Modernism Postmodernism

Modernism was a movement that began at the turn of the last century. It rejected past ideals of the enlightenment, bourgeois and elitist culture that dominated society. The movement sought to emphasis the importance of progression. They aspired to create a better idealistic society. The Bauhaus, for example, believed in the harmony of form and function of objects – changing ideas through art and design. During the many western wars (ideals of society: capitalism vs. communism) of the early 20th century, the modernist movement was a positive influence in the ideas of a better future for people.
Postmodernism emerged after the wars that took place during the early 20th century. It was a rejection (and reaction) to many of the principles of modernism. It embraced many elements of art and design that modernism had abandoned such as decoration and complexity of design and reintroduced classical style features.
Despite postmodernism rejection of modernist ideals they can be seen as two movements that had to naturally follow after each other, as capitalism dominates the western world modernism could not survive as an unchanging movement. Its aims in creating an ideal, possibly perfect, society does not work with the consumerism and markets of a capitalist society.


References
Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism - Fredric Jameson
Political Ideologies: An Introduction - Andrew Heywood
www.associatedcontent.com/article/45536/madonna_postmodernism_and_capitalism.html
www.tate.org.uk/collections/glossary/definition.jsp?entryId=40