The third modernization echelon is a reality

In the second half of the XIX century, economists theoretically divided all the states of the world into two modernization echelons, thereby determining their place in global material production. This classification even today worries the minds of specialists in many states that have taken the path of bringing public relations closer to the world standards set by the highest indicators of technical development. True, now there are not two, but three echelons.

The leading first industrial echelon

The main indicator that determines what the modernization echelon is is the way of development of the state, as well as the nature of the motivating reasons that caused socioeconomic reforms. Economic evolution contributed to the gradual adaptation of legislation to the needs of the developing market, and the initiative was, figuratively speaking, "from below."

At some stage the productive forces were not satisfied with existing legal norms, and there was a gradual departure from them in favor of new social relations, which inevitably entailed an improvement in the conditions for economic growth and, step by step, "interrupted the gradualness," as Hegel put it. This is how the countries of the first echelon developed , including historically Western European states and the North American States.

In a simplified form, the situation in these countries can be presented as a constant request, passing into the demand from the active part of the population to the government: "Do not prevent us from developing!"

Countries of the second echelon of modernization

In the Russian Empire, Japan, Turkey, Spain, Portugal and some other countries at the turn of the XIX and XX centuries the situation was somewhat different. Certain historical features of the development of these states led to a situation in which their industrial growth occurred with some (sometimes quite conditional) lagging behind the leaders. Despite this, some indicators allowed them to maintain the primacy in many sectors, for example, Russia quickly built railroads of large lengths, grown a huge number of grain, and the growth rate of production beat all records.

The second modernization echelon is the countries that are trying to overcome the backlog of their own industrial technologies from the advanced level. This process is initiated by the state leadership, concerned about possible external threats and internal problems in case of further maintaining or increasing the technological gap.

This situation can be simplified as an appeal of the head of state to citizens: "Gentlemen, comrades, we must do something, or it will be bad. And I know what it is. " Often, such modernization was carried out to strengthen the military potential necessary for unleashing aggression and external expansion, but sometimes it also had a peaceful character.

Where did the third echelon come from?

In the middle of the twentieth century on the world map there were a number of states that seemed technically backward enough that no one could foresee possible prospects for their industrial development. Destroyed by the Japanese aggression and the subsequent war of 1950-1953, South Korea in a few decades has made a rapid leap, turning into one of the leaders of world engineering. Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand and other Asian "young tigers" also firmly identified their positions in the global market. In the late seventies, no one could imagine that China would literally fill up its goods with counters in all corners of the world.

The third echelon is the countries that managed to turn their national problem, namely the low level of the population's income, into a huge competitive advantage. The cheap labor has acted as the engine of progress. Modernization was carried out on the basis of borrowed technologies and comprehensive state support.

Will there be a fourth?

The reasons for the emergence of the third modernization echelon are interesting. This is primarily the desire of the world's leading corporations to reduce the cost of their products, moving production facilities to countries with low-cost labor, a favorable investment climate and a stable political situation. Having received at their disposal all this, the whales of the world economy have achieved a paradoxical result. Advanced technologies have become available, and the GDP growth of producer countries allows them to pursue their own competitive innovation policy.

Will there be a fourth echelon of modernization? While this issue remains open.