Modernization theory is a theory used to explain the process of modernization that a nation goes through as it transitions from a traditional society to a modern one. There are two levels of analysis in classical modernization theory. This groundbreaking project brings together specially commissioned entries written and edited by an international team of the worlds best scholars and teachers. The endogenous explanation is a modernization theory. But his theory of bureaucratic authoritarianism captured the imagination of scholars around the world, who treated it as applicable almost everywhere. For now, we consider the population of countries as fixed, but see section iv. Democratization in the late twentieth century norman. Theories and facts, world politics 49 january 1997. Modernization consists of a gradual differentiation and specialization of social structures.
Modernizatio n the ory is used to explain the process of moderniz ation within socie ties. The modernization hypothesis was formulated in the midtwentieth century in the midst of specific economic and sociopolitical conditions. Modernization theory studies the process of social evolution and the development of. Democracy and economic development adam przeworski. The theory argues that societies develop in fairly predictable stages through which they become increasingly complex. An analysis of regime dynamics shows that while the paths to democracy are varied, once established for whatever reasons, democracies survive in developed countries. Modernization theory political science bibliographies. Modernization, modernization theory and its criticism. Modernization theory originated from the ideas of german sociologist max weber 18641920, which provided the ba sis for the mode rnization paradigm developed by harvard sociologist. The basic assumption of this theory, in any of its versions, is that there is one gen 5 this is not quite true of our data set, since different countries enter and exit the sample at differ ent moments. Since then, both societies and representations of their. Modernization theory revisited 1988 comparative politics. Modernization theory is a grand theory encompassing many different disciplines as it seeks to explain how society progresses, what variables affect that progress, and how societies can react to that progress. The basic assumption of this theory, in any of its versions, is that there is one general end page 157 process of which democratization is but the final stage.
International communication modernization presented by. The blackwell encyclopedia of sociology is the reference for students, researchers, librarians, and academics in the field. I examine the mutual relation between political regimes and economic development. Drawing on modernization theory, it considers whether democracy is more likely to emerge in a country that modernizes economically. This article examines the link between economic development and democracy. Modernization theory focuses specifically on a type of modernization thought to have originated in europe during the 17th century, which brought social mores and technological achievements into a new epoch. Modernization theory emerged in the 1950s as an explanation of how the industrial societies of north america and western europe developed.
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