Modernization and Westernization

Modernization and Westernization
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Modernization and Westernization
Modernization involves urbanization; industrialization; increasing levels of education, literacy, social mobilization, and wealth; and more diverse and complex occupational structures. On the other hand, westernization mostly involves adopting the culture of the West. However, most of what is categorized under modernization is related to westernization since it came from the West. The West was the first to modernize, thus becoming the first culture to modernize (Huntington, 1996). As the other societies adopt similar patterns of work, wealth, class structure, and education, the argument on modernization claims that the Western culture will envelop the world. The aim of this paper is to argue on modernization and westernization.
Huntington (1996) argues that modernization is not westernization, and to some extent, this is true since claiming that any country that is modernized, is westernized is depreciating other cultures. Western civilization is not modern civilization since, according to civilization scholars, Western civilization emerged during the 8th and 9th centuries and, in the centuries that followed, and it developed its unique characteristics. The West did not begin modernizing until the eighteenth century; therefore, the West was Western before it was modern. Therefore, this means that, a country does not have to be westernized so that it can be modernized. For example, China is a modernized country, but it is not westernized. However, these cultures tend to absorb various elements of Western culture then use them to enhance their own cultural identity. Currently East Asians argue that their dramatic economic development to adherence of their culture and not adoption of the Western culture. Most countries in the world are becoming increasingly modern and less Wes...