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Future of Modernization

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Future of Modernization

William Watkins

SOC / 120

January 22, 2012
Brenda Miller As we begin to ponder the future of modernization, and the possible consequences that are apt to occur, perhaps we should first revisit the definition of modernization. To this end we can start by saying that modernization is thought of as a concept that states that the development of societies can be considered as a standard evolutionary pattern that has a tendency to stimulate growth. It can also be considered as the concept that refers to the process where society goes through several stages, including industrialization, urbanization, and various other social changes, that tend to completely transform the lives of individuals. One must first take into consideration that modernization, taken in-and-of- itself, should not be considered either good or bad. Modernization is not limited to the geographical bounds of the United States but actually affects people worldwide, and has wide ranging effects including politically, socially, economically, and environmentally throughout the entire populated world. Of course, as in most things, there are positive aspects of modernization as well as several consequences. Perhaps it could be posited that Industrialization began the social changes in the United States society that could be referred to as the modernization of the United States. Although there were many changes before industrialization they were perhaps not as wide-ranging or as monumental. For the purposes of this discussion we can say that modernization refers to the changes of social patterns since the time of the industrial revolution (Macionis, J. J., 2006). As Macionis points out there are several ways that modernization manifests itself in the United States today. Communities are becoming smaller as people migrate to the larger cities, the aging population

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