Civilization is called the community of the people having the general cultural wealth, similar mentality, steady features of social policy, economy and culture. Today several main types of the civilizations differing in religious, ethnosocial, psychological and behavioural ways of activity are allocated.
Depending on historical and economic development, the prospects of development and bases of mentality allocate four types of civilizations: - natural communities;
- east civilization; - western civilization;
- modern civilization.
Natural communities
Natural communities treat an improgressive form of existence, people live within a natural cycle, in harmony with the nature. Such people exist out of historical time, they have no concepts of the past and future, for them only the current time is real. These societies see point of the existence in maintaining the developed traditions, customs, methods of work which are not breaking unity with the nature. The invariance of established orders is maintained by the system of numerous taboos.
Natural communities conduct nomadic or semi-nomadic life. The spiritual culture at them is connected with idolization of forces of nature - waters, the sun, the earth, fire. Intermediaries between forces of nature and the people are leaders of communities and priests. In the social organization of these communities the collectivism dominates: people live communities, childbirth, clans, tribes.
East type of a civilization
East civilization is historically the first type of a civilization which was created by the 3rd millennium BC in Ancient India, China, Ancient Egypt. Characteristic features of these civilizations are traditionalism, they are focused on reproduction of the developed way of life. In the world outlook plan the idea of unfreedom of the person, the predetermination of all acts caused by forces of nature and gods predominates. Consciousness and will it is directed not to knowledge or transformation of the world, and to contemplation, serenity, focus on spiritual life. The personal beginning is not developed, life of people is constructed on the principles of collectivism. The political organization in east civilizations is founded on a despotism, an economic basis is the state form of ownership, coercion acts as the main method of management of the people.
Western type of a civilization
The western type of a civilization (Europe and North America) is focused on novelty, knowledge surrounding, dynamism, rationality. Values are the human person, individualism, autonomy, freedom, equality, a private property. Preference of democracy is given in management. The western civilization at a certain stage develops into the technogenic civilization created in 15 — 17 centuries in Europe and which extended worldwide. The main line of this type of a civilization is a scientific rationality, value of reason and progress in science and technicians thanks to use of scientific knowledge. Development is followed by the increasing dynamics of social communications, fast transformation. For only one-two generations there is a change of a former way of life, the new type of the personality is formed.
Modern type of a civilization
The current state of development led to origin of a global civilization. The integrity of the international community increases, the uniform planetary civilization appears. Globalization is characterized by internationalization of all public work, there is a uniform system of political, social and economic, cultural and other connections.