This paper briefly discusses the periodic table of the civilizations (PTOC) and relative theories. In light of the periodic table of the elements and if human civilization is considered as an integrated organism, then the PTOC can be formulated by using periodicity and development level of the productivity and labor structure of human civilization. The PTOC divides the frontier process of human civilization from the birth of humankind to the end of 21st century into 4 periods and 16 stages. The 4 periods are those of primitive culture, agricultural civilization, industrial civilization and knowledge civilization, respectively, with each period including four stages, i.e. starting, developing, maturing and transition stages. The PTOC has three formats, i.e. simple, vertical and horizontal tables. The first modernization witnesses the great changes and transformation from traditional agricultural to modern industrial civilization, economy and society, and then the second modernization from the modern industrial to the higher modern knowledge civilization, economy and society. The PTOC and new modernization theory present a new reference for the international comparative and development studies, as well as a set of brief tables for the people who concern human civilization and world modernization.

process of human civilization  /  human periodic table  /  modernization theory