Chapter - 1
Indian Society: An Introduction
️ Society :-
Society which is made up of two or more people.
Society means an institution which is based on social relations. These relationships are based on the elements of customs, authority, cooperation, control etc. It is on these elements that the system of social relations depends.
️ Sociology :-
Sociology tells about the social relations between people.
Sociology was born in Europe, first sociology was used by the French philosopher August Kant in 1839, which he named as social physical.
️ Father of Sociology :-
Auguste Comte is called the father of sociology.
️ Social Structure :-
Social structure is the form that the various important parts of the society create while being related to each other in a systematic way.
In other words, social structure is a sequence of positions and functions achieved by many social groups, societies, institutions and individuals.
Subjective: -
Sociology can show you how others see you; That is to say, it can teach you how to see yourself 'from the outside'. It is called 'autonomous' or sometimes self-improving.
Why should we study Sociology?
Sociology teaches us how to look at the world in a positive way not only from the point of view of ourselves but also from the point of view of others.
Sociology can do much more than help you determine your or other people's place and describe the locations of different social groups.
Sociology can be helpful in drawing the link and relationship between 'individual problems' and 'social issues'. By personal troubles here we mean those personal sufferings, troubles and contexts, which are inherent in everyone's life.
️ Changes in Indian Society :-
The British united the whole country for the first time and brought the forces of modernization and capitalist economic transformation. It changed the Indian society. Nationalism emerged in India due to colonial rule.
️ Colonialism :-
The policy or practice of industrialization began during the Industrial Revolution when Western countries increased their control over Asian and African countries to bring cheaper raw materials for their industries. They tried to gain full or partial control over their resources by exploiting them economically and politically.
Which countries established their colonies in Asia and Africa?
Colonialism occurred between the 18th and 20th centuries. The major colonial powers that established their colonies in Asia and Africa were European countries including England, France, Portugal, Spain, Germany, Italy, Belgium etc. Later Russia, America and Japan also joined the race.
️ Rise of Nationalism in India :-
Political, economic and administrative integration was done under India at a heavy price during the colonial rule. Colonial exploitation and domination plagued Indian society in many ways, but in contrast, colonialism gave birth to its enemy nationalism.
️ Communalism :-
Communalism is an ideology that tries to propagate the religious ideas of a religion among the masses. Hatred of one religious community towards another religious community.
️ Ethnic Group :-
An ethnic group is a group of countries or ethnic groups that share similar cultural ideals. People of an ethnic group believe that they all have common ancestors and have similar physical characteristics. The members of a group are identified with each other through many other features like linguistic, cultural, religious etc.
️ Community :-
In simple words, when some people live jointly for a particular purpose, it is called community. It cannot be established by conscious efforts. It does not even take birth, but develops automatically. When people live in an area and perform social processes, a community automatically develops.
️ Social Class :-
A social class is a group of people who have a specific social status at a particular time. Therefore they have some special power, rights and duties. In the class system the competence of an individual is important. The bases of classes are different from each other and many classes exist in the Indian society.
️ Types of Classes in Urban Areas :-
Upper class :-
This is the class which is the richest and most powerful. Political leaders, industrialists, IAS officers come under this category. They have more wealth and authority because of official power.
Middle class :-
Doctors, engineers, teachers, white-collar people and small businessmen fall into this category. The upper class uses this class to maintain its dominance over the lower class.
The following categories: -
In this class those people come who sell their labor to earn their livelihood. For example, workers. They have no means of production and work for the other two classes.
️ Types of Classes in Villages :-
There are three types of classes in villages :-
Zamindar or moneylender class:- The upper class present in the villages is of landlords and moneylenders. Landlords have a lot of money and land from which they can buy all kinds of happiness. A moneylender is a person who gives loans on interest. They both control the social system and politics of the village. It is small but very powerful.
Farmer class: - The second class of villages is the farmer class. The members of this class have small holdings of land. Their standard of living is of medium standard.
Working class: - This is the class which does not have land in its hands. They have only their labor to sell. They either work in the land of the landlord or on the land of the farmer. Their number is high but their income and standard of living are very low.
