Chapter - 2
Cultural Change
️ Culture :-
Whatever man has achieved with his intellect till date is called culture. It is a collection of ideas, ways, methods, material things which are transmitted from one generation to another. Culture is a learned behavior.
️ Cultural Change :-
When changes take place in the culture of a society or country, it is called cultural change.
️ Social Reformer :-
During the British rule, social reformers wanted to change the social system in India.
Changing the life of women and downtrodden, getting rid of social evils, ensuring education for women etc.
The social reformers came during the British rule and not during the Mughal rule because the British tried to change/shape the social system.
️ Two objectives of social welfare :-
- The first objective of social welfare is to fulfill the needs of the members of the society.
- To establish social relations with which people should be able to develop their abilities.
️ Social reform movement in the 19th and early 20th century :-
The social reform movements were the answer to the challenges that the people of India were experiencing such as the practice of sati, child marriage, widow remarriage and the caste system. Raja Ram Mohan Roy opposed the practice of Sati.
Aspects of Modern Changes in Colonial India by Sociologist Satish Sabar Bal :-
Media of communication :- Press, Microphone, Ship, Railway etc. Helped in giving rapid pace to new ideas in the movement of goods.
Forms of Organizations:- Brahmo Samaj was established in Bengal and Arya Samaj was established in Punjab. Anjuman-e-Khwateen-e-Islam, a national level organization of Muslim women, was established.
Nature of thought:- New ideas of liberty and liberalism, family structure, rules of marriage, ideas of self-consciousness in culture, values of education.
️ Social reformers who raised their voice against social evil :-
- Raja Ram Mohan Roy :- Raised voice against the practice of Sati
- Ranade supported widow marriage
- Sir Syed Ahmed Khan :- Spoke of independent investigation
- Jyotiba Phule :- Caste Discrimination, Women's Education
- Jahanara Shah Navas :- Raised voice against polygamy
- Brahmo Samaj :- Opposed the practice of Sati
Why was the practice of Sati prevalent in our society?
The practice of Sati was prevalent in our society because marriage was considered a relation of many births. So the wife also had to die with the death of her husband.
Another belief was attached to this that God would be pleased by this and Sati would attain salvation.
️ Modern communication and transport :-
The British brought railways and postal system to India, they also improved the roads.
Both the postal system and the railways benefited, as the British used it to facilitate easy movement of goods and goods, and Indians benefited from it because of the ease with which they could facilitate the freedom struggle.
Even though the journey was easy, the person used to go from one place to another and he also knew what was happening in the whole country.
The division of the processes of cultural change :-
Cultural change can be seen in the form of four processes.
- sanskritisation
- modernization
- localization or neutralization
- westernization
The process of sanskritisation was there even before colonialism, but the remaining three processes are the result of post-colonialism.
️ Sanskritization :-
Sanskritization M.S. According to Shri Niwas, the process in which the lower castes or tribes imitate the higher caste (dwij castes) way of life, ritual values, ideals and ideas.
Its influence can be seen in language, literature, ideology, music, dance, drama, rituals and way of life. This process happens differently in different regions.
Culturalization: -
These lower castes influenced the culture of the areas where non-cultural castes were dominant. Shri Niwas named it Viskritikaran.
Features of Sanskritization :-
- Culture is not just brahminization.
- There are many forms of Sanskritisation.
- High caste imitation.
- Change of status.
Effect of culturalization on the lower castes :-
- Culturalization improved the condition of the lower castes.
- Culturalization increased mobility among the lower castes.
- Culturalization brought changes in the occupational conditions of the lower castes.
- Culturalization also affected the religious life of the lower castes.
Criticism of Sanskritization :-
- Social mobility causes upward changes in the stratification of the lower castes.
- There is a feeling of being high in the lifestyle of the upper caste and low in the lifestyle of the lower caste.
- The imitation of the upper caste lifestyle is desirable and natural.
- This concept is based on inequality and exclusion.
- Discrimination against lower caste is a privilege.
- In this, the fundamental aspects of Dalit society are considered backward.
- Girls are also pushed down in the ranks of inequality.
️ Westernization :-
The technology, institution, ideology, value changes that came in 150 years of British rule were given the name of westernization. Apart from lifestyle and thinking, Indian art and literature have also been influenced by western culture.
There were few people who had adopted the western lifestyle. Apart from this, there were other western cultural elements like use of new tools, dress, food items and changes in the habits and ways of common people etc. Television, fridge, sofa set, dining table, etc. are common in the families of a large section of the middle class.
Features of Westernization :-
- Westernization is different from modernization.
- Impact of British culture on Indian society.
- Westernization continued even after independence.
- Westernization is a complex process.
The impact of westernization on Indian society :-
- impact on family
- impact on marriage
- effect on kinship
- impact on caste system
- untouchability
- influence on religious life
️ Modernization :-
In the beginning, modernization meant the improvement in technology and production processes. But the limited, narrow local outlook weakens according to modern thought. And universal approach i.e. whole world is one family is given importance.
️ Secularism :-
On the basis of secularism, the state treats all religious group beliefs as equal.
The state does not discriminate against anyone on the basis of religion and also does not compel people to follow and follow any particular religion.
️ Reasons for secularism :-
- The Indian heritage
- traffic and communication
- western culture
- modern education
- urbanization
️ Modernization and Secularization :-
Bend it towards positive and good values.
Modernization refers to the improvement in technology and production processes. It means the method of development by which Western Europe or North America adopted.
Modernization is understood to mean that before it - a narrow - limited - local approach weakens and a universal commitment and a world-winning approach are more effective.
In this, importance is given to utility, calculation and truth of science in place of sentimentality, religious purity and unscientific elements.
According to its values, the selection of the group / organization is not on the basis of birth but on the basis of desire.
Secularization refers to a process in which the influence of religion is reduced. Modern society is more secular.
