Smooth modernization as a type of social transformation

The article substantiates relevance of the researches concerned with smooth modernization as a type of social transformation, in particular, theoretic and methodological foundations of the smooth modernization study. The author carries out a comparative historical analysis of the modernizations in different countries during certain periods. On the basis of the analysis the modernization subjects classification is developed, as well as the modernization patterns are divided into two types: smooth modernization and emergency modernization.