MODERNISATION THEORY

Development Economics
R P Pradhan
BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus
Objective!
Understand the Modernisation theory(ies).

1) Introduction
2) Working definition
3) Major features of MT
4) MT characterisation of traditional & modern societies
5) Epistemological roots
6) Context of MT
7) MT view of development
8) Different approaches of MT
9) Criticisms

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Modernisation Theory

Introduction
Modernisation theory was particularly influential in the 1950s
and 1960s. Sought to explain the process of modernisation
within societies.
[BY]
1. Looking at internal factors within a country which contribute
to social progress and development.

2. It sought to explain why some countries were developed

while others were not.
[AND]
In doing so it also hoped to provide a blueprint for the
development of under-developed countries.

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Working Definition

1. Modernisation was defined as a systemic process in which

societies change fundamentally across the board from
approximations of the traditional model to approximations of the
modern model.

2. Modernization theory is a theory used to explain the process of

modernization within societies. The theory looks at the internal
factors of a country while assuming that, with assistance,
"traditional" countries can be brought to development in the same
manner more developed countries have. ...

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Major Features

Development = Modernization
Path to development is only through capitalism and
industrialization
Development is essentially an irreversible process (linear
process)
Development process involves stage by stage
Development can be stimulated either by internal dynamics
or external forces
Economic growth is both the means and end in this process.
Development is measurable through the increase in GNP.

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MT characterisation of traditional & modern societies

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 Epistemological Roots of MT
[EARLY]
1. Enlightenment saw the rise of two important philosophical
positions: Humanism and Secularism which gave birth to the
idea of progress.
a. The idea that humans and societies could better themselves
b. This could be done primarily through the application of
science and technology which enabled man to have control
over nature.

2. Emile Durkhiem (1858 1917) proposed the idea that just like
natural selection in nature, societies are also subject to evolution
and progress; moving from simple to more complex societies.
In short Durkheim, and others proposed unilinear
evolutionary theories, which maintain that all societies pass
through the same sequence of stages of evolution to reach
the same destiny.
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Epistemological Roots of MT

[CONTEMPORARY]

MT was influenced by the work of American sociologist Talcott

Parsons especially his: Functionalist theory and Evolutionary theory.

Functionalist Theory: AGIL

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[CONTEMPORARY]

Functionalist Theory: AGIL and Sub-systems

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[
Talcott Parsons Evolutionary theory:

Parsons (19021979), saw society in its natural state as being stable and
balanced.
That is, society naturally moves toward a state of homeostasis ( State of
Equilibrium).

To Parsons, significant social problems, such as union strikes, represent

nothing but temporary rifts in the social order.

According to his equilibrium theory, changes in one aspect of society

require adjustments in other aspects.

Parsons' equilibrium theory incorporates the evolutionary concept of

continuing progress, but the predominant theme is stability and balance.
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Context of MT

Decolonisation

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BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus
Context of MT

Post WWII witnessed the independence of

many developing countries. Developing
Western
Prescriptions for
Fear that many of these countries would come
underdeveloped
under the influence of Communism.
countries so
Context of cold war rivalry. that indigenous
models do not
Influence by the success of the Marshall Plan. emerge to
conflict Western
interest
MT developed mostly by US academics and
policy makers.

Dominant during the 1950s and 1960s.

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 View of Development

Was the first attempt to articulate the problem of development

in terms of the need to transform the backward traditional
nature of 3rd world economies into modern economies.

Modernisation was seen as a total social process associated

with economic development.

Advocated that countries would develop as they achieve the

right amount of capital formation through a mix of domestic
capital and foreign aid.

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 Role of the West: Investments and expertise, Western funding
of education, Mass media, urbanisation.

Saw development as universal and linear

Proposed grand development projects
Advocated scientific rationalism and role of experts.

It was felt that through these initiatives a capitalist middle class

would develop and high mass consumption economies would be
created.

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Approaches of MT

1. Economic approach: W. W. Rostow: Development involves a

process going through five stages:

1) Traditional society
2) Pre-conditions of take-off
3) The Take-off
4) The Drive to maturity
5) The age of high mass consumption

2.

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2. Sociological approach:

Robert A. Levy (1967) & Neil J Smelser (1964)

According to Smelsers analysis, modern
societies have the particular feature of
social structural differentiation, that is to
say a clear definition of functions and
political roles from national institutions.

Levy (1967) as time goes on, they

and we will increasingly resemble one
another because the patterns of
modernization are such that the more
Relative Strength as a Criterion
highly modernized societies become, the for Investment Selection 1967
more they resemble one another. by Robert A. Levy
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Approaches of MT

3. Psychological:
David McClelland McLelland: in the values and motives men have
that lead them to exploit opportunities to take advantage of
favourable trade conditions, in short, to shape their destiny

4. Political Approach:
James Coleman stresses three main features of modern societies:
a) Differentiation of political structure (specialisation of roles in the
political sphere);
b) Secularization of political culture -with the ethos of equality
which
c) Enhances the capacity of a societys political system in terms of
scale and efficacy.
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Criticisms
1. Development is not necessarily unidirectional. Shows only one possible
model of development
2. Ethnocentricity (The favored example is the development pattern of the
United States/European).
3. The need to eliminate traditional values. Third World countries do not have
an homogeneous set of traditional values; their value systems are highly
heterogeneous. For example Redfield 1965, distinguishes between the great
traditional values (values of the elites), and the little tradition (values of the
masses).
4. Illiberal and statist.
5. A second aspect for criticism here is the fact that traditional and modern
values are not necessarily always mutually exclusive: China, for example,
despite advances in economic development continues to operate on
traditional values and this appears to be the same situation in Japan.
6. Assumes unlimited amounts of natural resources.

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REFERENCES

Bernstein, H. (1971) Modernisation Theory and the Sociological Study of

Development in Journal of Development Studies, Vol. 7(2), pp. 141 160.

Rostow, W. W. (2008) Marxism, Communism and the Stages of Growth from

The Stages f Economic Growth: A Non-Communist Manifesto (1960) in The
Development Reader, S. Chari, and S. Corbridge (eds.), Abingdon, Routledge,
pp. 141 148.

Sud, Nikita (2008) Presentation: Modernisation in Practice, QEH, Oxford.

Constantinos, B.T. (n.d.) An Overview of Development Theories Lecture Notes

on African Development.

Dr. Nalani Hennayake (2010), Handout: Modernisation theory Department of

Geography, University of Peradeniya October 26, 2010.
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