Progress of society is defined not only by increase in power of productive forces, but also the level of development of science and technology. In the middle of the last century the scientific achievements turned into a decisive factor of production. There was a concept "scientific and technological revolution" which began to designate high-quality and radical restructuring in society on the basis of science.
What is a scientific and technological revolution
The civilization develops together with formation of science and emergence of new technical achievements. But the general background of the progressive movement of society in the history it is possible to allocate the periods when productive forces develop more accelerated rates, from time to time reminding the deep qualitative revolution comparable on scales and consequences with social revolution.
It is accepted to call the similar spasmodic periods the scientific and technical revolutions (STR). The modern scientific and technological revolution arose in the middle of the 20th century. Revolutionary public changes are based on gradual transformation of science into the productive force which is crucial in development of social production.
The scientific and technological revolution at its present stage includes several parts interconnected and interacting among themselves. It is actually science, technological innovations, direct production activity and also a control system of production processes. Each part of a scientific and technological revolution develops according to objective laws of development of systems, consistently passing through the periods of formation, stability and natural transition to other quality.
Characteristic features of a scientific and technological revolution
The main line of a scientific and technological revolution – its universal character. Transformations cover one and all industries of economic life and concern all fields of activity of the person. The scientific and technical achievements which appeared several decades ago led to basic change of life and life of people. They became the reason of emergence of new industries. Usually connect emergence of computer facilities, television, nuclear power, implementation of programs for space exploration with concept scientific and technological revolution. One more distinctive feature of a scientific and technological revolution – the rough and rapid development of technology and sciences happening in their unity. Time from fundamental discovery is sharply reduced to its application in production. The importance of scientific experiments increases. If earlier certain scientists researched, then now the main role in commission of opening belongs to research groups and institutes. Other line of a modern scientific and technological revolution is that revolution in science and technology radically changes a role of a human factor in production. The complexity of the tasks solved by science and technology imposes special requirements to level and quality of education. Demand for the experts occupied mainly with brainwork increases: engineers, designers, technologists, professional inventors, scientists-researchers.