Modernisation

                             Modernisation

Introduction

Modernisation,in fact, started first of all in England as a result of Industrial Revolution (1760-1830). When America also started modernising herself in all fields, then this process was called westernisation. When the developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America also began to industrialise themselves and adopt modern technology, and adapt themselves in social and economic fields to the changing needs of the time, then this process came to be regarded as modernisation. Modernisation is thus a process of change in all fields and indicates social transformation.

Meaning of Modernisation

1-A society was regarded as "more or less modernised" by Levy "to the extent that its members use inanimate sources of power and /or use of tools to multiply the effects of their efforts."

2-A modern society according to Ward is characterised "by its far-reaching ability to control or influence the physical and social circumstances of its environment and by a value system which is fundamentally optimistic about the desirability and consequences of this ability."

3-Rustow too would identify a modern society with a "rapidly widening control over nature through closer co-operation among men".

4-Modernisation, in its historical sense is, in the words of Eisenstadt,"is the process of change towards those types of social,economic and political systems that have developed in Western Europe and North America from seventeenth century to the nineteenth and then have spread to other European countries and in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries to South America,Asian and African countries."

5-Benjamin Schwartz describes political modernisation as "the systematic, sustained and powerful application of human energies to the rational control of man's physical and social environment for various human purposes".

Basic Characteristics of Modernisation

1-Application of technology and mechanisation-This means in other words that the people give up their old ways of living, old methods of agriculture and travelling.Previously, the majority of the people in India used to live in villages in old ways in Kuccha houses and they used to cultivate their lands through ploughs and travel by means of bullock-carts. Now this has been given up entirely as the people now live in well-built houses, cultivate their fields through tractors and use other modern methods of agriculture (chemical fertilisers or manure, good seeds, irrigation system and harvesting through machines).

2-Industrialisation-Previously the people used to spin cloths through spindles and live in traditional ways and use their old patterns of occupation and places of residence. When the industrialisation of a country takes places, the people give up their tradition rural and agricultural economy.

3-Urbanisation-When the industrialisation of a country takes place,then the new centres of industries develop. Consequently, the people of villages particularly the laboures migrate in large number of these new centres in the cities with the hope that they will return to their villages after making enough money but well their livelihood in the villages and agriculture cannot bear so much burden.

4-Rise in national and per capital income-The agricultural economy alone cannot increase the national wealth and per capital income as it has to support the idle members of the society also. Therfore,in order to raise the national and per capita income,the old economy based on agriculture has to be supplemented by industrial growth and its income because by exporting the industrial goods the country can make huge profit.

5-Increase in Literacy-Another prominent feature of modernisation is that all out efforts are made by the govt. and the society to wipe out illiteracy and strenuous efforts are made not only to send every child to school but the adults are also persuaded to learn three R's. This education does not remain limited only to arts,science and commerce but also spreads to higher medical education,research,technology and crafts.

6-Political participation-When the best possible opportunities are offered to every person to attain higher education,the people become enlightened. Economic development and equal distribution of wealth enables everybody to share sometime from the pressing necessity of daily wants and devote it in political participation every voter begins to read newspaper and learn something about politics.
Therefore the political participation is made possible in a democracy through political parties,interest groups,and various other organisations. They influence the government for the welfare of citizens and equal opportunities are made available in services to everybody irrespective of caste,creed,religion,sex or such other conderations.

7-Development of Mass-Media techniques-The modernisation brings in its wake development of mass-media techniques. These mass-media techniques include newspapers,broadcasting,postal facilities,movies,road,rail and air services,electricity and T.V. Through all these facilities,the citizens become enlightened and well-informed and these in turn enable the citizens to serve the state in a better way.

8-Social Mobility-When the Modernisation of a country begins to take place, then the people go on migrating from the villages to cities in search of better Sarpanch amenities and jobs. The role of village Sarpanch becomes insignificant and is replaced in the cities by the role of the leaders of various political parties and the unions. 

9-Cultivation of national identity-When the Modernisation of any country takes place, then the people begin to give up their narrow loyalties and parochial considerations of caste,colour,sex or creed. Their interests become identified with the interests of the nation.