The Value of History in the Society 5.0:
Is History a Relevant and Important Subject for the Society 5.0?
Abstract
The process of information and communications technology (ICT) is bringing changes to society
drastically. Now we are living in the 4th IR environment and innovative technologies and trends
are intensely developing. These trends are likely to impact every aspect of the life from businessto society, government, to our own identity, values and culture. The focus of this paper is on therole of history for a society that society 5.0 dominated by the natural sciences and technology. Inthe future society will achieve a forward-looking society that breaks down the existing sense ofstagnation, a society whose members have mutual respect for each other, transcending thegenerations, and a society in which each and every person can lead an active and enjoyable life.
History only allows one to make more sense of the current world; enable us to understanddifferent cultures. One can study history because it allows one to exercise their critical thinking
skills that may need for the community in the society 5.0.
Introduction
Not only contemporary society but also future society is dominated by the demand for scienceand technology, World cannot be denied on it. On the other hand, the role and place of social
sciences such as history must not be underplayed for the reasons of having important role inshaping and moulding people and the societies which they live. The process of information andcommunications technology (ICT) is bringing changes to society drastically. Artificial
Intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies like robotics, self-driving vehicles and theinternet things will be given to the new society, Society 5.0. In that future society will achieve aforward-looking society that breaks down the existing sense of stagnation, a society whose
members have mutual respect for each other, transcending the generations, and a society inwhich each and every person can lead an active and enjoyable life. History only allows one to
make more sense of the current world; enable us to understand different cultures. One can study
history because it allows one to exercise their critical thinking skills that may need for thecommunity in the society 5.0.

History of the transformation of the society
When we look back on the history of the industrial revolution, the phrase came out from theWorld Economic Forum, which is held in 2015. The first industrial revolution was started
between the 18th and 19th century in Europe and America. At that time, human power could be
replaced by machine power, made mass production. The Second Industrial Revolution occurred
between the end of the 19th century and the first two decades of the 20th century, and brought
major breakthroughs in the form of electricity distribution, both wireless and wired
communication, the synthesis of ammonia and new forms of power generation. The ThirdIndustrial Revolution began in the 1950s with the development of digital systems,communication and rapid advances in computing power, which have enabled new ways ofgenerating, processing and sharing information. The Fourth Industrial Revolution can be
described as the advent of “cyber-physical systems” involving entirely new capabilities forpeople and machines.
Over the past 200 years, the process of evolution has defined. Defining the human society, wecan categorized five different societies. Society 1.0 can be defined as groups of people livingwith nature: hunting society; Society 2.0 can be described as groups of people based oncultivation, so we can name it as an agricultural society; Society 3.0, industrial society, is asociety that promotes industrialization and Society 4.0, information society, is an information
technology society. The next society: Society 5.0 will be built upon Industrial Revolution 4.0.
One of its definition is “A human-centered society that balances economic advancement with theresolution of social problems by a system that highly integrates cyberspace and physical space”.
Society 5.0 achieve a forward-looking society whose members have mutual respect for eachother, transcending the generations, and a society in which each and every person can lead anactive and enjoyable life.
Emerging Trends Beyond Modern Society
Many scholars have highlighted the main features of the shift from modern to post-modernsociety. Some of them are summarized below.

Weakening of social structure
The notion of social structure refers to dominant patterns of action and social relationships,
legitimated by cognitive structures such as socially supported views, representations andstereotypes. The weakening key feature of contemporary society precisely is the weakening ofsuch social structures. This allows social actors (individuals and groups) to be more autonomous,to enjoy a broader range of socially accepted options and to escape as far as possible from thecontrol of social structures and under certain conditions, to modify them more easily than it wasin the past.
Increasing subjectivity of social actors
Connected to the weakening of social structures there is the parallel increase in the people’sagency, i.e. in their capacity to more freely think and act as well as to “build up” their own life,
projects, and identity. These tendencies can be observed in any social sphere. They manifest
themselves when individuals and groups, tend, for example:-

To pass intermediated entities (associations, trade unions, political parties, etc.)-

To question the power, legitimacy and authoritativeness of social institutions (includingscience)-

To disclose themselves (in terms of opinions, ideas, personal attitudes, private feelings,
intimate aspects of life, body, etc.) in public or semi-public environments (both physicaland virtual)-

To challenge the usual mechanisms of social control (for example, to ignore the others’
opinion or to reject established values and beliefs).

Transformations and crisis of the “Institutions of modernity”
The weakening of social structures also entails a crisis of the “institutions of modernity” related
to politics, religion, economy, trade unions, public administrations and science. All these
institutions have lost authority, power and autonomy; they are asked to be more transparent andaccountable; in order to be functioning, they are more in need of the support of users andcitizens; to manage themselves, they can less and less rely upon hierarchical relationships. Someinstitutions prove not to be able to stand the impact of the growing and growingly fragmented
demands of the public.

Higher exposure to bigger risks
In contemporary society, the profile of risk has changed. People are increasingly exposed to riskof different kind, such as environmental risks, unemployment, lack of access to social protection
and pension schemes, or health risks. This is due to many factors, including the advancement ofscience and technology and the failure of the “promise of modernity” to develop governmentsincreasingly capable to protect everyone from any risk. Also the so-called “European socialmode”, combining economic growth and high living and working standards, is revealing to be
not economically sustainable.
Growth of uncertainty and instability
Instability increases in all sectors of social life (labour, emotional ties, social protection, etc.),
because of the increase in the exposure to risks as well as the weakening of social structures,
which, while producing a control over the individuals, also provides them with social,psychological and physical reference social patterns and protection. Therefore, the sense ofuncertainty appears to be a dominant character both in the social life and in the biographicaldimension.
Increasing weight of financial markers
Uncertainty and instability are also determined by the increasing weight of financial markets,
which tend now to dominate over the industrial economy. Profit-making process more and more
occurs through financial channels rather than through commodity production and trade. This
process is producing a progressive enhancement and autonomy of global financial institutions
and a weakening in the capacity of governments to keep a control over national economies. Thisfurther gets the level of uncertainty and instability higher than in the recent past, both atindividual and collective level.
Social and cultural diversification
The modified balance between actors and structures produced a strong social and cultural
diversification within society. It is more and more difficult to identify homogenous social groups
or dominant behavioural patterns. Even individuals’ identity is more unstable, fragmented andinconsistent. At the same time, diversification feeds a multiplication of ideas, initiatives,
behaviours and forms of knowledge, accelerating social changes.
Weakening of social boundaries
All the boundaries with society are weakening: between social spheres, institutions, socialgroups, cultures, disciplines and types of knowledge, different components of personal life,
public and private dimensions. New forms of social and cultural hybridization constantly arise
from within society.
Globalization and localization
Globalization process are speeding up and enlarging their scope, affecting all societal sectors. At
the same time, also localization process (i.e. a strengthening of the local dimension in economic,
social and cultural domains) are also rapidly emerging. Some years ago, some authors introduced
the term “globalization” precisely for stressing the co-presence of these two apparently opposite
trends, allowing people to smoothly shift from the global to the local dimensions and vice versa.
In this sense, geographical distance does not matter.
Conclusion
History in Society 5.0
According to the reports from ministry of education, culture, sports, science and technology,
student acquire basic skills in identifying and resolving problems, and devising and designingsocial systems through the study of a broad range of subjects like humanities, social sciences andnatural sciences.
Does History still need for Society 5.0? Yes, the Society 5.0 need to be learnt History, because
skills commonly need in the future society are ability to accurately interpret and respond towriting and information; ability to engage in and apply scientific thinking and inquiry; sensitivity
and ability to discover and create value; curiosity and the inquisitiveness. For getting some ofthose skills, History can should not be left behind for Society 5.0. Preparing to produce skilledlearners that are able to cope in the world of work, History subject which tries to shape andmould learners should not be negated. Learning history is always important. It is as important as
studying science or economy or any other subject. By history you not only knows your past but

also how past has shaped the present, and what all mistakes which have been done in the pastthat are still bothering us in present.
The following facts are reflected that History is how much important for the future society.
1. Introduction and statement of the problemIf the problems occur which were related to political, economical, educational, history
could introduce and can produce the concerned statements.
2. Lessons from the past
History could provide lessons from the past, people can reduce the mistakes of the pastand the same mistake may happen again.
3. Explaining and understanding the present
By making links between past and present, people can gain a broader and more holistic
perspectives and understanding of the past.
4. Predicting or the future
History can assist people to get a better grasp on the present, as an understanding ofHistory helps one to make better judgements and predict the future. The opinion insight
into the past can mostly provide guidelines for future decision-making.
5. Self-understanding of existence
People must be able to comprehend where they come from and develop an understandingof their existence. History is more than just the study of cause and effect; a greater
understanding of the present and where one comes from may lead to a more critical andclearer understanding of social responsibilities.
6. Source of values
People have to make value judgments in society today because certain norms and values
apply. The learners of History have been assists by History in making the required value
judgments, based on analytical and objective process.
7. Perspectives
History can guide people to see trends and processes in a broader, holistic perspective
and to understand them. By learning History people come into contact with other culturesand societies and in this way they gain a more holistic understanding of the contemporary
world and their place in this broader context.

8. Obtaining knowledge and self-knowledge
Studying History does not only lead to acquire more general knowledge but also selfknowledge.
9. Critical awareness and thinking skills
History can contribute towards the development of critical awareness for people, as there
can be no quest for truth unless it is sought in a critical way. People need to be guided to
be intellectually curious, to question trends and occurrences in a positive manner, toweight up both positives and the negative aspects and to distinguish between facts andgeneralization. History can make a contribution to develop such a critical awareness.
History has the value that it can mould and shape people, despite the context and time. There
should be continuous reflection on what the possible values are and how they can contribute tosociety. The development of values and goals like making informed decisions, based on a studyof the past; helping learners to study the past so that they have better understanding of thepresent and where they come from; having a clear self-understanding.

References
Beck U., (1992) Risk Society: Towards a New Modernity, London, Sage Publication
Bijker, E. W., d’Andrea L. (2009) Handbook on the Socialisation of Scientific and TechnologicalResearch,

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(http://www.scienzecittadinanza.org/public/SSERChandbook.pdf)
Carl, A E (2009) The Value of History within the Context of Science and a Technological Age,
Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the SA Society for History Teaching, Sandton,
South Africa
Elton, GR (1967) The Practice of History, London, William Clowes and Son.
Giddens A., (1991) Modernity and Self-identity: Self and Society in the Late Modern Age,
Standford, Standford University Press.
Society 5.0 http://www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/english/society 5_0/index.html