Rostow's Stages of Economic Growth, or Rostow's Modernization Model, was published in 1960, detailing the steps that should be taken by a country to properly develop. He defined five stages that a country must go through to become a fully developed nation: traditional society, preconditions to take-off, take-off, drive to maturity, and age of high mass consumption. The stages are characterized by a nation undergoing industrialization and urbanization. As the countries progress, each stage influences the other as the nation grows and experiences economic growth.
Traditional Society
The traditional society that Rostow describes is a society that is considered primitive, having no technological or scientific knowledge. In this type of society, everything is agriculturally based, with most people working in some part of the agriculture industry. Although the people living during this stage of development are working hard, there is a limit to how much they can do due to their lack of science and technology. For example, when people have to do all of the work of planting, tending, and harvesting crops it takes much longer than when they have machines and more effective methods. These people often do not believe that they can move up in society, and their social roles are usually fixed so that future generations would likely remain in those same roles. Some examples that Rostow gives of a traditional society are the dynasties of China and medieval Europe.
Preconditions to Take-off
When a traditional society begins to shift to a more positive outlook with more opportunities arising, the preconditions to take-off have begun. During this stage, people begin to see that they have hope for change and they can see past their regional area to a wider world. The society implements some manufacturing practices, which helps with output and profits. Social, political, and economic areas of life progress as education is made more available. People will then change their attitudes in regards to science and are more likely to take risks that lead to profits as well as banks and other infrastructure to emerge.
Take-off
Take-off is the stage in which industrialization begins to occur. Economic growth is achieved and better living standards are achieved by most people. An important part of this stage is that the society is able to self-sustain this growth. It is typically a relatively short period of intense growth. Urbanization increases during this stage. An example would be a developing society that has met the preconditions to take-off and has begun to flourish. This society begins to centralize around a certain industry and economic growth dominates. In this stage, a few key industries are driving economic growth.
Drive to Maturity
The drive to maturity stage takes place over a long period of time as the society experiences levels of self-sustained growth. This stage is best described as an economy moving from a few key industries to more diverse industries requiring an increasingly skilled workforce. People invest more, as they have gained more disposable income. The economy matures through this economic growth. Science and technology begin to dominate, and industries that were previously in demand may begin to slow their production as they become less relevant to the needs of society. For example, as scientific advances have occurred, things like fossil fuels have come under scrutiny for their environmental impacts and scientists have tried to provide alternate options for greener consumer products and energy.
Age of High Mass Consumption
In the final stage of economic growth, People begin to make more money and can make purchases beyond what they have to have, such as food/clothing/housing, and they may begin to buy things for enjoyment. Rostow believed that the United States' capitalist system was an example of a country that exemplified this stage. This stage is defined by mass production and a great increase in consumerism. This is the current stage of the economic development of Great Britain.
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