Daily Answer Writing: Sociology (Day 32)

Questions

1. Secularization of caste is essentially a modern phenomenon. Discuss.
   (10 Marks)
2. Discuss the main features of the farmer's movement in Independent India.
   (10 Marks)

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Model Structures

Q1. Secularization of caste is essentially a modern phenomenon. Discuss. (10 Marks)

Introduction

• The caste system has been termed as the DNA of Indian civilization, and it has been one of the most important schemes for the classification of Indian society. The caste system has undergone several changes, and the pace of these changes has increased in the last few decades.

Main Body

• Dhirubhai Sheth has argued that the caste system is undergoing a process of secularization. Changes in the caste system that are leading to secularization can be observed along two dimensions:
  • De-ritualization, and
  • Politicization
• These changes are essentially a modern phenomenon, and this can be seen by the fact that the process of secularization has fastened with increasing modernization of India. These changes have had the following impact on the caste system:
  • They have pushed caste system out of the traditional stratification system
  • They have linked it to the new structure of representational power
  • In their cumulative impact, they have made it possible for individual members of different castes to acquire new economic interest and social-political identification and own class-like as well as ethnic type identities.
  • Thus, secularization of caste has led to Classisation of the caste system.
• Modernisation of India's economy and democratization of its political institutions, have released new economic and political power in the society.
• The hierarchically ordered strata of castes now function as horizontal groups, competing for power and control over resources in society. Alongside this change in the organisational structure, i.e., it’s horizontalisation, the form consciousness takes has also changed
• Caste consciousness is now articulated as political consciousness of groups staking claims to power and to new places in the changed opportunity structure. The rise of such consciousness of castes has led to disruption of hierarchical relations and to increase in competition and conflict among them. Far from strengthening the caste system, the emergent competitive character of 'caste consciousness' has contributed to its systemic disintegration.
• Fundamental changes have occurred in the occupational structure of the society. A vast number of non-traditional, unbound-to-caste occupations and a new type of social relations among occupational groups have emerged. This has resulted in breaking down the nexus between hereditary ritual status and occupation —one of the caste system's defining features.
• Significant structural differentiations have taken place within every caste. The caste rules of commensality have become almost totally inoperative.
• The role of caste panchayats has also reduced significantly. The ideology and organisation of the traditional caste system have thus become vastly eroded. Its description as a system of ritual status hierarchy has lost theoretical meaning.
• Examples- De-ritualization, Politicisation (Rajani Kothari), opening of temples, inter-caste marriages
• Secularisation in public sphere as rituals are getting restricted to the private sphere (Harold Gould- Study of Rikshawalah of Lucknow)
• MN Srinivas – ritual hierarchy is getting replaced by secular hierarchy

Conclusion

• In sum, while castes survive as micro-communities based on kinship sentiments and relationships, they no longer relate to each other as 'units' of a ritual hierarchy. The caste system, long conceived as a ritual status system, has imploded. Having failed to cope with the changes that have occurred in the larger society, particularly after India's decolonisation, the caste 'system' is unable to maintain itself, on the basis of its own principle of ritual hierarchy.

Q2. Discuss the main features of the farmer's movement in Independent India. (10 Marks)

Introduction

• Farmers include those social groups which are independent owner-cultivators and produce a considerable marketed surplus.

Main Body

• Dipankar Gupta advocated that there are three prototypes of farmer s movement in independent India :

1. Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) of West UP, Punjab and Haryana.
2. Shetkari Sangathan (SS) of Maharashtra.
3. Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS) of Karnataka.

• Issues around which these farmer’s movement are centred:
  • Increase in Minimum support price.
  • Proper marketing facility and Cooperative facility.
  • Timely payment to farmers for their production.
  • Waiver of utility charges and loan waivers
  • Increase in subsidy on agricultural input (Raw materials and machines)
  • Opposition to GM crops & green farming.
  • Favorable negotiation at WTO for an agricultural product.
• Capitalised on Bharat vs. India rural India vs. urban India dichotomy.
• The primary contradiction is characterized as that between the rural and the urban. Therefore, the enemy is the government at the centre and at the state.
• The strategy for movement included demonstration, dharna, Jamming of the national highway, Kisan jail, Gherao of government officials (BKU), pamphlet writing, literature (SS), opposition to MNCs and advocacy for green farming by wearing the green scarf
• The social constituency of these movements broadly included the various sections of masses like Big/small farmers, peasants, students, women etc.

Conclusion

• Thus, the Farmers movement was a clear departure from earlier peasants movements in terms of issues, strategy and social constituency of movements.

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