This paper will look at modernization in respect to US society as well as the rest of the world. First, it will predict the likelihood of modernization continuing in the US. Next it will look at how modernization manifests itself in US society in terms of Emile Durkheim’s ‘Division of Labor’ theory. This theory will be compared with the other theories put forth in our text. Having focused on the US, the next topic will be whether modernization is a world-wide trend. Finally, the consequences of modernization will be discussed.
One could argue that current US society is almost defined by modernization. In some respects, our society today is radically different than it was 20 years ago, which was different from 50 years ago, and unquestionably different from 100 years ago. It is no coincidence that this change has occurred at the same time as we have experienced more technological advances than mankind experienced in total previous to the 20th century. As modernization is defined in the text as “social patterns resulting from industrialization”, one would expect technologies affect on industrialization to have a corresponding impact on modernization. Since the rate of technological change shows no signs of slowing, it is safe to conclude that modernization will keep pace with technological change for US society.
While modernization is far too complex to be summed up within a single theory, Emile Durkheim’s ‘Division of Labor’ theory seems to address how modernization manifests itself in US society the best. From the text, the ‘Division of Labor’ theory states that modernization is “marked by an increasing division of labor, or specialized economic activity”. Over the past century we’ve moved past pure manager/worker divisions to whole specialized fields with their own hierarchical structures representing the different skill sets and roles required within them. The educational system has responded to this need in the economy by moving beyond the three...