Modernization Research Paper

Although theorists believe there are positives effects of modernization, some theorists are becoming very concerned about the negative effects caused by this ongoing inclination of modernization. The theorist that best reflects my perceptions of modernization is Max Weber. Max Weber’s view also shows how modernization has manifested itself in the United States society. According to Macionis (2011): For Max Weber, modernity meant replacing a traditional worldview with a rational way of thinking. In preindustrial societies, tradition acts as a constant brake on social change.

To traditional people, “truth” is roughly the same as “what has always been” (1978:36, orig. 1921). To modern people, however, “truth” is the result of rational calculation. Because they value efficiency and have little reverence for the past, modern people adopt social patterns that allow them to achieve their goals. I agree that people adopt social patterns to achieve their goals. For example a woman may marry a rich man, in order to have more opportunities, or a parent may push their child in sports, so they can get a full-ride scholarship for college.

These are two of many examples of social patterns that have been adopted by today’s society members. Max Weber also stated that the modern world is “disenchanted” (Macionis, 2011). Disenchanted is another word for taking away the magical part of something, and that something in this case, is life. It can also mean to disappoint. Many people will argue about what Weber means by this statement. I believe what Max Weber is implying is the modern world has lost most of its spiritual connections and supernatural view on life, because everything now can be explained by scientific explanations or calculations.

I also agree with this statement, because now science is taking over people’s minds. The world’s living creatures are explained by evolution and some people are losing belief in the presence of a divine being. Modernization is a worldwide trend, although it is less of an issue in underdeveloped countries, than for developed countries like the United States and China. There are many consequences to this worldwide trend. China is doing what they can to lessen the impact of modernization.

According to Fangjun, (2009): While exploring its road to modernization and learning from modernization theory, China has adopted an approach of drawing on the useful and discarding the unfit elements found in modernization theory. As a result, China has formed its own ideas on development with Chinese characteristics. At present, the task that China faces is to properly handle all kinds of social contradictions, build a harmonious society, and strive to realize China’s development by leaps and bounds (p. 7).

China is a country the United States should look up to, concerning how the country deals with the effects of modernization. One social pattern affected most by modernization is the sky rocketing divorce rate in the United States and other countries. The United States divorce rate is the highest it has ever been and each year continues to increase. According to Jones, (1997), “during the 1960s and 1970s, divorce rates rose to unprecedented levels in Western countries but plummeted in Islamic Southeast Asia from initially very high values in the 1950s and earlier” (para. ). The values of marriage are starting to plummet because of the new fast paced, futuristic societies. Not only has modernization affected social aspects of life, it has also negatively impacted the environment. There is more pollution than ever, because more building and factories are built in industrialization every day. Overpopulation of certain area is also a consequence of modernization. It is a big problem because there is a high amount of people moving to urbanized cities in the hopes of finding a job, and gaining more opportunities.

Another problem that comes along is crime. According to Liu, (2008): Durkheim argued that during the process of rapid modernization, the integrative force of collective conscience which characterized the traditional and mechanical societies is disrupted, and consensus on social values breaks down, resulting in a weakening of the normative order. As a consequence, violent and property crimes and other pathological social phenomena increase (p. 3). This occurs in the United States because the richer get richer and the poorer get poorer.

In order to survive the poor steal from the rich, this in return increases the crime rate during modernization. Poverty and crime go hand- in-hand, and are often times an endless cycle. Max Weber’s views on modernization really relates to my beliefs on modernization. Although I can see the positive effect modernization has on today societies, I see the future of modernization opposite from now. I see the future of modernization as being destructive to all living things, because with modernization comes overpopulation, pollution, battles over land, loss of animal habitat, and less renewable resources.

Modernization will continue in the United States, because the United States society is addicted to technology, and people are continually coming up with new ideas to contribute to modernization. The United States is one of the most modernized countries in the world, along with China and Japan. Modernization may be helpful in countries communication system, but in the United States I can already start to see some of the negative impacts modernization has caused. The more the population increases the faster modernization takes a toll on the world. References Fangjun, C. (2009, Fall).