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Showing papers on "Westernization published in 1969"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper argued that the renaissance of Buddhism and the emergence of a strong Buddhist Sinhalese nationalism is viewed as a reaction to western influences rather than an autonomous development of Sinhalee society and culture.
Abstract: Studies on social and political change tend to emphasize factors promoting change rather than factors maintaining or reenforcing an existing or a “traditional” social and political system. Among the topics studied from this point of view in Ceylon are the “disintegrating village” (Sarkar and Tambiah 1957), the caste system, a “system in transition” (Ryan 1953), the impact of population growth and colonial legislation on “land tenure in Village Ceylon” (Obeyesekere 1966 and Leach 1961), the development of a western political system and the newly “emerging elite” (Singer 1964), and the impact of industrialization and economic development on the Ceylonese community and caste structure and the “emergence of a class of industrial entrepreneurs” (Evers 1964). In all these booklength studies traditional Sinhalese institutions and values are depicted as distintegrating under the pressure of various factors of change and only limited attention is paid to institutions which effectively counteract westernization, modernization, and possibly change. It is perhaps interesting to note that in line with this way of arguing, the renaissance of Buddhism and the emergence of a strong Buddhist Sinhalese nationalism is viewed as a reaction to western influences rather than an autonomous development of Sinhalese society and culture.

9 citations




Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Van Leeuwen as discussed by the authors argues that the "spiritual East," though it continues to resist this cultural juggernaut, is irresistibly caught under its wheels and argues that non-western peoples to accuse the west of "materialism" whilst themselves making every effort to reach the same standard of living within as short a time as possible.
Abstract: WESTERN technology is rapidly changing the face of the globe, transforming everything it touches. Its major impact, however, may not be so much upon the external environment as upon man's value-systems. The expansive power of western civilization is drawing all cultures and religions into its revolutionary orbit and creating a new vision of man and his role on this planet.1 The "spiritual East," though it continues to resist this cultural juggernaut, is irresistibly caught under its wheels. "It is nonsense," says van Leeuwen, "for the nonwestern peoples to accuse the west of 'materialism' whilst themselves making every effort to reach the same standard of living within as short a time as possible."2 Jet travel, atomic energy and the electronics revolution along with the more subtle forces of nationalism, socialism, democracy and radical self-criticism seem unquestionably to be gaining momentum.

1 citations