Second modernity

The term second modernity was coined after the alleged collapse of a so-called old order of first modernity by Heinrich Klotz early 1990s for the art and architecture of the present. The term is currently used by the German sociologist Ulrich Beck for his theories of both economic and socio- political changes in the wake of globalization world.

First Modern

The (First ) Modern regarded as the time from the Enlightenment, especially industrialization and progressing with their bureaucratization. It began with the 18th century, and during that time, the civil society and the national state developed. It was developed by sociologists such as Max Weber ( Economy and Society, 1922) and Ferdinand Tönnies (Spirit of Modern Times, 1935) described classically.

Second Modernity

The theory of the second modernity implies that there is a radicalization of the principles of modernity - by which, inter alia, Autonomy of the individual, rationalization and Fordism fall - give. The second modernity, which began in the late 20th century with mid /, encompasses the process of the now almost ubiquitous globalization with precarious employment and the emergence of a world society. The second modernity can be seen as a cultural response to the digital revolution.

A key differentiator between First and Second modernity is the Unrevidierbarkeit the resulting " globality ". The above new principles, which are, among other phenomena of globalization, increasingly came into conflict with the institutions of first modernity, such as the nation-state. In the course of this development, therefore, receive the transnational corporations increasingly power, whereas the power of nation states to ever pick up in relation, ie the nation state loses its sovereignty. This will bring an increase of problems that are observed almost everywhere today.

Examples of these are the conflicts between real and virtual taxpayers, the reduction of the welfare state coupled with the growth of social inequality and called the decrease in social integration. The core question of the second modernity is the search for solutions to the emerging challenges posed by globalization, flexibility, increased unemployment, environmental pollution and the erosion of functioning political, social and cultural systems.

The exact definition of the second modernity is still unclear and is in development. This depends also on whether it is a first current and still relatively new process at all, the need for further studies, or whether its central features are not already early modern (globalization) and the criticism essentially 200 years ago, for example, has been practiced in the Romantic and German idealist philosophy.

Ulrich Beck wants to sharpen his remarks the look for a new one and the problems associated therewith. The new thing that has emerged in the western, capitalist society, is described by several other sociologists - for example, by Daniel Bell and Anthony Giddens. Characteristic tags are for example characterized by Jürgen Habermas, the " new complexity ", the term used by Ulrich Beck 'risk society' and the expression flexible person who comes from Richard Sennett. Ulrich Beck and the authors of the Second Edition Modern have the hope that it will succeed in humans, thereby shaping their future reasonable that on the basis of an analysis of the current (global) problems improvement approaches are developed.

The term " second modernity " previously could not prevail in the social sciences. The fact broader phenomena are, however, as described above, characterized similarly by many sociologists. Other and many economists consider the positive effects of globalization.