Politics Of Risk Society Summary

The article ‘Politics of risk society’ written by Beck (1998) which will be considered in this paper concentrated on the concept of risk society and its impact of modification on social theory and politics. According to Beck (1998), previous industrial society has become a risk society, in which the risk is a result of decisions deliberately produced by society in economic, political and social spheres of life. He argues that in the modern world, people cannot avoid distancing from the risks and poses the problem of risk minimization and its management. The existence of a person becomes more risky in the risk society. This is because people are not only involved in a risk but they create it and make an attempt to survive in a risk society (Beck, 1998). This causes the problem for humanity to adapt to new risks and minimize the impact of risks. However, according to Giddens (1990), not only actions, but also rejection of the making decisions may create risks. Giddens claims (1990) that the action causes the risks because modernization complicates human life and that has made society more vulnerable. Additionally, in the risk society the number of internal risks which are associated with human mistakes is increasing (Giddens, 1990).

In modern society, science plays a key role in the formation of the ideology and …show more content…
Risk management and knowledge about it can not only improve ability of society to resist risks but may take advantage of available opportunities to improve their situation. Liquidate or control risk is completely impossible. However, take measures to manage risks, reduce the probability or mitigate their adverse consequences if they occur, are necessary. The degree of risk, for example, in making political and economic decisions in modern conditions should be calculated by experts, which will be possible with support by the state and public institutions of scientific