Abstract:political development is not only a necessary objective condition for the good development of political society in the world,but also an important subject in the academic circles of all countries.The article mainly analyzes Samuel P.Huntington's development theory from three aspects:political stability,political democratization and political institutionalization.
Keywords:Huntington;political development;political stability
Political development refers to the evolution of political form and the corresponding political system from low level to advanced state.On the basis of extensive research,Samuel P.Huntington put forward the famous theory of political development,which provided useful guidance for the modernization of the developing countries.
1.Political stability is the basis of political development
Political stability is the foundation of political development.Without political stability,the progress and breadth of political development will be greatly affected.Huntington believes that a country's success in politics does not depend on whether it promotes social and economic development,nor whether it expands the free power of the people,but whether it has maintained social stability.A comprehensive analysis of Huntington's political stability thought,the most core content of which can be expressed as social mobilization,economic development,social frustration,social activity opportunities,political participation,political institutionalization,and so on.
2.Political modernization is the root of the instability of political development
Most scholars attribute the political instability of developing countries to the backwardness of economic development.It is considered that the economically developed and affluent countries are more likely to gain political stability than those in the poor countries.Huntington believes that there is no necessary link between poverty and political instability.He found that those prone to political turmoil tend to be those countries that have begun to enter the modernization process and have developed fairly economically.Therefore,Huntington believes that the root of the political turmoil lies in the modernization of a country,without modernity,the stability of modernity,and the instability of modernization.The modernization of politics first means the strengthening of the social mobilization ability.With the modernization of a country,the acceleration of the process of urbanization,the popularization of the mass media and the continuous improvement of the level of education,the expectation and desire of the public are constantly increasing.In this rapid development process,there is no set of strong and adaptability.A strong political system can adapt to the rapid expansion of political participation,which can easily lead to violence and instability.
3.Political institutionalization is the goal orientation of political development
The political system is the basic organization of the state power and its related system.It stipulates the fundamental system of a country and dominates the whole political life of the country,and it is the core of the political civilization.The main symbol of a country's political modernization is whether the country has established a scientific,reasonable and effective political system.Huntington believes that the level of the development of a society depends on the extent to which the members of the social group and all kinds of political organizations belong to and identify with the social system.The more complex the society is,the stronger the heterogeneity,and the greater the dependence of the community on the political system.Huntington also believes that the strength of a political community depends on the extent and institutionalization of its political organization and procedures.Huntington's theory of political development holds that the fundamental way to achieve political stability is to adjust the relationship between political and economic development,and to institutionalize the modernization of politics,that is,the process of achieving the value and stability of the political system in organization and degree.
Samuel P.Huntington is one of the greatest political scientists in modern America.His theory has produced an epoch-making significance in the history of the whole political development.Many of the concepts created by Huntington still have a great reference value,such as government authority,citizen political participation,political institutionalization,political integration,political and cultural construction,democratic politics and so on.His political development theory has important significance and far-reaching influence on the political development of all countries in the world.
References:
[1]Samuel P.Huntington,Political Order in Changing Society,New Haven:Yale University,1968.
[2]Samuel P.Huntington,American Politics:The Promise of Disharmony,Cambridge,Massachusetts:The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press,1981.
[3]Samuel P.Huntington,and Weiner,Myron,ed.Understanding Political Development,Boston Toronto:Little,Brown and Company,1987.
[4]Robert D.Putnam,Samuel P.Huntington:An Appreciation,PS,Vol.19,No.4.1986.
[5]Samuel P.Huntington,Political Development and Political Decay[J],World Politics,No.4,1965.
[6]Robert D.Putnam,Samuel P.Huntington:An Appreciation,PS,Vol.19,No.4.1986.
[7]Samuel P.Huntington,Conservatism as An Ideology[J],ASPR,No.2,Vol.51,1957.
作者簡介
唐旭旺(1993-),男,漢族,湖南永州人,南華大學馬克思主義學院碩士研究生。
(作者單位:南華大學馬克思主義學院)