Modernization Theory

The modernization theory, in layman's terms, is a theory that is mainly used to describe the procedure of modernization. It says that nations will go through steps and transitions that will transform it from a traditional society to a "modern" one. It was created in the 1950s by American social scientists. The social scientists used reflections on hundreds of years of history in both North America and Europe to create a "positive" perspective on the changes that occurred during the 1900s. Basically, the modernization theory shows that modernization is basically a step ladder that involves urbanization, rationalization, bureaucracy, industrialization, mass consumption, and of course, the adoption of democracy. The theory had its fans, but also a lot of critiques. Scholars from non-Western nations drew attention to the fact that the theory neglected the way that Western nations had heavily relied on slave labor and colonization to create development. Because of this, critics make the point that the modernization theory should not be used to describe development.



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