Early modernity was demonstrated by a number of discoveries in the scientific field which eventually gave way to the Industrial Revolution. This meant that the discovery of electricity and batteries as well as the cotton mill and the looms were to give rise to industrial development on a mass scale. However this still meant that those who migrated from the countryside to find new jobs in the cities suffered from relatively poor housing and inhumane working conditions.
This meant that although there were scientific advances in several areas, the worth of humans and dignity was still very low on the agenda for industrialists. In fact Perry is pronounced about what could be termed as the Early Enlightenment period which was definitely not enlightened at all in this respect with suffering very much a commonplace factor. This also meant that whatever progress was made in the scientific field was something which was enjoyed only by the very few.
As the decades went by and the workers movement became more emboldened we could see a shift from Early Modernity to Late Modernity with several factors brought into the equation. In the 1890’s the rise of unionized workers led to more equal distribution of wealth and much improved working conditions for those who toiled in the mass market factories. Still there was a large gap between what could be readily available as in comforts for the rich and for the poor.
As time went by and two world wars receded into the background, social barriers were broken down still further leading to an emphasis on late modernity. This also meant that more could be achieved with less as the invention of such gadgets such as the computer made life easier for all. There was thus a considerable contrast between early modernity and enlightenment which focused primarily on scientific discoveries and late modernity which was more concerned in bringing man up to a level which was more dignified and more easy to live with.
This does not mean that discoveries which came in the latter part of the 18th century were unimportant. It simply meant that life in general was made much easier by the humanist and more caring approach of the 20th century. New scientific inventions were much more harnessed towards the common good than for the few industrialists and the collection of oligarchies which dominated society in the earlier part of the 19th century. The changes wrought by new technology appeared to be more intended for the betterment of the life of the individual and society in general than for those who already had vast wealth and who could control life in one fell swoop.
Works Cited:
Perry M; Western Civilisation Vol 2; New York, Houghton Mifflin Company, 2007, Print
