Major theories of change and development include Functionalism and Social Evolution, Modernization Theory, and Conflict Theory and Change. While all these theories focus on how people or how society as a whole changes or transforms, they also have various significant differences. Functionalism and Social Evolution is a theory that basically states that a society has multiple sectors that are dependent on each other and collaborate to ensure the survival and development of the society as a whole. In addition, according to the theory, people have different behaviors and roles that work to satisfy the needs and requirements of society. On the other hand, the Modernization Theory explains not only the processes of how a society progresses or changes, but also how it responds to those changes. Moreover, based on the theory, among all the variables that contribute to social evolution such as economic progress, it is the technological advancements that play a major role in the development of people or a society as a whole. Finally, the Conflict theory generally focuses on the on an individual’s or a group of individuals capability to influence, coerce, and control others in order to create social order. According to the theory, each person in a society struggle to maximize their resources and benefits, inevitably causing social changes in the economy and politics, among others.
Generally, the main difference between the three theories is the agent, factor, or variable that causes the change in a society. In the Functionalism theory, it is the roles and behaviors of each individual that when working together interpedently cause social changes. In the Modernization theory, it is social advancements such as technological changes and upgrades which are also produced by people that mainly cause the social transformations or changes. Finally, in the Conflict theory, it is ability of the members of a society to influence others and the continuous struggle among them to achieve social order that result in social changes.
