Development of Modernism, modernity and modernization in Australia between the first and second world wars (1919-1939)



Development of Modernism, modernity and modernization in Australia between the first and second world wars (1919-1939)

Introduction

Modernism is a term which broadly refers to a revival in multiple disciplines, such as art, architecture, and other factors affecting the society. The notion of modernism is specifically designated to the modernism movement which evolved in culture and arts and gradually expanded to other dimensions of the society. Apart from arts; modernism embraces the revolutionary thoughts put forward by social, economic, and political evolutions and thrashes the traditional ideas associated to architecture, arts and literature.

The movement held its origin in the western society and resulted in factors such as industrialization, urbanisation, consumerism, health, and leisure. The First World War drastically affected the spread of modernism.

This essay aims to discuss the concept of modernism, modernity, and modernisation, in context of the Australian society. The essay will focus on how modernism has influenced arts and architecture in Australia.

Discussion

Difference and relationship between Modernism, modernization and modernity

The word modern is common across all the three words modernism, modernization, and modernity. The word “modern” translates into a meaning of recent or present times. The literal meaning of the word is closely related to the concept of time. As time and centuries passes, tangible and intangible information and things becomes old-fashioned and the world rapidly approaches to the next modern things (Wallis 1984).

Modernization refers to the discipline of sociology and translates in to a framework which signifies transformation from a period of traditional to a modernistic society. This notion of modernization is comprehensively explained in the paradigm and theories put forward by social evolutionism, which explains the process of how societies achieved modernity. Sociologists and historians associate the process of modernization with the concepts of industrialization, urbanisation and the spread of education. Additionally, the concept of modernisation is linked with an enhanced presence of rationality among the population. Increasing reliance on rationality is replaced by an equivalent decrease in the religious and cultural beliefs. Moreover, as the concept of modernisation nurtures within a society, the essential blocks in a society, such as family and community are replaced by individual.

On the other hand, modernism can be broadly categorized as a modern practise, thought, or character. However, the notion of modernism is specifically designated to the modernism movement evolving in culture and arts. The movement held its origin in the western society and factors such as industrialization, urbanisation, and the post effects of World War I. Apart from arts; modernism embraces the revolutionary thoughts put forward by social, economic, and political evolutions and thrashes the traditional ideas associated to architecture, arts and literature.

Modernity refers to the transition from feudalism or agrarianism society and values towards modernistic values, such as secularization, capitalism, nationalism. Whereas, modernism might relate to a specific movement originating from the Western society, modernity refers to the changes occurring in social relations and intellectual values which are associated with the advent of capitalism ...