Modernisation
Topic: Economic Planning in India: Goals, Models and Import Substitution · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 2 "Indian Economy 1950-1990"
Meaning
Modernisation is one of the four goals of Indian planning. The other three are growth, self-reliance and equity. It has two parts:
- New technology: adopting new tools and methods to raise production.
- A change in social outlook: people's thinking must also change.
Modernisation can clash with jobs. Labour-saving machines raise output but can cut employment, so planners had to balance the two.
Example
- New technology: farmers used new seed varieties, and factories brought in new machines.
- Change in outlook: people accepted that women should have the same rights as men, and women's talents came to be used in banks, factories and schools.
Don't confuse with
- Growth: growth is a rise in the country's capacity to produce goods and services, measured by a steady rise in GDP. Modernisation is about producing in new ways and changing social attitudes. A country can have growth without a change in its social outlook.