Civilization as the highest cultural development

In itself civilization is the highest level of cultural organization. Correspondingly, to enjoy the highest level of cultural organization a community needs to reach economic welfare first and foremost. It is only material boom that may lead to the non-material one but not the other way round.

Civilisation is a cultural identity, and the highest, most general level of identity. It includes elements of language, history, religion, customs, institutions, as well as self-identification. Nowadays, scientists distinguish the following civilizations: Western, Confucian, Japanese, Islamic, Hindu, Slavic-Orthodox, Latin American and possibly African. Most of them claim that the world can't be done in any other way except for being divided into civilizations. They say that the civilization is not a one-state phenomenon but an alliance of at least several states united on the ground of similar cultural attributes.

On the other hand, many people prove that the next World War will be a conflict of civilizations. There is a number of reasons of why civilizations going further and further apart from each other:

1) Civilisation differences, e.g. in history, language, culture, religion, are basic and real.

2) The world is 'becoming smaller', with more interaction among different cultural groups.

3) Modernisation has led to a loss of tradition and identity, which is often filled by fundamentalist religious and national feeling.

4) The dominant role of the West has led to a response by other civilisation to strengthen themselves, e.g. the rise of Islamic radicalism.

5) Cultural 'characteristics and differences are less mutable and hence less easily compromised and resolved',

6) Economic regionalism is increasing, thereby increasing areas of competition.