kultura da modernizacia - Center for Social Sciences

TOPIC 9. “MINOR CULTURES” AND THE PROBLEM OF MODERNIZATION.
GEORGIAN CULTURE AND THE PROBLEMS OF MODERNIZATION.
In the case of minor cultures’ modernization, we should mention several categories, especially
tradition, as in numerous cases, modernization of minor cultures are discussed as a process,
conducted at the expense of disparaging the traditions of these cultures, equal to losing their own
peculiarity.
Nowadays, modernization bares an “anti-traditional” character, especially in case of analyzing
the nonwestern cultures’ modernization, as the modernization of these communities was
conducted at the expense of suppressing local traditions. Within the context of the western
community, modernization means extension of western traditions and its development.
However there is a great contrast between “traditional” and “modern” communities, successful
modernization can take place, if it is based on some elements of traditional regulation. Thus
successful functioning of the “modern” community depends on the existence of relevant traditional
preconditions, their introduction and use into the modern system.
That’s why it is necessary:
1. To review correlation of tradition and variability, to conduct analysis of the present traditional
community forces, which facilitate the process of changes and of those, which impede it.
Correspondingly, the place of these factors should be analyzed in the general structural and
cultural system of regulation.
2. To reveal difference among the changes, which accompany to the traditional order and
which leave these limits and cause renewal of the community.
3. To disclose the differences between the changes, which promote further development of the
community and which undermine this ability. 115
4. To reveal a general character of impact of modern changes on the traditional system.
5. To determine how community can work out within its own heritage and it has an ability to
solve these problems; or to reach this through the adaptation to new conditions of its central
institutions and without important changes in the sphere of values and ideas (or their
transformation). (S.N.Eisenshtadt).
On the basis of discussed information, we have tried to determine typological (traditional or
innovational, individualistic or collectivistic) essence of Georgian culture; to analyze correlation of
tradition and modernization, peculiarities of the Georgian culture, to find out the degree of
modernization of the Georgian society. We have overviewed the history of Georgia during the last
two centuries; changes, that have influenced Georgian culture on the background of ongoing
processes in the modern world. Thus, we have outlined the possible variants of the development of
Georgian culture.
It is necessary to admit, that during the Soviet period Georgia was excluded from the world
processes. However, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, it has appeared face to face with the
problems of globalization. Therefore it is interesting to work out the best way for Georgia to deal
with the processes of globalization and which nuances should have been underlined. On the
background of the ideas of the western and non-western thinkers, we have tried to examine the
Georgian reality.
There is no national way out the challenges of globalization, there is only the transnational way
out. Regionalism – this is a creation of transnational, supranational unities. The creation of
transnational and supranational unities are caused by economical and political factors and such
unities are based on cultural similarities. Nowadays, only the European countries are united in
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