Post-industrial society is short and clear, the most important thing. Post-industrial society - what is it and how does it manifest itself? Countries with a post-industrial society

Humanity is in constant and dynamic development. Once upon a time it was based on primitive communal foundations, but now it is based on the latest technologies and information. At the end of the last century, the so-called era of post-industrial society began. It is the features of this type that will be discussed in this article.

Main types of society

One of the key tasks of the science called sociology is to identify the main types of society. This typologization is based on the views of Karl Marx and Hegel. According to these outstanding thinkers and economists, human civilization develops in an ascending line, passing through a series of specific historical stages that follow each other.

Thus, humanity has already overcome several such steps. We are talking about a primitive, slave-owning, feudal and communist society (the latter type, however, is still preserved in some countries of the world). Today, sociologists distinguish the following types of society: industrial, post-industrial and traditional (or agrarian).

A characteristic feature of the traditional type is that the bulk of all material goods and resources are produced by the agricultural sector. At the same time, industrial sectors are poorly or insufficiently developed. It is worth noting that at the beginning of the 21st century there were practically no purely agricultural countries left. All of them, one way or another, were transformed into industrial ones (as a result of the industrial revolution). Sometimes economists also distinguish an industrial-agrarian type of society. He acts as an intermediate link.

Industrial society arose on the basis of industry, machine production and corresponding forms of labor organization. It is characterized by processes such as urbanization, the formation of a wage labor market, the development of higher and specialized education, the modernization of transport and infrastructure, and so on.

Industrial society, according to the theory of Marxism, sooner or later must transform into a post-industrial society. We will consider the signs and features of this type in more detail. We will also list those countries that are currently at this stage of development.

General characteristics of post-industrial society

The concept of a post-industrial society was developed by scientist Daniel Bell back in 1919. His work was called: “The Coming Post-Industrial Society.” Its signs, according to Bell’s theory, are visible primarily in the size and structure of the state’s GDP. In his opinion, the stage of post-industrial civilizational development should begin precisely in the 21st century. As we can see, his forecast turned out to be accurate.

This stage is due to the development of the latest communication technologies and services, the introduction of innovations, and the transition to electronics at all levels of production activity. Another important feature of post-industrial societies is the high level of development of the service sector in the economy.

Changes during the transition from the industrial to the post-industrial stage of development affect all areas human life, including cultural, scientific and educational. Thus, the culture of post-industrial society is characterized by the emergence of qualitatively new trends, in particular postmodernism. This cultural phenomenon is based on three main principles: humanism, pluralism and irrationalism. Postmodernism as a new movement has manifested itself in many spheres of human life: in philosophy, literature, and fine arts.

Post-industrial society: signs

This type of society, like any other, has its own characteristic features. Among them it is worth highlighting the following:

  • the dominance of abstract, theoretical knowledge over practical ones;
  • an increase in the total number of “intellectuals” (representatives of science, researchers);
  • rapid development of new technologies and innovations;
  • strengthening the importance of information in all spheres of life and activity;
  • dominance of the service sector in the structure of the economy;
  • development and implementation of resource-saving, environmentally friendly production;
  • the gradual blurring of class boundaries and distinctions;
  • the formation of an economically stable layer of society, the so-called middle class;
  • the increasing role of science and education in the life of society;
  • changing the role of women in society (feminization);
  • pluralism of opinions and points of view in politics and culture.

"Tertiary sector" in the economy of post-industrial countries

A full description of post-industrial society is impossible without an analysis of changes in the structure of the economy of these states. After all, it also changes qualitatively.

The economy of a post-industrial society differs primarily in that its structure is dominated by the so-called tertiary sector. What is this, what areas does it include?

The "tertiary sector" in the economy is nothing more than the service sector. Since the economy of a post-industrial society provides for the active introduction into industry of automated machines and lines that do not require human participation, the living labor force is gradually being forced out into other areas of activity. The tertiary sector of the economy includes transport, communications (communications), tourism and recreation, trade, health care system, and the like.

Very often, sociologists and economists also distinguish the “quaternary market” of the economy. It includes science and education, marketing, financial services, funds mass media, as well as all those areas that plan and organize production activities.

Examples of countries with a post-industrial development model

Today, there is a debate in academic circles: which states can be classified as belonging to one or another type of social development? Thus, it is customary to classify as post-industrial those countries in whose economic structure the main share is occupied by “tertiary sector” enterprises.

In the modern world, the countries of post-industrial society are the USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Israel, the Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Luxembourg and others.

The creative class and its role in the development of post-industrial society

This term appeared quite recently in the USA. As a rule, the creative or creative class means that part of civil society that is characterized by maximum activity, mobility and, in fact, creativity. It is representatives of this class who shape public opinion and turn the “wheel of progress.”

In economically developed countries (such as the USA or Japan), the creative class makes up about 20-30% of all workers. It is concentrated, as a rule, in large cities and metropolitan areas of its country. Representatives of the creative class include scientists, journalists, writers, public figures, engineers and artists. In other words, all those who are able to take a creative and innovative approach to solving important problems of society.

Information society and its features

Today, in the 21st century, post-industrial society is often called information or virtual. Its main features are the following:

1. Information is gradually becoming the most important and valuable commodity.

2. One of the key sectors of the economy is the production of necessary information and data.

3. An appropriate infrastructure for consuming information as a product begins to form.

4. There is an active introduction of information technologies into all, without exception, spheres of human life.

Finally...

At the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, a new type of social relations began to form - the so-called post-industrial society. The signs of this new type are associated with radical changes in the field of labor communications, in the structure of the economy, culture and science.

Introduction

Since the late 60s of the twentieth century, science has established an understanding of the economic changes taking place in the most developed countries of the world and the socio-political changes they cause as harbingers of a qualitatively new stage of social progress. To date, many original concepts have been put forward abroad, which summarize the fundamental patterns of economic development and, on this basis, attempts are made to comprehend the global prospects of humanity.

A post-industrial society is a society in which, as a result of the scientific and technological revolution and a significant increase in population incomes, priority has shifted from the primary production of goods to the production of services. The dominant production resource is information and knowledge. Scientific developments become the main thing driving force economy. The most valuable qualities are the level of education, professionalism, learning ability and creativity of the employee.

Relevance of the topicconsists in considering post-industrial society as a whole and the transition of priority from the production of goods to the production of services.

The purpose of this work- define post-industrial society and consider all the specifics of the culture of this society.

To write this test, we used a variety of literature covering various areas of human activity.


1. Post-industrial society


Post-industrial societyis a stage of development of society that began in the last quarter of the 20th century as a result of the scientific and technological revolution, characterized by the development of energy-saving technologies, the creation of high-tech industries, the informatization of society, the development of science and technology, an increase in the level of education, medicine, and the quality of life of people.

In the middle of the 20th century, the modern scientific and technological revolution unfolded, representing a revolution in technology and production technology based on the latest scientific achievements. Its main directions: development of new energy sources, automation of production, its chemicalization and biologization.

The development of the scientific and technological revolution led to the transformation of industrial society into post-industrial society in the last quarter of the 20th century. The transition to energy-saving technologies as a consequence of the energy crisis of the 70s, the creation and widespread use of synthetic materials, the informatization of society based on mass production and the use of personal computers, and robotization led to a change in the employment structure of the population and changed the very face of society. In post-industrial countries, the share of people employed in traditional industries (mining and manufacturing industries, agriculture, construction) does not exceed a third of the population. The nature of work has changed. Thus, in the United States at the end of the 20th century, the share of those employed in manual labor did not exceed 10%, and a century ago it was 90%. And two thirds are engaged in the information business, providing financial, consulting, consumer, tourism, medical, educational and other services, and working in the entertainment industry. This sector of the economy is called tertiary.

In post-industrial society, its basis became middle class- the basis for the stability of society.

The following criteria for belonging to this class can be distinguished:

· family ownership of property equivalent to 20-50 times the average annual income of one employee;

· obtaining income that provides the family with income not lower than the subsistence level;

· respect for the laws and traditions of the country, the ability and desire to defend their rights and freedoms, taking on a share of social responsibility for the future of the country.

The average family owns a cottage or apartment, one or two cars, a full set of modern household appliances, one or more televisions, telephones, etc. The village as a concept has disappeared. A high level of food consumption is ensured by a small layer of farmers.

In a post-industrial society, the quality of life comes to the fore, which means the opportunity to live in harmony with nature. society, oneself. A high quality of life is evidenced by universal literacy and a high level of education for a significant part of the population, high life expectancy, accessibility and good quality of medical services, an increase in leisure time and the ability to manage it rationally, a decrease in crime, etc.

By the beginning of the third millennium AD. About two and a half dozen countries, where more than a fifth of the planet's population lives, have entered the post-industrial stage of development.

But an analysis of world development for the 70-90s shows that the gap between highly educated countries and the periphery of the planet is narrowing. The most effective efforts are those of countries that adhere to the policy of openness of the economy, reduction of the public sector, attraction of foreign capital, and government concern for education. This opens the way to prosperity for even the least backward countries.

Close to post-industrial theory are the concepts of the information society, post-economic society, postmodernism, “third wave”, “society of the fourth formation”, “scientific-information stage of the production principle”. Some futurologists believe that post-industrialism is only a prologue to the transition to the “post-human” phase of the development of earthly civilization.

The term “post-industrialism” was introduced into scientific circulation at the beginning of the 20th century by the scientist A. Coomaraswamy, who specialized in the pre-industrial development of Asian countries. In its modern meaning, this term was first used in the late 1950s, and the concept of post-industrial society received widespread recognition as a result of the work of Professor Harvard University D. Bell, and then developed in the works of other scientists, in particular A. Touraine.

In its modern meaning, the term post-industrial society gained wide recognition after the publication in 1973 of his book “The Coming Post-Industrial Society”, which Bell himself called “an attempt at social prediction”; he pursued the idea that post-war American society was undergoing a transition from “shared civilization” (industrial economy based on corporate capitalism) to a post-industrial knowledge-based society, characterized by the rapid development of computer technology, the growing authority of scientific communities, and the centralization of decision-making.

Machines as the most important form of capital are being replaced by theoretical knowledge, and corporations as centers of social authority by universities and research institutes; The main condition for social advancement is not the possession of property, but the possession of knowledge and technology. All these changes entail a profound transformation of the political landscape: the traditional influence of economic elites is replaced by the influence of technocrats and political experts.

In his book “The Formation of Post-Industrial Society,” Bell substantiated the forecast of the transformation of capitalism under the influence of scientific and technological revolution into a new social system, free from social antagonisms and class struggle. From his point of view, society consists of three spheres independent from each other: social structure (primarily technical and economic), political system and culture. These spheres are governed by contradictory “axial principles”:

· economy - efficiency,

· political system - the principle of equality,

· culture is the principle of personal self-realization.

Modern capitalism, Bell believes, is characterized by the separation of these spheres and the loss of the former unity of economics and culture. He sees this as a source of contradictions in Western society.

Bell based his concept on the idea that the new society would be determined in its main features by the development of science and knowledge, and that science and knowledge itself would become increasingly important over time.

In the 60s of the twentieth century, Alain Touraine argued that post-industrial society operates more globally at the managerial level, using two main forms. Firstly, these are innovations, i.e. the ability to produce new products as a result of investments in science and technology; secondly, self-government becomes a manifestation of the ability to use complex systems of information and communications.

A. Touraine is an active proponent of the concept of post-industrial society, which he characterizes as a society determined by social and cultural, rather than economic factors.

For him, post-industrial society is a class society with deep social conflicts, manifested primarily in the struggle between the ruling class, technocracy and professionals.

Giving great importance in the development of society and social actions, Toure created their unique typology. Those conflicting actions that represent an attempt to protect, reconstruct or adapt some weak element of the social system, be it a value, a norm, power relations or society as a whole, he called collective behavior. If conflicts are social mechanisms for changing decision-making systems and are therefore factors in changing the structure of political forces in the broadest sense of the word, then we should be talking about social struggle. When conflicting actions are aimed at changing the relations of social dominance concerning the main cultural resources (production, knowledge, ethical standards), they can be called social movements.

The negative side of post-industrial society, in his opinion, is the danger of strengthening social control by the state and the ruling elite through access to information and electronic media and communication over people and society as a whole. The life world of human society is increasingly subject to the logic of efficiency and instrumentalism. Culture, including traditional values, is being destroyed under the influence of administrative control, which tends to standardize and unify social relations and social behavior. Society is increasingly subject to the logic of economic life and bureaucratic thinking. People, using social achievements, are forced to protect themselves from the intrusion of the economy and the state into their personal lives.

Thus, to summarize the above, we briefly note that Post-industrial society- designation of a new stage of social development, following the industrial society, put forward in the late 60-70s. 20th century in developed countries. The leading role in the “post-industrial society” is acquired by the service sector, science and education, corporations give up the main place to universities, and businessmen give way to scientists and professional specialists; in the social structure, the leading role passes to scientists and professional specialists; theoretical knowledge serves as a source of innovation and policy formation; production, distribution and consumption of information becomes the predominant sphere of activity of society.


. The transition from industrial society to post-industrial culture


In the second half of the century, developed countries increasingly abandoned assembly lines, standard consumption went out of fashion, individuality and the difference of people became popular, and political pluralism and cultural diversity were considered the preferred values. The economy has moved from serial, continuous production to small-scale and individual production; small businesses and venture capital firms have flourished in the vicinity of large transnational corporations; enterprises and institutions have moved from cumbersome bureaucratic structures to flexible matrix organizations.

The era of unmanned production has arrived. The main characters were “white collar workers” - workers employed in automated production, scientific and applied developments, as well as in the field of information. A special form of employed people has emerged - “computer home workers”, who press the keys of ultra-precise machines and operate with huge flows of information.

The transition to the post-industrial stage of development in the second half of the twentieth century is also associated with further improvement of technologies based on the growth of scientific knowledge and the emergence of information technologies. The influence of information technology on the structure and culture of modern societies has given rise to a new term - the information society.

In the sociological thought of the twentieth century, a direction called technological determinism developed. Representatives of this direction considered the improvement of technology to be the main factor of social progress. However, technology is only a by-product of the process of accumulating knowledge. The very process of creating and implementing technical innovations depends on the cultural context, on the dominant values, on the attitude towards the world inherent in a particular culture. It is a widely known fact that the prototype of the steam engine was invented in antiquity. However, ancient culture did not attach much importance to this technical innovation. The accumulation of knowledge in ancient civilization, as in the civilization of ancient China and other ancient civilizations, was in no way connected with their application in practice in the sense that is familiar to us - to transform nature and satisfy human needs, to constantly improve the efficiency of production activities. Ancient civilizations lacked the desire to transform the world. The world was perceived as a single organic whole, perfect and complete, each element of which follows its purpose. Changes occurred extremely slowly, over the course of many generations, and people actually did not notice them. The prevailing idea was the inviolability and immutability of the world order, of which human society was a part.

In order for knowledge to turn into power, it was necessary to radically change the attitude towards the world around us, a deep reorientation of culture, and a revaluation of traditional values.

Thus, the improvement of technology, the conscious desire for such improvement, is not only the engine of sociocultural changes, but also, to a large extent, their result, the result of the peculiar development, first of all, of European cultures.

Why is it that in European cultures there is such a profound turn in attitude towards the world around us? There is no clear answer to this question. However, with some degree of probability it can be assumed that religion, namely Christianity, played a large role in creating the preconditions for this coup.

It was Christianity that for centuries determined the main basic values ​​of European cultures, and it was Christianity that had an important feature that was not characteristic of the religions of ancient civilizations. Christianity draws a clear line between the earthly world and the heavenly world. At the same time, the earthly world and earthly man suffer from the consequences of sin, i.e. they are imperfect. The world is not a harmonious unity; its proper state is violated. This position contains a certain prerequisite for the formation of an activist, transformative approach to the world. However, in order for this prerequisite to be realized, turning into a person’s creative impulse to change reality, it took more than ten centuries and a combination of unique historical conditions.

Thus, the first and second half of the 20th century are two qualitatively different sociocultural eras. In the first half there were two world wars, in the second - none. The nuclear danger looming over the entire planet made us feel the fragility of human existence and led to the formation of a hitherto unseen type of worldview, which is called planetary thinking. It is based on completely objective processes - the transition of the most developed countries in the 70s from the era of industrial society to the post-industrial era, which is also called the “cybernetic” and “information society”.

Personal computers, automatic word processing, cable television, video discs and recording devices have moved from scientific laboratories into everyday life.

Every year, information in the world doubles and triples, and new information channels appear. The century is called the most dynamic in the entire history of mankind. The processes of renewal, or modernization, have affected all countries of the world and each person individually. Scientists came up with the theory of modernization, and artists came up with a new style of art called modernism.


3. Post-industrial culture

post-industrial culture society

With the emergence of a post-industrial society, issues related to profound human changes in a dynamically changing and saturated information space arise especially acutely.

Once again we should list the features of a post-industrial society:

· a value-based attitude to work, aimed not only at increasing material wealth, but primarily designed to improve the worker’s own potential, satisfy his need for self-expression, release creative potential, and also help achieve his inner harmony;

· the predominance of ideas of anthropocentrism (a high level of human freedom, implying natural human rights, including the ability to choose and implement the outcome of events, creative freedom and other values ​​of human individuality, the principle of meritocracy, according to which success in a career can be achieved with the help of outstanding abilities, level of education and etc., and not due to social origin and financial status);

· increasing the role of knowledge and information; intensive nature of the economy, characterized by the achievement of a higher quality by improving factors of production - progressive means of production, more economical use of natural resources, constant improvement of the skills of workers, modern organization of production, use of the latest technologies, high-quality competitive services and production of civil goods, exchange of knowledge and their mutual assessment, narrow production and commercial decisions, etc.;

· high level of trust; urbanization; lives of citizens; high importance of science and education;

· presence of environmental consciousness;

· reduction of role differences based on cultural, social, religious, racial, national, gender, etc. characteristics, etc.

The main features of innovative or post-industrial culture are receptivity to innovation, dynamism, weakening of normativity, individualism, syncretism, pluralism, diversity, transience, novelty. The process of post-industrialization runs parallel to the process of globalization. The erasing of geographical, informational, cultural boundaries between countries does not imply the loss of national cultural characteristics, but a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the cultures of other countries, perceive something new from them, work, relax in another country, communicate without any stereotypical restrictions with representatives of other countries. crops, etc. This process impossible unless society has a high degree of tolerance and respect for others. American sociologist, founder of the theory of post-industrial society D. Bell notes that today there are significant differences in the concept of culture: continuity and tradition are the basis for the previous concept of culture, and diversity and syncretism are the basis for the modern one. “...The revolution in means of transportation and communication, which turned world society into one huge Oikoumene (Universe), meant the disintegration of old closed cultures and the merging of all the existing traditions of art, music and literature in the world into a new, universal container, accessible to everyone and owing its existence to everyone. This expansion of the horizon, the mixing of individual arts, the search for the “new,” whether it be a journey of discovery or a snobbish desire to be different from others, in itself represents the creation of a new type of modernity.”

D. Trubitsyn, exploring the problems of modernization in Russia and the countries of the East, comes to the conclusion that one of the properties of modern society is tolerance. “This integral quality of modern culture is associated with the dominance of multicultural values ​​and recognition. The other in sociocultural practice. Overcoming this atavism represents a significant social achievement, and the attitude towards otherness becomes an indicator of the modernization of society.” The scientist is confident that “Negative mobilization indicates, first of all, that society is dominated by a marginal mass that is inclined not to solve their own problems, and explain them by the presence of an “enemy”” “Recognition of norms, values ​​and attitudes of other groups, critical Some understanding of cultural stereotypes, awareness of the relative nature of the values ​​of one’s own culture and the ability to look at oneself “from the outside” are necessary conditions for development. At the same time, fear of change, criticism, creativity, distrust of the new (and the “new” in countries of “catching up” modernization comes mainly from the outside) can gradually lead society to collapse,” says D. Trubitsyn.

One of the defining trends in the formation of post-industrial society is the dominance of intellectual and information resources in the development of all socio-cultural systems. Today it becomes obvious that the gradient of the harmonious development of man and society as a whole lies in the area of ​​​​creating new methods of using the information and intellectual resource of society. In modern scientific concepts, one of the main factors for the successful use of IRO is the presence of democratic principles of access and dissemination of information, solving problems of codification of theoretical knowledge. In particular, A.I. Rakitov writes that the main feature of the use of an information resource is the fact that “... any individual, group of persons, enterprise or organization anywhere in the country and at any time can receive, for an appropriate fee or free of charge, on the basis of automated access and communication systems, any information and knowledge necessary for their life and solving personal and socially significant problems.”

However, on modern stage An increasing number of researchers write that the successful use of IRO is connected not so much with the above circumstances, but with the level and content of human culture: a system of knowledge and ideas about the world, about relationships with oneself, society and nature.

The sociocultural context of the use of information and information resources is determined, first of all, by the fact that “unlike all other resources, information is not characterized by either finitude, depletion, or consumability in their traditional understanding, but it is characterized by selectivity, which, ultimately, gives its owner power in post-industrial society. The specific qualities of the person himself, his worldview, psychological characteristics, ability to generalize, finally, memory and the like - everything that is called intelligence (and it is the form of existence of information and knowledge) serves as the main factor limiting the possibilities of familiarization with these resources."

In this regard, we can talk about a change in the dominant function of a person (essential function), which consists of the ability for a special type of reflection (manage information flows, establish connections between a rapidly changing situation and the information received).

The emergence of such an essential human function as rationality in antiquity determined the development of pre-industrial society (the emergence of philosophy as a way of understanding the world, the identification of sciences, the development of art, the creation of laws regulating the foundations of social life), such as creation - the technological achievements of industrial civilization.

In studies of industrial society, such social groups are distinguished as “meritocracy”, “intellectual class”, “intellectual worker”, “neoproletariat” (Gorz A., Mannheim K, Machlup F., Young M.).

D. Bell, based on a study of the characteristics of the working class, shows its division into workers who have a low level of education, are focused on routine operations, and workers who prefer increasing their educational level to the detriment of short-term benefits from routine unskilled labor. Thus, the working class is differentiated and it is from it that a new social group is explicated, which can subsequently provoke a change in the stratification structure of society. This commonality in the works of the above scientists is considered primarily from the perspective of changes in social stratification. The basis for dividing society into social groups is changing. In a post-industrial society, education becomes such a basis, which determines the ability to use knowledge and information.

Meanwhile, the peculiarities of culture in developed Western European societies indicate that this is a process of general human change due to the peculiarities of the formation of a post-industrial society. Bell D., Drucker P., Inozemtsev V.L., Toffler E. analyze the fact that during the transition to a post-industrial society, a special group of people is formed with the following characteristics: an avalanche-like increase in income compared to other members of society, based on the use of IRO, self-reproduction, self-sufficiency, independence from the bourgeois class, officials, high mobility. Each individual representative of this group is capable of creating individual production of information products and services, as a result of which they supply the market not with labor, but with a finished, rare and irreproducible product. The basis for the emergence of this social group is the sociocultural conditions developing in post-industrial society and high standards of education. A high level of education is seen as a relative category. The relativity lies in the fact that the main characteristic of representatives of the “intellectual class” is the level of education, which turns out to be significantly higher than that characteristic at one time or another for the majority of citizens who make up the total labor force.

When studying the education systems of emerging post-industrial societies, we first problematize the situation in which education is viewed as a transmitting part of culture. Accordingly, the function of education is to transmit the cultural code, saturating the younger generation with information. Education becomes a special sphere of human activity throughout life. Its function is not only the directed, systematic transmission of knowledge, skills and abilities from one generation to another, but the development of methods for human adaptation in a complex information space. We can highlight the directions of the educational strategy of a person who has new essential functions:

) formation of fundamental, encyclopedic knowledge;

) formation of intellectual and cultural systems (development of individual creativity, mastering methods of decision-making in conditions of instability, understanding of ontological foundations modern life, knowledge historical traditions, mastery of methods for updating social experience);

) formation of knowledge about technical means and methods of their use (mastering computers, interfaces, using technical tools to overcome language barriers);

) formation of a knowledge system about information laws (limits of information use: value, safety).

The analysis made it possible to conclude that in the post-industrial era, the intensification of information processes, increasingly in-depth processing of information and its comprehensive use can become a factor of harmonious development for a person, increasing stability and adaptability to changing external conditions.


Conclusion


Post-industrial society is a concept of a society in which, thanks to significant scientific and technological transformations, the service sector becomes a priority over industrial production and the agricultural sector. This is a society in which the key role is assigned to education, science and human qualifications. Intelligent technologies act as a productive force.

Services at this stage of social development are perceived on a larger scale. This is not only household services and utilities. This is any social institution created and maintained by society, offering its services to the general public: state, healthcare, science, education, army, transport, communications.

The leading role in the “post-industrial society” is acquired by the service sector, science and education, corporations give up the main place to universities, and businessmen give way to scientists and professional specialists. In the social structure, the leading role passes to scientists and professional specialists; theoretical knowledge serves as a source of innovation and policy formation; production, distribution and consumption of information becomes the predominant sphere of activity of society.

The main features of post-industrial culture are receptivity to innovation, dynamism, weakening of normativity, individualism, syncretism, pluralism, diversity, transience, and novelty. The process of post-industrialization runs parallel to the process of globalization. The erasing of geographical, informational, cultural boundaries between countries does not imply the loss of national cultural characteristics, but a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the cultures of other countries, perceive something new from them, work, relax in another country, communicate without any stereotypical restrictions with representatives of other countries. crops, etc.

Thus, we examined post-industrial society as a whole and the transition of priority from the production of goods to the production of services.

The purpose of this work - to define post-industrial society and consider all the specifics of the culture of this society, has been achieved.


Bibliography


1.Inozemtsev V.L. Modern post-industrial society: nature, contradictions, prospects. Textbook for universities / V.L. Inozemtsev. - M.: Logos, 2000.

2.Russian Sociological Encyclopedia /Under the general editorship of Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences G.V. Osipova. M.: Mysl, 2003.

.Bell D. The Coming Post-Industrial Society. M., 1999.

.Milanchenko A.O. “Tolerance in the culture of post-industrial society” / article on the Internet site “Siberian Association of Consultants”

.Electronic textbook“Introduction to cultural studies: Basic concepts of cultural studies in a systematic presentation” Esin A.B.

.Arab-Ogly, E. View from the 21st century. Book review: Bell D. The Coming Post-Industrial Society. Experience of social forecasting / E. Arab-Ogly // Free Thought-XXI. - 2000. - No. 12

7.Kravchenko A.I. Culturology: Textbook for universities. - 3rd ed. - M.: Academic project, 2001.

8.Semashko M.A. Development of the term “tolerance” in the humanities // Letters to emissia.offline. - 2007. (electronic resource)

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Let's read the information.

Characteristic features of post-industrial society

Sphere of public life

Character traits

Economic

1.High levelusing information for economic development.

2. Dominance of the service sector.

3. Individualization of production and consumption.

4. Automation and robotization of all areas of production and management.

5. Cooperation with nature.

6. Development of resource-saving, environmentally friendly technologies.

Political

1.Strong civil society, where law and law reign.

2.Political pluralism (many political parties).

3. The emergence of a new form of democracy - “democracy of consensus”, based on mutual concessions.

Social

1.Erasure of class differences.

2.Growth of the middle class.

3. Differentiation level of knowledge.

Spiritual

1. The special role of science and education.

2. Development of individualized consciousness.

3.Continuing education.

Let's look at examples.

Post-industrial society

Example

1.State in southwestern Europe (Spain).

It is one of the top ten global manufacturers of cars, ships, forging equipment and gas compressors, machine tools, petroleum products and chemical products.

The banking system is one of the most stable in Europe.

More than 500 political parties and public organizations are officially registered.

Considered a museum under open air. Cultural and historical monuments that have worldwide fame are carefully preserved.

Air transport takes the leading place. Of the 42 airports, 34 provide regular flights.

Spain has a well-developed media network.

2.Country in Northern Europe (Sweden). It is consistently ranked among the 20 most developed countries in the world, and in the top ten in terms of quality of life. The main share of GDP is created by the service sector, which includes tourism (6 million tourists per year).

It has a high level of social protection of the population.

3.Country in Western Europe(France). In terms of total economic output, the country occupies a leading position in the European Union; in terms of GDP per capita ($31,100, 2006) it consistently ranks among the world's top twenty. Has the most developed network in Europe railways. Approximately 30% of GDP is spent on social needs. A 39-hour working week is officially established (the shortest in Europe).

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Used Books:

1. Social studies: Textbook for 10th grade. Part 1 – 3rd ed. / A.I. Kravchenko. – M.: “TID “Russian Word - RS”, 2003.

2. Social studies: Textbook for 11th grade. – 5th ed. / A.I. Kravchenko, E.A. Pevtsova. – M.: LLC TID “Russkoe Slovo – RS”, 2004.

3. Unified State Exam 2009. Social studies. Directory / O.V. Kishenkova. – M.: Eksmo, 2008.

4. Social studies: Unified State Exam-2008: real tasks / author's compilation. O.A.Kotova, T.E.Liskova. – M.: AST: Astrel, 2008.

5. Unified State Examination 2010. Social studies: tutor / A.Yu. Lazebnikova, E.L. Rutkovskaya, M.Yu. Brandt and others - M.: Eksmo, 2010.

6. Social studies. Preparation for the state final certification-2010: educational and methodological manual / O.A. Chernysheva, R.P. Pazin. – Rostov n/d: Legion, 2009.

7. Social studies. Experimental examination paper. Typical test tasks. 8th grade / S.V. Krayushkina. – M.: Publishing House “Exam”, 2009.

8. Social studies: a complete reference book / P.A. Baranov, A.V. Vorontsov, S.V. Shevchenko; edited by P.A. Baranova. – M.: AST: Astrel; Vladimir: VKT, 2010.

9. Social studies: profile level: academic. For 10th grade. general education Institutions / L.N. Bogolyubov, A.Yu. Lazebnikova, N.M. Smirnova and others, ed. L.N. Bogolyubova and others - M.: Education, 2007.

Introduction

post-industrial culture society

Since the late 60s of the twentieth century, science has established an understanding of the economic changes taking place in the most developed countries of the world and the socio-political changes they cause as harbingers of a qualitatively new stage of social progress. To date, many original concepts have been put forward abroad, which summarize the fundamental patterns of economic development and, on this basis, attempts are made to comprehend the global prospects of humanity.

A post-industrial society is a society in which, as a result of the scientific and technological revolution and a significant increase in population incomes, priority has shifted from the primary production of goods to the production of services. The dominant production resource is information and knowledge. Scientific developments are becoming the main driving force of the economy. The most valuable qualities are the level of education, professionalism, learning ability and creativity of the employee.

Relevance of the topic consists in considering post-industrial society as a whole and the transition of priority from the production of goods to the production of services.

The purpose of this work- define post-industrial society and consider all the specifics of the culture of this society.

To write this test, we used a variety of literature covering various areas of human activity.

Post-industrial society

Post-industrial society is a stage of development of society that began in the last quarter of the 20th century as a result of the scientific and technological revolution, characterized by the development of energy-saving technologies, the creation of high-tech industries, the informatization of society, the development of science and technology, an increase in the level of education, medicine, and the quality of life of people.

In the middle of the 20th century, the modern scientific and technological revolution unfolded, representing a revolution in technology and production technology based on the latest scientific achievements. Its main directions: development of new energy sources, automation of production, its chemicalization and biologization.

The development of the scientific and technological revolution led to the transformation of industrial society into post-industrial society in the last quarter of the 20th century. The transition to energy-saving technologies as a consequence of the energy crisis of the 70s, the creation and widespread use of synthetic materials, the informatization of society based on mass production and the use of personal computers, and robotization led to a change in the employment structure of the population and changed the very face of society. In post-industrial countries, the share of people employed in traditional industries (mining and manufacturing industries, agriculture, construction) does not exceed a third of the population. The nature of work has changed. Thus, in the United States at the end of the 20th century, the share of those employed in manual labor did not exceed 10%, and a century ago it was 90%. And two thirds are engaged in the information business, providing financial, consulting, consumer, tourism, medical, educational and other services, and working in the entertainment industry. This sector of the economy is called tertiary.

In post-industrial society, its basis has become the middle class - the basis of social stability.

The following criteria for belonging to this class can be distinguished:

· family ownership of property equivalent to 20-50 times the average annual income of one employee;

· obtaining income that provides the family with income not lower than the subsistence level;

· respect for the laws and traditions of the country, the ability and desire to defend one’s rights and freedoms, taking upon oneself a share of social responsibility for the future of the country.

The average family owns a cottage or apartment, one or two cars, a full set of modern household appliances, one or more televisions, telephones, etc. The village as a concept has disappeared. A high level of food consumption is ensured by a small layer of farmers.

In a post-industrial society, the quality of life comes to the fore, which means the opportunity to live in harmony with nature. society, oneself. A high quality of life is evidenced by universal literacy and a high level of education for a significant part of the population, high life expectancy, accessibility and good quality of medical services, an increase in leisure time and the ability to manage it rationally, a decrease in crime, etc.

By the beginning of the third millennium AD. About two and a half dozen countries, where more than a fifth of the planet's population lives, have entered the post-industrial stage of development.

But an analysis of world development for the 70-90s shows that the gap between highly educated countries and the periphery of the planet is narrowing. The most effective efforts are those of countries that adhere to the policy of openness of the economy, reduction of the public sector, attraction of foreign capital, and government concern for education. This opens the way to prosperity for even the least backward countries.

Close to post-industrial theory are the concepts of the information society, post-economic society, postmodernism, “third wave”, “society of the fourth formation”, “scientific-information stage of the production principle”. Some futurologists believe that post-industrialism is only a prologue to the transition to the “post-human” phase of the development of earthly civilization.

The term “post-industrialism” was introduced into scientific circulation at the beginning of the 20th century by the scientist A. Coomaraswamy, who specialized in the pre-industrial development of Asian countries. In its modern meaning, this term was first used in the late 1950s, and the concept of post-industrial society received wide recognition as a result of the work of Harvard University professor D. Bell, and then developed in the works of other scientists, in particular A. Touraine.

In its modern meaning, the term post-industrial society gained wide recognition after the publication in 1973 of his book “The Coming Post-Industrial Society”, which Bell himself called “an attempt at social prediction”; he pursued the idea that post-war American society was undergoing a transition from “shared civilization” (industrial economy based on corporate capitalism) to a post-industrial knowledge-based society, characterized by the rapid development of computer technology, the growing authority of scientific communities, and the centralization of decision-making.

Machines as the most important form of capital are being replaced by theoretical knowledge, and corporations as centers of social authority by universities and research institutes; The main condition for social advancement is not the possession of property, but the possession of knowledge and technology. All these changes entail a profound transformation of the political landscape: the traditional influence of economic elites is replaced by the influence of technocrats and political experts.

In his book “The Formation of Post-Industrial Society,” Bell substantiated the forecast of the transformation of capitalism under the influence of scientific and technological revolution into a new social system, free from social antagonisms and class struggle. From his point of view, society consists of three spheres independent from each other: social structure (primarily technical and economic), political system and culture. These spheres are governed by contradictory “axial principles”:

· economics - efficiency,

· political system - the principle of equality,

· culture is the principle of personal self-realization.

Modern capitalism, Bell believes, is characterized by the separation of these spheres and the loss of the former unity of economics and culture. He sees this as a source of contradictions in Western society.

Bell based his concept on the idea that the new society would be determined in its main features by the development of science and knowledge, and that science and knowledge itself would become increasingly important over time.

In the 60s of the twentieth century, Alain Touraine argued that post-industrial society operates more globally at the managerial level, using two main forms. Firstly, these are innovations, i.e. the ability to produce new products as a result of investments in science and technology; secondly, self-government becomes a manifestation of the ability to use complex systems of information and communications.

A. Touraine is an active proponent of the concept of post-industrial society, which he characterizes as a society determined by social and cultural, rather than economic factors.

For him, post-industrial society is a class society with deep social conflicts, manifested primarily in the struggle between the ruling class, technocracy and professionals.

Attaching great importance to social actions in the development of society, Toure created their unique typology. Those conflicting actions that represent an attempt to protect, reconstruct or adapt some weak element of the social system, be it a value, a norm, power relations or society as a whole, he called collective behavior. If conflicts are social mechanisms for changing decision-making systems and are therefore factors in changing the structure of political forces in the broadest sense of the word, then we should be talking about social struggle. When conflicting actions are aimed at changing the relations of social dominance concerning the main cultural resources (production, knowledge, ethical standards), they can be called social movements.

The negative side of post-industrial society, in his opinion, is the danger of strengthening social control by the state and the ruling elite through access to information and electronic media and communication over people and society as a whole. The life world of human society is increasingly subject to the logic of efficiency and instrumentalism. Culture, including traditional values, is being destroyed under the influence of administrative control, which tends to standardize and unify social relations and social behavior. Society is increasingly subject to the logic of economic life and bureaucratic thinking. People, using social achievements, are forced to protect themselves from the intrusion of the economy and the state into their personal lives.

Thus, to summarize the above, we briefly note that Post-industrial society- designation of a new stage of social development, following the industrial society, put forward in the late 60-70s. 20th century in developed countries. The leading role in the “post-industrial society” is acquired by the service sector, science and education, corporations give up the main place to universities, and businessmen give way to scientists and professional specialists; in the social structure, the leading role passes to scientists and professional specialists; theoretical knowledge serves as a source of innovation and policy formation; production, distribution and consumption of information becomes the predominant sphere of activity of society.

The definition of post-industrial society states that in connection with the scientific and technological revolution and increased income of the population, priority has moved from the production of goods to the production of services. Information and knowledge are now especially in demand, and scientific achievements have become the basis of the economy. When applying for a job, the level of education and professionalism, learning ability and creativity are assessed. The article describes the new economy.

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What services are in demand in post-industrial countries?

These are the countries where the service sector accounts for more than half of GDP. This list contains:

  • USA - 80% as of 2002.
  • EU countries - 69.4% in 2004.
  • Australia - 69% as of 2003.
  • Japan - 67.7% in 2001.
  • Canada - 70% as of 2004.
  • Russia - 58% in 2007.

In a post-industrial society, the volume of production of material assets does not decrease, but only develops less actively than the volume of services. The latter refers not only to trade, public services, but also any infrastructure. Today the society contains:

Some futurologists are confident that post-industrial society is only an introductory part to the “post-human” stage of development of civilization on planet Earth.

Main features of post-industrial society

The term “post-industrialism” appeared at the beginning of the 20th century, it was introduced by A. Kumaraswamy, a specialist who studies the pre-industrial development of Asian countries. The term took on its modern meaning in the middle of the century, and gained widespread recognition thanks to the work of Daniel Bell. A professor at Harvard University published a book in 1973 "The Coming Post-Industrial Society", which marked the beginning of a new concept. It is based on the division of social development into 3 stages:

  1. In pre-industrial times, the most important structures were the church and the army, the determining sphere being agriculture.
  2. In the industrial world, corporations and firms were in the first positions, and industry was an important sector.
  3. In the post-industrial period, theoretical knowledge has come to the fore, led by the university, where its production and accumulation take place.

The mass consumer society arose as a response to assembly line production, which increased labor productivity, but now the continuous production of information has arisen, making it possible to obtain development in all directions. The service economy, which arose on the basis of mass consumption, gave rise to the information economy; this sector is developing most actively.

Reasons for appearance

Researchers of this phenomenon have not found common ground, so there are many reasons for the emergence of a post-industrial society:

“Marxists” see other reasons:

  • The division of labor from production constantly isolates individual actions, which are formed into a separate service. For example, previously the manufacturer himself developed and implemented an advertising campaign, which was part of the business, but now advertising business- an independent sector of the economy.
  • Labor has divided and become international, production is concentrated in regions where specific activities are more profitable. Previously, such processes separated physical and mental labor. This distribution resulted from the expansion of corporations beyond national boundaries. To improve efficiency multinational companies locate their production in regions where trade is more profitable. At the same time, transport costs are reduced. Nowadays, production is located far from the source of raw materials or the consumer. The profit belongs to the parent company located in another country.
  • The economy and labor productivity are developing, which is changing consumption patterns. After a stable supply of necessary goods has been established, there is an active increase in the consumption of services, and the consumption of goods decreases slightly.
  • Most services are consumed locally, and even a reduced price for a haircut in one country is unlikely to affect the price in another. But now information is a mass commodity, which allows the development of distance trading.
  • By their nature, some services cannot increase productivity. For example, a taxi driver cannot drive two cars at once. If demand increases, the car will become a bus or the number of taxi drivers will increase. However, with mass industrial production, the number of products produced by one person constantly increases. Therefore, there are more workers in the service sector.

Social structure

Characteristic feature such a post-industrial society is strengthening the meaning of a person. Labor resources change their structure: physical labor decreases, mental, highly qualified and creative labor increases. The costs of training workers are growing: it is necessary to provide them with training and education, and improve their skills. It is known that in the United States, “man of knowledge” accounts for 70% of all employees.

"Class of professionals"

Some researchers formulate the characteristic of a post-industrial society as a “society of professionals.” In him the main class are intellectuals, where power belongs to the intellectual elite, whose representatives at the political level become consultants, experts or technocrats. The division of society based on education is already clearly visible.

“Knowledge workers” will not be the majority, but they are already the leading class of the “knowledge society.”

Wage labor: change in status

The main means of production in a post-industrial society is employee qualifications. In this case, the means of production belong to the employee, and therefore the value of employees is high for companies. The relationship between the employer and the knowledge worker becomes a partnership, and dependence on companies is sharply reduced. The structure of the corporation is changing from a central hierarchical to a hierarchical network, where increasing the independence of the hired employee plays a role.

In large companies, all working and even managerial positions are occupied by hired employees who are not owners.

Creativity is important

Some researchers argue that industrial society enters a post-economic phase of development, when the dominance of the economy begins to fade. The production of material goods becomes non-main, and the main form of human activity becomes development of abilities. In developed countries, there is a tendency to express oneself by reducing material motivation.

However, the post-industrial economy has less and less need for unskilled labor, which increases difficulties for the population whose educational level does not reach the new standards. A situation arises where the growth of the unskilled part of the population reduces the power of the country's economy, rather than increasing it.

Points of view on the new society are multipolar. Thus, some researchers believe that the world in the 21st century looks quite autonomous, can control the production of technologies, and also provide itself with industrial and agricultural products. It is relatively free of raw materials and also self-sufficient in trade and investment.

Others believe that the success of the modern economy is temporary. It was achieved thanks to unequal relations between developed countries and regions of the planet, which provided them with cheap labor and raw materials. Excessive stimulation of the financial and information sphere of the economy to the detriment of material production led to a global economic crisis.

Features of post-industrial society