Notes Class 12 Chapter 4 Sociology Maharashtra Board

Processes of Social Change in India

Introduction

Social change refers to significant transformations in the social structure, institutions, and behaviours of a society over time. This chapter examines five key processes driving social change in India: Industrialisation, Urbanisation, Modernisation, Globalisation, and Digitalisation. These processes are influenced by factors such as demographic shifts, natural phenomena, education, economic developments, and socio-cultural dynamics. The chapter highlights how these processes have reshaped Indian society and continue to do so, with both positive and negative consequences. Understanding these changes requires recalling the characteristics and factors of social change studied in Class 11, such as the impact of economic, cultural, and educational factors.

4.1 Industrialisation

Definition

Industrialisation is the process of transitioning from traditional, manual production methods to mechanised, large-scale production using advanced technology and non-human energy sources. It fundamentally transforms the economic and social fabric of a society.

• B. Kuppuswamy: “Industrialisation means the use of unbiotic power such as electricity and steam for the mass production of goods and easy transportation and communication.”
• Fairchild: “Industrialisation is the process of technological development by the use of applied science, characterized by the expansion of large-scale production with the use of power machinery, for a wide market.”
• General Definition: A process of social and economic change transforming a pre-industrial society into an industrial one.

Characteristics

1. Growth of Industries:
   • Industrialisation is marked by a significant increase in factories and industries, replacing traditional guilds and cottage industries.
   • Example: The Industrial Revolution in 17th-18th century Europe shifted production from homes to factories, a trend later adopted in India.
   • In India, this led to the decline of handmade goods and the rise of machine-made products.
2. Mechanisation:
   • Involves the use of machines to enhance precision, accuracy, and mass production.
   • Machine-made goods became cheaper than handmade ones, but mechanisation caused worker alienation and job displacement as machines replaced human labour.
3. Capital-Intensive:
   • Modern industries rely heavily on automation and advanced technology, requiring substantial financial investment.
   • Example: Automated assembly lines in car manufacturing plants.
4. Labour-Intensive:
   • Early industries required both skilled and unskilled workers, leading to the establishment of specialised training institutes.
   • Example: Engineering colleges, management schools, and institutes for industrial psychology.
5. Division of Labour:
   • Tasks are assigned based on specific skills, training, and expertise, leading to differential wages.
   • This fostered economic class formation and the growth of trade unions to protect workers’ rights.

4.2 Urbanisation

Definition

Urbanisation is the process of population migration from rural to urban areas, driven by industrial and economic opportunities, resulting in the growth of towns, cities, and metropolises. It also involves changes in lifestyle and social organisation.

• Anderson: Urbanisation is a two-way process involving movement from villages to cities, a shift from agricultural to non-agricultural occupations (business, trade, services), and changes in migrants’ attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours.
• Thomas Warren: Defines it as the movement from agriculture-focused communities to larger communities centred on government, trade, manufacturing, or allied interests.
• Marvin Olsen: Describes urbanisation as the inward flow of large numbers of people from rural to urban areas.

Characteristics

1. Migration to Urban Centres:
   • Industrial growth attracts rural and tribal populations to factory locations, increasing urban populations.
   • Over time, this leads to the development of towns into cities and metropolises (e.g., Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur).
   • Example: Migration to Bengaluru for IT job opportunities.
2. Industrial Growth and Commutation:
   • Urban centres are hubs of industrial activity, causing spatial segregation (separation of residence and workplace).
   • Example: Long commutes (3-4 hours) in cities like Delhi due to urban sprawl.
3. Heterogeneity:
   • Urban areas host diverse populations in terms of gender, caste, class, language, and religion, breaking down traditional social barriers.
   • Example: Mumbai’s cosmopolitan population includes people from various cultural backgrounds.
4. Urbanism as a Way of Life:
   • Coined by Louis Wirth, this describes the urban mindset: distant, calculative, rational, independent, and less influenced by traditions, family, or religion.
   • Example: Urban residents prioritise career over traditional family obligations.
5. Civil Administration:
   • Urban areas are governed by municipal corporations, not traditional bodies like panchayats, with formal systems like city police and traffic signals.
   • Example: Mumbai’s Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) manages urban planning.
6. Specialised Division of Labour:
   • Work is divided based on skills and expertise, with specialised roles in industries.
   • Example: In a factory, separate managers handle production, finance, marketing, and sales.

4.3 Modernisation

Definition

Modernisation, a term introduced by Daniel Lerner, refers to the adoption of modern scientific knowledge, rational thinking, and technological advancements to improve various aspects of life, including economic, social, cultural, and political domains.

• Daniel Lerner: “Modernisation is the current term of an old process of social change whereby less developed societies acquire the characteristics common to more developed societies.”
• Rustow and Ward: “Modernisation is the application of modern science to human affairs.”
• Alatas: “Modernisation is a process by which modern scientific knowledge is introduced in the society with the ultimate purpose of achieving a better and more satisfactory life in the broadest sense of the term, as accepted by the society concerned.”

Characteristics

1. Scientific Temperament:
   • Emphasis on scientific methods and empirical evidence to understand and explain phenomena.
   • Example: Use of data-driven research in policy-making.
2. Rational Outlook:
   • Shift from spiritual-religious to secular, rational values, focusing on logical explanations and cause-and-effect relationships.
   • Example: Questioning traditional superstitions through education.
3. Technological Advancement:
   • Adoption of advanced technology for precision and efficiency, a hallmark of industrial societies.
   • Example: Use of automated machinery in agriculture.
4. Openness to New Ideas:
   • Willingness to explore creative solutions, examine alternatives, and innovate.
   • Example: Adoption of renewable energy sources like solar power.
5. Critical Thinking:
   • Ability to critically evaluate events, culture, beliefs, and practices, including self-criticism.
   • Example: Debating the relevance of traditional customs in modern society.

4.4 Globalisation

Definition

Globalisation is the process of integrating economies, cultures, and societies into a global network through free trade, capital flow, and resource sharing. In India, it gained momentum in 1991 with the New Economic Policy (LPG: Liberalisation, Privatisation, Globalisation), introduced by Dr. Manmohan Singh.

• Martin Albrow and Elizabeth King: “Globalisation refers to all those processes by which the peoples of the world are incorporated into a single world society.”
• Anthony Giddens: “Globalisation can be defined as the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa.”
• Roland Robertson: “Globalisation is the compression of the world and the intensification of the consciousness of the world as a whole.”

Characteristics

1. Liberal Principle:
   • Based on the laissez-faire doctrine (French for “let do”), advocating free trade and minimal government interference.
   • Liberalisation opens the economy to private players.
   • Example: Entry of foreign companies like Coca-Cola into India.
2. Private Enterprise:
   • Privatisation transfers government-controlled services (e.g., healthcare, education, media) to private providers.
   • Example: Private hospitals like Apollo expanding in India.
3. Profit Motive:
   • Increased competition drives profiteering, with private entities focusing on financial gains.
   • Example: Private educational institutions operating like businesses.
4. Marketisation:
   • Large-scale production leads to diverse product availability, fostering consumerism and materialism.
   • Example: Shopping malls offering a wide range of global brands.
5. Interdependence:
   • Global economy creates interdependence among nations.
   • Example: Car parts manufactured in China, assembled in India.
6. Knowledge Distribution:
   • Sharing of technological know-how and outsourcing across borders.
   • Example: Indian BPOs serving American and British firms.

4.5 Digitalisation

Definition

Digitalisation is the integration of digital technologies into various aspects of life to transform processes, operations, and customer relationships, enhancing efficiency and reach. It involves the process of digital transformation, as defined by CapGemini and MIT’s Centre for Digital Business.

• General Definition: The integration of digital technologies into everyday life by digitising everything that can be digitised.
• Brennen and Kreiss: “Digitalisation is the way in which many domains of social life are restructured around digital communication and media infrastructures.”
• Gartner: “Digitalisation is the use of digital technologies to change a business model and provide new revenue and value-producing opportunities.”

Characteristics

1. Computerisation:
   • Widespread use of computers simplifies processes in sectors like education, banking, taxation, and marketing.
   • Example: Online banking replacing manual transactions.
2. Frequent Change:
   • Rapid technological advancements (e.g., AI in manufacturing, robotics, surgery) drive frequent changes in business models.
   • Example: Use of AI chatbots in customer service.
3. Speed and Accuracy:
   • Digitalisation enhances the speed and accuracy of processes like data mining, analysis, and management.
   • Example: Real-time stock market trading platforms.
4. Technology-Driven:
   • Relies on innovation, research, and development.
   • Example: Evolution from 386 microprocessors in the 1980s to 5G technology today.
5. Spurred Creativity:
   • Encourages innovation and problem-solving.
   • Example: Cockpit simulators for pilot training.
6. Importance to Customers:
   • Provides utility to end-users through simplified processes.
   • Example: Online tax filing, e-admissions, and digital election results.

4.6 Impact of Processes of Social Change on Indian Society

Overview

The processes of industrialisation, urbanisation, and modernisation were significantly influenced by British colonial rule, while globalisation and digitalisation are more recent phenomena, particularly post-1991. These processes have unevenly impacted different regions and communities in India, bringing both opportunities and challenges.

Specific Impacts

1. Impact of Industrialisation:
   • Urban Growth: Factory growth led to migration, transforming towns into cities and metropolises.
   • Family Structure: Breakdown of joint families and rise of nuclear families, reducing traditional support systems but also eliminating some disadvantages of large families.
   • Example: Migration to industrial hubs like Chennai disrupted traditional family ties.
2. Impact of Urbanisation:
   • Cultural Shifts: Reduced influence of customs, traditions, and religion, promoting a materialist, individualistic, and non-conforming lifestyle.
   • Social Challenges: Urbanisation leads to “loneliness in a crowd” due to impersonal relationships.
   • Example: Urban residents in Delhi often face isolation despite living in crowded areas.
3. Impact of Modernisation:
   • Scientific Temperament: Education has dismantled superstitions and obsolete beliefs, fostering rational thinking.
   • Tradition vs. Modernity: Ongoing debates about balancing traditional values with modern ideals.
   • Example: Campaigns against caste-based discrimination reflect modern values.
4. Impact of Globalisation:
   • Economic Integration: Post-1991, India became part of the global economy, enabling knowledge and resource sharing.
   • Positive Effects: Access to global markets and technology.
   • Negative Effects: Increased economic disparities and cultural homogenisation.
   • Example: Growth of IT industries in Hyderabad vs. challenges faced by local artisans.
5. Impact of Digitalisation:
   • Transformative Changes: Revolutionised access to knowledge, governance, commerce, and education through e-platforms (e-governance, e-commerce, e-learning).
   • Challenges: Impact on small industries, privacy concerns, changes in consumer behaviour, and increased social networking.
   • Example: E-commerce platforms like Amazon affect small retailers, while social media influences youth culture.