Modernising the World - Notes

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Intro

Explains the process of modernisation in societies

Background

Post WW2

Countries remained poor despite exposure to capitalism

Such instability seen by US economists

Aims

Explain why poorer countries haven't developed

Provide a solution to poverty

Introduce western values

Rostow

Development - evolutionary process to climb ladder

Stage 1 - Traditional Societies

Stage 2 - Preconditions for Take Off

Stage 3 - Take Off

Stage 4 - Drive to Maturity

Stage 5 - Age of High Mass Consumption

Parsons

Traditional values act as barrier

Need to adopt values like meritocracy

Leads to emergence of 'entrepreneurial spirit'

Motors

Hoselitz (1960) - meritocratic education

Inkeles (1969) - mass media

Speed up spread of Western Values

Diffuse ideas of need to be geographically mobile

Criticisms

Ethnocentric

Ecological Limits

Degrades developing countries

Ignores the crisis of modernism, e.g. Wales

Excludes sociologists in developing world

Cannot be extended to all societies - planet is limited

Modernising the World