Chapter - 4
Change and Development in Rural Society
️ Indian Rural Society :-
Indian society is primarily a rural society. According to the 2011 census, 60% of the people live in villages. Their life is based on agriculture and their related occupation and land production is an important resource.
Agriculture and culture are closely related. The sociality of rural India is also agriculture based. The difference in occupations reflects the caste system here. Like washerman, blacksmith, potter, goldsmith, barber etc.
️ The relation of the festival with agriculture :-
Festivals of different parts of India Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Baisakhi (Punjab), Onam (Kerala), Hariyali Teej (Haryana), Bihu (Assam) and Ugadi (Karnataka) are mainly celebrated at the time of harvesting.
️ Agriculture and Culture :-
- All food, festivals and clothes are connected with the land.
- The main agricultural occupations are carpenters, potters, artisans, sculptors etc.
- With the advent of globalization, many professions have been introduced in schools (teachers), hospitals (nurses, doctors), postal and telegraph.
- Many factories are coming up and villagers provide labor there.
️ Agricultural Structure :-
In some of the pleasures of India, some or the other piece of land is with many people. Whereas in other parts 40 to 50 percent of the family does not have land. Due to the laws of succession and patrilineal kinship, women are not the owners of the land. It is the possession of land that shapes the rural class structure. The income of agricultural laborers is low and their employment remains insecure. They remain unemployed for many days in a year.
️ Dominant caste :-
In each area only one or two caste people own land and their number is also important in the village. Sociologist M.N. Shri Niwas has given the name of Prabal caste to such people.
The dominant caste is politically and economically powerful, this dominant caste maintains dominance over the people. Like Jat Sikhs of Punjab, Jats of Haryana and West Uttar Pradesh, Kammas and Reddys of Andhra Pradesh, Bokka Ligas of Karnataka and Lingayat Yadavs of Bihar etc.
Most of the marginal farmers and landless people belong to the lower caste group. They mostly used to do agricultural labor with the people of the dominant caste. Systems like forced labor and free labor are still in practice in many parts of northern India.
️ Halpati and won :-
Power and privileges were with the upper and middle castes only. Due to the paucity of resources and the economic, social and political influence of the landowners, many poor workers have been working as bonded laborers for generations. In Gujarat this system is called Halpati and in Karnataka it is called Jeeta.
️ Zamindari system :-
In this system the zamindar was considered the owner of the land. There was no direct relation of the farmer with the government. Rather, the land tax (by the cultivators) was paid directly to the government through the zamindar. For example, the local kings or zamindars controlled the land. The farmer or cultivator who worked on that land gave them a substantial part of the crop.
️ Ryotwari system :-
(Rayot means cultivator) The zamindar got more control over this land than before. The colonialists imposed heavy taxes on agriculture, thus reducing agricultural production. In some areas, it was directly under British rule, which was called Ryotwari system (Ryot means farmer in Telugu), in this way the farmer himself paid the tax in place of the zamindar and thus his tax burden was reduced and agricultural production in these areas. And prosperity increased.
️ Land reform reforms in independent India :-
In independent India, Nehru and his policy advisors introduced a series of land reform laws from 1950 to 1970. Special changes were made at the national and state level, the most important changes were :-
- Abolition of the Zamindari system was done but only in some areas.
- Abolition of Tenancy and Control Act Act, but it remained confined to Bengal and Kerala only.
- In the Delimitation of Land Act, which was the function of the states, also, loopholes and methods were devised.
- Land reforms not only increase agricultural yields but are also necessary for eradicating poverty and providing social justice in rural areas.
️ Reasons for bringing land reforms :-
- The first reason for bringing about land reforms was to increase productivity in the agricultural sector.
- The second reason was to stop the exploitation of poor farmers by eliminating middlemen so that the farmers could get land.
️ Anonymous change :-
The landowners divided their land among relatives or other people, but in reality the right over the land belonged to the land owner. This practice was called Benami Badal.
️ Green Revolution :-
The increase in agricultural production due to high yielding seeds (HYV), fertilizers, new technology and irrigation methods is called Green Revolution. This happened in the 1970s and later in India.
Green revolution is a systematic and scientific way to increase the production of agriculture. After analyzing the Five Year Plans it became clear that if we want to become self-sufficient in food production then we have to use new methods and technology related to production.
Keeping this objective in mind, technological changes were introduced in agriculture in 1966-67. New experiments were started to bring in new seeds for higher productivity especially for wheat and rice. For this new means of irrigation, pesticides and fertilizers were also used. The use of developed means in agriculture was given the name of Green Revolution.
Rich farmers benefit more from Green Revolution :-
New technology, seeds and fertilizers were used during the Green Revolution and it became possible for rich farmers to buy these expensive things. So the rich farmers took maximum advantage of it.
️ Status of the field of grain production in India before the Green Revolution :-
Before the Green Revolution, India was unable to produce the necessary food grains and imported food grains to meet its needs.
Main basis of Green Revolution :-
- price determination of produce
- Development of animal husbandry
- establishment of corporation
- use of pesticides
- multicropping program
️ Social Consequences of Green Revolution :-
- class struggle took place
- increase in food prices
- agricultural laborers became poor
- Advance technology was out of reach of small farmers
- increasing economic inequality
️ Changes in rural society after independence :-
After independence, there were many impressive changes in the nature of social relations in rural areas. The reason for this was the Green Revolution.
- Increase in agricultural labor due to intensive agriculture.
- cash payment.
- Reduction in ancestral relations between the landowners and the farmer.
- Rise of daily wage labourers.
️ Communication of workers :-
Rural inequalities since the 1990s have forced multi-level occupations and labor migration. John Breman called them the Foot Loose Labor.
These laborers are easily exploited. The mass communication of workers has had a significant impact on rural society, both in the sending and receiving sectors.
️ Contract Agriculture :-
Due to globalization and liberalization, multinational companies ask to grow certain crops and it also gives information and facilities to the farmers. This is called contract farming.
In this, farmers become dependent on these companies for their life and business.
'Contract farming' also means that agricultural land is used outside of production for export-oriented products such as flowers and cucumbers.
'Contract farming' basically produces elite items and since it often uses high amounts of fertilizers and pesticides, it is often not environmentally safe.
️ Disadvantages of contract farming :-
Contract farming gives security as well as insecurity. Farmers become dependent on these companies. The environment becomes unsafe due to excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides.
Reasons for farmer suicide :-
Sociologists have tried to do in the context of structural and social changes taking place in agricultural and farming society.
Many of the farmers who committed suicide were 'marginal farmers' who were basically trying to increase their productivity by using the methods of Green Revolution.
The cost of production has increased sharply due to reduction in agricultural subsidies, the market is not stable and many farmers borrow heavily to invest in costly items to increase their production. Farmers are getting indebted.
Farmers are unable to bear the debt burden or sustain their families due to non-availability of agriculture, and in some cases lack of proper base or market price. Incidents of suicides are increasing. These suicides have become matrix events.
