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“There is certain historical import of the term 'modernization' which is revealed only when we try to assess the actual factors of modernization in the context of a worldwide system of imperialism or Economic, Political and Cultural exploitation. By 'imperialism' is meant the working of multi-national capital throughout the underdeveloped countries..."
Modernization and Philosophical Tradition : India and the Third World
SACHINDRA NATH GANGULY
Sociology of Modernization
‘Modern Challenges' as a significant phrase can only be construed as a situation of clash, conflict or tension born out of considerable dynamic changes in a society. In fact, any contemporary changes need not be called "modern'. Modernization is a tangible historical process and since tradition represents the most conservative, static elements in the society, a conflict or a tension is intelligible only in such a context. In short, the process of modernization faced with the traditional factors create a genuine and historically necessary dialectic. But thanks to many contemporary sociologists (especially the parsonians or structural functionalists) the term 'modernization' is at least as ambiguous (if not more) as the term 'development'. Unless, therefore, we clarify some of the current confusions (or are they deliberate mystification ?) created around the term 'modernization' it is likely that not only unwary travellers but even some smart thinkers in the field of social sciences may fall into the Imperialist trap of acquiescing in the most dangerous hoax that 'Green Revolution' can be a substitute for 'Industrialization'.
Modernization is not a term which-merely refers to an inevitable historical process of "earlier” and “later" so that we are beguiled to believe that the so-called non-modernized countries (also the same as 'underdeveloped) of Asia and Africa have only got a late start and that it is only a matter of time for the latter to be like the former. The terms 'traditional/ relatively modernized' and 'developing are surreptitiously introduced to substitute the terms 'non-modernized' and 'underdeveloped' by certain kinds of sociologists whose motives in doing this are fairly obvious. There is a certain historical import of the term 'modernization' which is revealed only when we try to assess the actual factors of modernization in the
