Hello everyone. I have a question regarding the last part of the following passage:
Society as a system has a number of core "functions" and "structures." Modernisation is the process by which these societal functions and structures are continuously developed and upgraded to ever-higher degrees of complexity. Among the most marked of these core components are the developments of science and technology, industrial production and consumption at unheard-of high levels of productivity, trade and markets based on a well-developed money and credit economy, the establishment of the rule of modern law (public and civil), state- and nation-building, the development of "rational" bureaucracy in administration and management and, not leas, a value base giving priority to rational and utilitarian behavior as much as to the evolvement of personal abilities and self-expression, typically reflected in some sort of individualism (pursuit of happiness), alternatively, however, also in some sort of collectivism.
Can we say that the part "typically reflected in some sort of individualism (pursuit of happiness), alternatively, however, also in some sort of collectivism" is an adjective phrase which modifies the preceding noun phrase "a value base giving priority to rational and utilitarian behavior as much as to the evolvement of personal abilities and self-expression"?
" is intended to apply only to "(the evolvement of) personal abilities and self-expression".
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To me, "individualism" doesn't seem likely to be a manifestation of "rational and utilitarian behaviour", so I would guess that the part "typically reflected in some sort of individualism ..." is intended to apply only to "(the evolvement of) personal abilities and self-expression".