WESTERN CIVILIZATION OR MODERNIZATION AS A UNIVERSAL CHANGE PROCESS

Civilization is a material and spiritual accumulation of one or more societies. In this sense, civilization concerns all societies. However, when it comes to modernization, the first thing that comes to mind is the West. This is also rational, scientific, technological and administrative dominant activity that emerged as a result of the Renaissance, reform and Enlightenment. Although modernity has emerged from the West, it is not only specific to the West. According to the other world in the Middle Ages Western civilization was lag behind. The West owes its revival to the East (other world outside the West) to a large extent. As of today, it is a must to look at the East in order to understand the past and present of the world civilization history or Western civilization. Modernity has been seen as the only way of life that is right and desirable over time. It was imposed on all societies after the French Revolution. In modern understanding, human has changed places with God. The only valid guide has been the human mind. Modern life that has lost its magic has been reduced only to the world of facts. This extreme secular life has brought with it many deficiencies, negativities and weaknesses. Modern life has centered on human freedom. It is the most advanced and the most valid lifestyle. The mind that is considered the measure of all things has become a dogma. Thus modernity has fallen into a great contradiction. Modernization has brought comfort to human life, but it also has enslaved her. In the modern world based on material realities, tears, injustice and exploitation became commonplace. This study, aims to reveal the emergence of modern life with its positive and negative aspects. The study has been dealt with a descriptive method based on literature review.

Keywords

West, Civilization, Renaissance, Reform, Enlightenment and Modernization