Modernization Theory

Modernization theory is one of the most popular economic and geopolitical theories that exists today. It postulates that the reasons behind success of Western countries is primarily due to numerous core values that they all contain. These include but are not limited to: adoption of democracy, industrialization, rationalization (the act of making an entity more efficient), bureaucracy, urbanization, and mass consumption of goods and services. Those who believe the modernization theory to be true hold that these values need to be adopted by developing nations to succeed on the world stage. Virtually every Western country holds true to this philosophy, but none maybe more explicitly than the United States of America. The vastly industrialized and capitalized economic landscape of the USA has caused huge economic growth and output. Nevertheless, there, of course, are critics of the modernization theory. One of the most legitimate criticisms is that modernization theory neglects the enormous gain that currently modernized countries have attained from exploitation in slavery, colonization, and class hierarchies. Those who support the modernization say that while those statements aren't necessarily false, there are still ways without committing atrocities like what was committed in the past that countries can end-up developing more, and molding themselves upon the Western model. Given this historical context, it is easy to see why the debate is so controversial. As is well known, even my example nation, the US, benefited from these corrupt and inhumane methods. Nevertheless, there is also the argument to be made in favor of the theory simply due to the statistics that show that countries who adhere to these models are far more successful. Likely part of the reason that the debate still rages is because many developing nations have not applied themselves to this model fully. Therefore, it seems only time will tell if the theory is as good as it sounds. There may be hope, because it seems, at least in my eyes, that capitalism, democracy, and innovation are most in-line with our nature as a species, and therefore our nature as a planet full of political and economic interdependence.



Source: Crossman, Ashley. “What Is Modernization Theory?” ThoughtCo, Dotdash, 29 Sept. 2019, www.thoughtco.com/modernization-theory-3026419.

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