Review article
Theories of Social Modernization and Structures of Organized Violence
Tomislav SMERIĆ
Zdenko ZEMAN
Gabrijela SABOL
Abstract
The central thesis of this article is that one of the key
premises of the macrosociological theories of the 19th
century – the "pacifist" idea of the progressive elimination of
violence from the life of modern society – should be
corrected by the approach which will not ignore the
persisting coexistence of "organized violence" (here, primarily,
military power and institutions) and modern social "order".
Insight in such coexistence is clearly articulated and established in some recent sociological theories of social
modernization by recognizing the autonomous role of
"structures of organized violence". In that context
"autonomous" means that the modernizing effects of "military
factor" are no longer reduced to mere derivates of impacts of
"higher order" factors (economic, political, ideological,
technological etc.), but are interpreted as effects of the
instance characterized by its own (specific) developmental
logic and dynamics – always in interaction with the other
fundamental developmental dimensions. The
aforementioned finding also calls for caution regarding the
theoretical attempts to identify modernization and
"progressive" demilitarization of post-cold war societies.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
18069
URI
Publication date:
31.12.2005.
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