Page 260 - DSOC201_SOCIAL_STRUCTURE_AND_SOCIAL_CHANGE_ENGLISH

Unit 12: Processes of Change

• overall transformation of attitudes, norms and values Notes
• creation of new functional intitutions.
• investment in human resources
• a growth-oriented economy
• a national interest rather than kin, caste, religion, region or language-oriented interests
• an open society
• a mobile personality
Measures of Modernization
Talking of the measures of modernization, Rustow and Ward (1964: 4) have included in it such specific
aspects of change as: (i) industrialization of economy and adopting a scientific technology in industry,
agriculture, dairy farming, etc. to make them highly productive;, (ii) secularization of ideas; (iii) a marked
increase in geographical and social mobility; (iv) a spread of scientific and technical education; (v) a
transition from ascribed to achieved status; (vi) an increase in material standards of living; (vii) high ratio
of inanimate to animate energy used in the economy; (viii) high proportion of working force employed in
secondary and tertiary rather than primary production (that is, manufacturing and services as opposed to
agriculture and fishing); (ix) high degree of urbanization; (x) high level of literacy; (xi) high national
product per capita; (xii) free circulation of mass media; and (xiii) high expectancy of life at birth.
Prerequisites of Modernization
Before the transition from traditionalism to modernization is made, certain prerequisites of social
change and modernization must be present in the society. These are: (i) an awareness of purpose and
an eye on the future; (ii) an awareness of existence, beyond one’s own world, of many other societies;
(iii) a sense of urgency; (iv) availability of variety of opportunities and roles; (v) an emotional
preparedness for self-imposed tasks and sacrifices; and (vi) emergence of devoted, dynamic and
committed leadership (Narmadeshwar Prasad, 1970: 19).
Modernization is critical because it requires not only a relatively stable new structure but one capable
of adopting to continuously changing conditions and problems. Its success depends on the society’s
capacity for internal transformation.
Eisenstadt (1965: 659) has maintained that modernization requires three structural characteristics of
a society: (i) (a high level of) structural differentiation, (ii) (a high level of) social mobilization, and
(iii) a relatively centralized and autonomous institutional framework.
All societies do not accept the process of modernization uniformly. Following Herbert Blumer (1964:
129), five different ways may be pointed out in which a traditional society can respond to the process
of modernization. These are:
1. Rejective Response
A traditional society may reject modernization. This may occur at different points in different ways.
Powerful groups, landed aristocracy, a government oligarchy, a union of workers, and religious
fanatics may discourage modernization to protect their vested interests. Social prejudices, special
interests and firm attachment to given forms of traditional life, beliefs and customs may lead certain
sets of people to reject the process of modernization and maintain the traditional order.
2. Disjunctive Response
This response of conjunction between the old and the new or the co-existence of traditionalism
and modernity occurs when the modernization process operates as a detached development,
without affecting much the traditional life. In this way, there is no conflict between modernization
and the traditional order, because the older system is not threatened. Features of modernization
exist alongside with the traditional life.
3. Assimilative Response
This response consists of an absorption of the modernization process by the traditional order
without disruption of its own organization and pattern of life. The example is the acceptance of

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