Modernization, Cultural Change, and Democracy The Human Development Sequence [Paperback]

This book presents a revised version of modernisation theory.This book demonstrates that people's basic values and beliefs are changing, in ways that affect their political, sexual, economic, and religious behavior. Drawing on a massive body of evidence from eighty countries, the authors demonstrate that modernization is a process of human development, in which economic development gives rise to cultural changes that make individual autonomy, gender equality, and democracy increasingly likely.This book demonstrates that people's basic values and beliefs are changing, in ways that affect their political, sexual, economic, and religious behavior. Drawing on a massive body of evidence from eighty countries, the authors demonstrate that modernization is a process of human development, in which economic development gives rise to cultural changes that make individual autonomy, gender equality, and democracy increasingly likely.This book demonstrates that people's basic values and beliefs are changing, in ways that affect their political, sexual, economic, and religious behavior. These changes are roughly predictable because they can be interpreted on the basis of a revised version of modernization theory presented here. Drawing on a massive body of evidence from societies containing 85% of the world's population, the authors demonstrate that modernization is a process of human development, in which economic development triggers cultural changes that make individual autonomy, gender equality, and democracy increasingly likely.Part I. The Forces Shaping Value Change: 1. A revised theory of modernization; 2. Value change and the persistence of cultural traditions; 3. Exploring the unknown: predicting mass responses; 4. Intergenerational value change; 5. Value changes over time; 6. Individualism, self-expression, and civic virtues; Part II. Consequences of Value Change: 7. The causal link between democratic values and democratic institutions: theoretical discussion; 8. The cl“„