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(Originally published in John A. Hall & Ian C. Jarvie's [Eds], Transition to Modernity, 1992 [see abstract 93c01707].) Ernest Gellner's theory of the transition to modernity (1988) is criticized for not identifying genuinely unique characteristics of modern industrial societies as they developed in Europe. Japan in the 18th & 19th centuries is shown to have exhibited some of the features of modern, rationalized society that Gellner finds in Europe. It is argued that, since the Japanese & the Chinese were developing rational, scientific cultures independent of European influence, it was only a matter of time before they developed industrial capacity independent of that influence. It is contended that the one trait that sets Europe off from Japan & China is the degree to which the concept of individualism accurately describes social organization. Several aspects of individualism are related to the historical growth of European productivity, but individualism does not seem to be a necessary ingredient for economic growth, as contemporary Japan demonstrates. 10 References. H. von Rautenfeld