Page 264 - DSOC201_SOCIAL_STRUCTURE_AND_SOCIAL_CHANGE_ENGLISH

Unit 12: Processes of Change

removal of caste disabilities, amelioration of the condition of women, and so forth. At the economic Notes
level, we wanted technological growth and distributive justice. At the cultural level, we wanted
secularism, rationalism, and liberalism. At the political level, we desired representative government,
democratic institutions, achievement-oriented power structure, and a greater voice and participation
for Indians in the governance of the country. The means or agents selected for modernizing the
society (based on rationality and scientific knowledge) were: planning, education (which may dispel
the darkness of ignorance), legislation, assistance from foreign countries, adopting policy of
liberalization, and the like.
As regards the processes of modernization, broadly speaking, it may be said that from the qualitative
point of view, modernization in India is undergoing the following processes:
At the economic structural level, there is a persistent and growing tendency to adopt the rational,
mechanized industrial economy in place of older communal-familistictool economy. This is even
responsible for the breakdown of traditional systems like jajmani system.
At the political structural level, the change in the power structure is being introduced through the
abolition of semi-feudal group-oriented power structure of the past and by replacing it by a rational
parliamentary democratic structure of power which is essentially individual-oriented.
At the cultural level, the change in the realm of values is from sacred value system to secular value
system.
At the social structural level, there is a decline in the traditional principle of ascribed status and role to
achieved status and role.
Yogendra Singh (1973: x) is of the opinion that a unique feature of modernization in India is that it is
being carried forward through adaptive changes in the traditional structures rather than structural
dissociation or breakdown.
While it is true that most features of the traditional society cannot fit in with the modern society,
modernity cannot be imposed upon the population. Modernization has to be professionally directed.
The good features of traditional institutions can be retained by suitable adjustments in the process of
development. A society is tension-free only when it is a closed and an immobile society. A developing
society functions on the basis of built-in resistances and tensions. Tensions exist because of an inherent
clash between tradition and modernity. Quite often, tensions are the legacies of the past, accentuated
by economic development. Often in the process of development, some of the tensions are resolved.
There is a dichotomous relationship between the forces of stability and conservation and the forces of
change and modernization. A developing society faces these problems rather acutely. Challenges to
change and modernization like regionalism, parochialism, illiteracy, migration, inflation, lack of
capital, adjustment with neighbouring nations for reducing expenses on defence, political corruption,
bureaucratic inefficiency and non-commitment, etc. have therefore to be faced patiently and
methodically through rational adoptive proceses. The break-up of a traditional society implies greater
individual freedom, horizontalization of authority, more association of masses with decision-making,
etc. The process of modernization involves clearing away social structure ‘resistances’. Simultaneously,
planning development at all lovels—economic, social, political and cultural— alone will provide
incentive to people to accept and share attitudes and norms of modernity and compel key social
groups—the intelligentsia, political elite, bureaucrats and technicians—to accept the challenges of
planned change.
Problems of Modernization
Following are some of the problems of modernization:
1. The first paradox of modernization is that a modern society must change in all ways at once but
such a regular, co-ordinated pattern of growth cannot be conceivably planned. A certain amount
of social unrest is therefore inevitably created. For example, mass educational system demands
that trained individuals must be absorbed in occupational roles commensurate with their training
and knowledge. But it is not always possible to provide jobs to all the educated people. This leads
to unrest among the educated unemployed.

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