spread of
capitalism

Did not take into consideration the differences in less developed countries, they do not
have identical economic and social structures.

Ideologization the model was supported by USA pitched against communism USSR
so the self correction of the camp was impaired.
Influence of modernisation theory today

Paternalism of NGO’s – ‘people first’ policies are based
on western ‘help’ as it is deemed that poor countries cannot help themselves
 Neo-liberals want a free market and advocate ‘helping’
poor countries. (Arguably they want it both ways depending on what suits them.)