SociologyLesson 5 of 5 in the course Development and globalisation

Modernization Theory: Development, Democracy, and Its Critiques

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 4 fill-in sentences · English

Save course
Lesson progress
0 / 5

Your progress is kept in this browser only.Sign up to save it

Summary

Modernization theory explains how socioeconomic change may transform societies and their political institutions. This lesson introduces its central claims, intellectual roots, and historical influence.

Modernization theory is a sociological and comparative political theory about the consequences of structural socioeconomic development. It links processes such as industrialization, urbanization, rising income per person, and expanding education to changes in political culture, institutions, and values.

All flashcards

What is modernization theory?
A theory linking socioeconomic changes—such as industrialization, urbanization, rising incomes, and education—to possible changes in values, institutions, and political authority.
Does socioeconomic development guarantee democratization in modernization theory?
No. Development may support political change, but institutions, culture, and historical circumstances can shape its direction.
What does dependency theory argue about underdevelopment?
It links underdevelopment partly to unequal global economic relations that transfer resources from poorer peripheral states to wealthier core states.
What are self-expression values in Inglehart and Welzel’s account?
Values they associated with a later, post-industrial stage of development and with conditions that may support democratization.
What is bureaucratic authoritarianism?
Authoritarian rule by a state supported by bureaucratic structures, which O’Donnell argued could accompany industrialization.

Quiz questions

  1. Which social change is one proposed mechanism connecting economic development to democracy?Answer: A stronger middle class may organize for broader political participation.
  2. How does dependency theory explain the economic relationship between core and peripheral states?Answer: Resources can flow from poorer peripheral states to wealthier core states.
  3. What does Barrington Moore’s account of routes to the modern world emphasize?Answer: Societies can follow liberal-democratic, fascist, or communist routes.
  4. What alternative to democratization did Guillermo O’Donnell associate with industrialization in South America?Answer: Industrialization could accompany bureaucratic authoritarian rule.
  5. What inequality-related criticism is made of neoliberal globalization?Answer: Its benefits may be distributed unevenly and widen disparities between rich and poor.

Based on the Wikipedia article Modernization theory, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

More in Sociology

All Sociology lessons
SociologyFunctionalist, Conflict, and Interactionist Perspectives on Stratification5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →SociologyU.S. Race and Ethnicity: Census Categories, Group Histories, and Policy5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →SociologyDisability: Models, History, Rights, and Social Participation5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →SociologyU.S. Social Stratification: Class, Mobility, Poverty, and Assistance5 flashcards · 4 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →SociologyPrejudice, Discrimination, Racism, and Antiracist Action5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →SociologyFamily Challenges: Divorce, Intimate Partner Violence, and Child Maltreatment5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →