Relation between the Modernization of Asiatic Rural Villages and the Traditional Factors

Abstract

One of the objects in a geographical study of underdeveloped countries in various parts of Asia is to investigate the process of ecological changes of their rural communities, which, combined with various regional factors such as natural environments, patterns of land utilization, economic condition, social and historical structure of villages, religions, life cycle of the inhabitants or the level of contacts with the outer world, represent exceedingly complicated conditions. In aiming to visualize regional characteristics, a geographer must comprehend the changes from a 'synthetic point of view. At the same time, these changes show us different examples of modernizing process of rural communities which can be treated comparatively.
Through these investigations it is important to discover to what degree the traditional factors still dominate the rural life or hinder the process of modernization. By collecting these data can be obtained suggestions as to the speed and perspective of modernization of Asiatic rural communities. In studying these problems, the writer wishes to give special consideration to the religious factors which are inseparable from the rural life in most parts of Asia and to investigate the religious influence upon the patterns of land utilization as well as upon the economic status of the village life.
The construction of this paper is as follows :
1) Traditional factors perceived in the process of land utilization.
2) Traditional factors perceived in the daily life, especially from the standpoint of income and expenditure.
3) Changing traditional factors as the result of impact from outside.
4) Necessary conditions demanded for the modernization.
Investigations include various examples such as of the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaya, Thailand, India and Southwestern countries.