Second Post

             In chapter ten of The Nation–State and Global Order Opello and Rosow introduce the “Modernization theory,” in which explains the process of transformation from traditional to modern societies (136). After learning about what the modernization theory implies through course readings and further research, I have concluded that I disagree with its approach. First it is important to know what characteristics differentiate a traditional society from a modern society. Traditional societies are characterized by small villages, subsistence agriculture, simple social structures, and particularistic behavior. Whereas modern societies are characterized by cities and towns, commercial agriculture, industry, complex social structures, and universalistic behavior (Opello and Rosow 136).

            The modernization theory explains that “the transition to modernity, the condition of being modern, would recapitulate the European experience (Opello and Rosow, 136). This implies that in order to become a modern society, every state must undergo through the exact same process of state transition as the Europeans states. A problem with this approach is that it is nearly impossible for all states to go through the same transition processes. A reason why this is almost impossible is primarily because each state derives from distinct conditions including location, culture, language, ethnicity, etc. In order for states to experience the same transition process, there must be a universal structure that demonstrates how the process must be done step by step. Another reason why this is unrealistic is because each state has a history in which are never the same as other states. Opello and Rosow further explain that the modernization theory “hides from view, and implicitly justifies, the power, violence, exploitation, and racism through which Europeans imposed the state in non-European areas (136). These impositions by the Europeans states influenced the history of each nation. For example the United States, a major component of the American history is the abolishment of slavery and later desegregation. These two events are only significant to the people in the United States and it affected the lives of the people in the United States, in which evidently was not the case in other states. Furthermore, this is also an example of state transitioning; the United States made a step to the transition to a modern society. Another problem that I find with this particular theory is that not all states have the necessary economic resources to transition into a modern society or have the ability to operate in such society. It is important to keep in mind that many traditional societies are financially dependent on modern societies. There is a reason why some states are more developed than others and the central factor is economy. If all states had the equal resources they would all be modern societies.

            The modernization theory has its advantages and disadvantages, but in my opinion it has more disadvantages. This theory requires the destruction of the indigenous cultures and replaces them by a more Westernized one. The modernization theory assumes that European states have reached the end of the transition process, which is wrong to assume considering the fact that technology is constantly advancing. The advancement of technology is one of the primary factors in a state’s transition.