An Exploration Of Western "Ecological Modernization"

Having going through the ages of 18^th and 19^th centuries, modernization develops into the 20^th century. As human beings enjoy its blessings, we have to face its negative effect, that is, the increasingly serious global ecological crisis. Addressing it, some scholars in Western countries had tried to explore a solution. Therefore, the theory of Ecological Modernization came into being on this background. Owing to the improvement of practice and the urgency of reality, the theory has drawn wide attention in Western countries. Its influence is extending all over the world. Just as a saying goes, other people's good quality or suggestion whereby one can remedy one's own defects. It is necessary to systematically explore and analyze the theory and its practice, in order to absorb the reasonable factors of the theory and provide corresponding suggestion for the modernization construction in our country.The thesis can be divided into three chapters. The first chapter mainly summarizes the conditions of the theory of Western "Ecological Modernization": social and historical conditions and its theoretical origin. In the second chapter, the thesis elaborates the theory of Western "Ecological Modernization" and its practice in detailed. The third chapter mainly makes an objective analysis of the theory, and concludes the enlightenment on modernization in our country on the basis of the analysis.In the first chapter, the thesis arranges and analyzes the background conditions of Western " Ecological Modernization " historically and systematically from the level of reality and theory. On the level of reality, the thesis elaborates the practical urgency and historical necessity from three angles of challenge to modernization development--ecological difficulty, the cost of"polluting first, then harnessing", and the urge of Green Movement. In the part of theoretical origin, the thesis explains the emergency of the theory from the perspectives of positive driving force and negative impact. To better make a study of a problem and draw on experience from it, the first thing is to make clear of reasons so as to shoot the arrow at the target and decide on measures to solve problems according to specific circumstances. Thus, the first part is the premise and basis of the whole thesis.The second and third chapters are the major parts of the thesis.The second chapter is a connection of the first and third chapters. It is an extension of the first chapter, and paves way for the third chapter. It systematically elaborates different viewpoints of different schools towards the theory of Western Modernization and its elements. It makes an objective study of ecological measures of Germany macroscopically and microscopically, a practical model of ecological modernization, which is the core and difficulty of the thesis. The history of the theory of Western Ecological Modernization is not long, so its theoretical framework is open and multiple. Among different viewpoints of different Western scholars, some are inter-crossed with each other; some are independent. It is difficult to precisely define the theory, but necessary for the reliability, theoretical guidance and reality of the thesis, which makes the writing of the thesis hard. Moreover, the practice of German ecological measures concerns the fields of politics, economy, culture, social life and so on. There are also realistic and individual factors. Both adds the difficulty to the writing of the thesis.The third chapter is the destination of the thesis. On the basis of an objective analysis of the theory, the chapter provides the enlightenment of Western Ecological Modernization from the perspectives of knowledge and practice. The enlightenment on the modernization construction in our country are as follows: We should convert ideas, understand correctly, define the relationship between man and nature precisely, seize the "double-edged sword" of science and technology moderately, and establish the idea of plural harnessed subjects. Enterprises should take a long-termed strategy of ecological development. Governments should correct interest "short-sighted disease" in the modernization construction by "cultural soft constraint" and "system hard administration" , enlarge investment on technology and encourage technological innovation. This is the significance of the thesis.