Sources of disillusionment with modernity

To explore the alternatives to modernity, it is important to ask: who are dissatisfied with the processes of modernization and Westernization? Why? What relationship do they hold with the pre-colonial social structure? What are the various constructions of traditions which may help us in examining the present condition critically? It needs to be noted that there are several Westerners also who have provided both rational and non-rational critique of modernity and have proposed new solutions without borrowing from the traditional thought systems of the East.

To me the opposition to present form of development and modernization comes mainly from five sources:

• those left behind in the development process;

• those bearing the risks and cost of development more than the benefits of it, such as fishermen, tribals, small and marginal farmers;

• visionaries who see the unsustainability of development, and a common ruin of the mankind if the present development trends continue;

• those whose life resources depend on continuity of tradition; and

• those whose progress depends on the critique of development.

If you look at the views of traditionalists, terrorists, all critics of rational scientific paradigm, and religious fundamentalists, you find that none of them is actually opposed to development as such. All of them are supporting and promoting development paradigm. Looked at from this perspective Marxism seems to be the only true critique of development but even that is more of an internal critique rather than an external critique which means that the capitalist development is subjected to criticism from the point of view of obstacles to it rather than from the point of view of what it leads to. Marx would have no objection to development as long as it can be made self regulatory to prevent fall in profit and it does not produce proletarianization.