At the advent of modernization, cultural change has emerged as a revolution from the old traditional culture to the modern culture which has come with great developments. In this context, there will be a comparison of the kind of cultural change taking place in Bhutan to that taking place in Russia. In the light of this, Bhutan culture as one of the smallest Asian nations, it is based on Buddhism which was introduced in the 7th century. Different dialects live in Bhutan with both social and educational opportunities not affected by rank or birth.
Bhutanese women enjoy equal rights with men with traditional culture being preserved by the traditional clothing. Majority of Bhutanese people live in small rural villages whereby the economy is based on Agriculture. However, modernization has brought about new opportunities for economic development with trade, educational developments and rural-urban migration among others. Remarkably, the Bhutanese way of life is largely influenced by religion with a democratic monarchy. In the light of this, Bhutanese citizens have a strong attachment to their culture and thus modernization which is marked by the western life is faced by the challenge with the desire to preserve the traditional culture which has been amplified.
On the other hand, Russian traditional culture has experienced dramatic change accepting some aspects of western culture and declining some (Mead, Rickman, & Gorer, 2001). New system of cultural organization as a result of the collapse of central state direction has emerged with the nation adapting in most part of it western culture described by Hollywood. As such, it was a culture that was ruled by exploitative relationships between men and women, institutional sexism, proprietary bourgeois attitudes of parents to children and thus bourgeois individualism was a great rule that advocated for individualism. With modernization, change was inevitable as in the aspect of culture it meant changing from the aspect of individualism to socialism whereby women have earned their respect by not being sexually exploited. Nationalism describes Russians with the most of them having a strong sense of national pride and identity and thus cultural values are dictated by the government.
However, at the dawn of modernization, Russia has opened up to globalization which has led to the cultural change in the sense that communism is no longer valued and with this, westernization is taking place. Democracy has thus been embraced being a nation that is largely influenced by Orthodox Christianity a religion that differs largely from Buddhism which is practiced In Bhutan. Bhutan nation has shown complacency and reluctance to modernization and westernization. At the same time, influx of new experiences, skills and quest for quality life and the inadequacy of the traditional life is being exposed (Ramakant & Misra, 1996, p.50). Therefore, cultural change in Russia is changing almost the same with Bhutan since the traditional culture has hindered social and economic developments and thus it has proved to be a hindrance to a better nation. In Russia, women are being identified in the society while in Bhutan is all about Buddhism embracing modernization. Local culture is therefore not worth protecting as it has made the two nations to rank behind in terms of developments. Nonetheless, modernization and cultural change can bring about greater developments.
