THE SOCIAL-HISTORIC PROCESS OF INDIVIDUALIZATION AND THE MECHANISMS OF ITS REALIZATION Part I. Differentiation and rationalization

The process of individualization is a component of the general process of formation of modern societies. The other components are: the formation of capitalism, of industrialism, the process of democratization, urbanization, the formation of modern political and state order. The result of the process of individualization is formation of modern individual. The function and importance of the process is obviously underestimated in sociological theory as compared to the attention given to the processes of formation of capitalism or industrialism. This has become clear as the latest sociology has characterized the contemporary society as “individualized society”.

The article is dedicated to the analysis of the social-historic process of individualization. Its aim is to bring to light the basic mechanisms through which this process was realized. These basic mechanisms are social differentiation, rationalization and civilization. The analysis of the mechanisms of individualization is based on classical and some contemporary sociological theories. The analysis of social differentiation takes the starting point in the analysis of methodological principles of theory of society and theory of social development of E. Durkheim and G. Simmel. The authors strive to point to the fundamentals of the historic process of social differentiation and its main stages.

Rationalization is the main mechanism of the process of individualization. The sociological theories of M. Weber, M. Horkheimer and J. Habermas form the basis of its analysis in the article. This analysis also points to the fundamentals of the process of individualization and to its main stages. 7 The article shows the interconnections of the mechanisms of differentiation, rationalization and civilization in the social-historic process of individualization.

The article also strives to show the significance of the principles of individual liberty and equality as fundamental to the modern ideology.

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