Theme 15. The psychological profile of a specialist of industrial society.

The classic description of the industrial society says that it is formedbecause of the development of machine production and the emergence of new forms of mass labor organization. Historically, this step corresponds to the social situation in Western Europe in the 1800-1960es.

General characteristics. The generally accepted characteristics of industrial society includes several basic features. What are they? Firstly, the industrial society is based on the development of industry. In it there is a division of labor, which contributes to increased productivity. An important feature is the competition. Without it, the characteristics of the industrial society would be incomplete.

Capitalism leads to the fact that actively growing the entrepreneurship of bold and enterprising people. At the same time developing civil society, as well as the state management system. It becomes harder and more efficiently. Industrial society is inconceivable without modern means of communication, urbanized cities and high quality of life of the average citizen.

Technology development. Any characteristic of an industrial society, in short, involves the phenomenon of the Industrial Revolution. That it has allowed the UK first in human history to stop being an agricultural country. When the economy begins to rely not on the cultivation of crops, but to the new industry, there are the first sprouts of industrial society.

Thus, there is a significant reallocation of labor. The labor force leaving agriculture and goes to town on the plants. The agricultural sector is up to 15% of the inhabitants of the state. The growth of urban population also contributes to the revival of trade.

In the production, main factor is the entrepreneurial activity. In the presence of this phenomenon is characteristic of industrial society. About this relationship first described Austrian and US economist Joseph Schumpeter. In this way, society at some point is going through scientific and technological revolution. After this, takes place the post-industrial period, which already meets modernity.

Free society. However, with the advent of industrialization society is social mobility. This allows people to destroy those frameworks that exist in the traditional manner, characteristic of the middle Ages and the agrarian economy. In the state boundaries are blurred between the classes. They lost caste. In other words, people can get rich and become successful through their efforts and skills, not looking at his own origin. Characteristics of industrial society is a considerable economic growth, what is happening at the expense of increasing the number of highly qualified specialists. In a society in the first place are techniques and scientists who will shape the future of the country. This procedure is also called technocracy and technology power. Becomes more significant work of traders, advertising specialists and other people holding a special position in the social structure

Folding of the national states. Scientists have determined that the main characteristics of industrial society are equal to the fact that industrial and technological structure becomes dominant in all spheres of life from culture to economy. However, urbanization and changes in the social stratification is the emergence of nation-states, folded around a common language occur. In addition, a big role in this process plays a unique ethnic culture. In the medieval agrarian society, national factor was not so significant in medieval agrarian society. In Catholic kingdoms, XIV century was much more important belonging to a particular lord. Even the army existed based on employment. Only in the XIX century finally formed the principle of national recruitment to government armed forces.

Demography. Changing the demographic situation. What is hidden characteristic of industrial society? Signs of change are going to lower fertility in one of the average family. People spend more time on their own education, changing standards in relation to the presence of offspring. All this affects the number of children in one of the classical " cell of society". However, at the same time decreases mortality. It is connected with the development of medicine. Services of doctors and medicines are accessible to a broad segment of the population. Increased life expectancy. Population is dying in the elderly than in the young (eg, disease or war).

Consumer society. Enriching people in the industrial era has led to the emergence of the consumer society. The main motive of the labor of its members become a desire to buy. A brand new system of values, which is built around the importance of material wealth, is created. German sociologist Erich Fromm coined the term. In this context, he stressed the importance of reducing working hours, increasing the proportion of free time, as well as the blurring of the boundaries between classes. Such is the characteristic of an industrial society. The table shows the main features of this period of human development.

Mass culture. The classic description of the industrial society on the life spheres says that in each of it consumption increases. Production starts focus on the standards that defined by the so-called mass culture. This phenomenon - one of the most striking features of the industrial society.

What is it? Mass culture formulates the basic attitudes of the consumer society in the industrial era. Art becomes accessible to all. It is free or involuntarily promotes certain standards of behavior. They can be called a fashion or lifestyle. In the West flourishing mass culture was accompanied by its commercialization and the creation of show-business.

The theory of John Galbraith. Industrial society carefully studied by many scientists of the XX century. One of the most prominent economists in the series is John Galbraith. He explained some of the fundamental laws by which formulated the characteristic of an industrial society. At least seven of the positions of his theory became fundamental to the new economic schools and trends of our time.

Galbraith believed that the development of industrial society has led not only to the establishment of capitalism, but also to the creation of monopolies. Large corporations in the economic conditions of the free market acquire wealth and absorb competitors. They control the production, trade, capital, and progress in science and technology.

Strengthening the economic role of the state. An important characteristic of an industrial society in the early 20th century, according to John Galbraith theory is that in a country with such a system of relations the state increases its intervention in the economy. Prior to that, in the agrarian middle Ages power simply did not have the resources to dramatically influence the market. The situation is quite reverse in the industrial society.

The Economist noted in his own opinion the development of technology in the new era. By this term he meant the systematic application of new knowledge in the workplace. The requirements of scientific and technological revolution leads to the fact that in the economics the state and corporation triumph. This is because they become the owners of the unique scientific production developments.

At the same time, Galbraith believed that the industrial capitalism, the capitalists themselves have lost their previous influence. Now, having money does not mean the power and importance. Instead, the owners come to the forefront scientific and technical experts, who can offer a new modern inventions and manufacturing techniques. Such is the characteristic of an industrial society. According to the plan Galbraith, a previous working class is being eroded in these conditions. Aggravation relations between the proletarians and capitalists come to naught because of technological advances and the equalization of income of certified specialist.