Page 252 - DSOC202_SOCIAL_STRATIFICATION_ENGLISH

Unit 11: Social Mobility

recognition by the privileged caste groups. The non-privileged sanskritizing castes do not Notes
possess material means and mechanisms to compete with the dominant caste groups.
• In political sphere, sanskritization is not by rule a corporate activity. Status conflicts within
the same castes are found between the dominant families. As such sanskritization is a misfit
for political analysis in the village community. The sanskritizing castes generally cannot
imitate the ways of twice-born dominant castes or other higher castes, as this is influenced
by the rank of the dominant caste. The lower castes imitate the life-ways of the immediate
higher castes and this pattern applies to all the sanskritizing castes.
• Sanskritization is applicable to the understanding of group mobility vis-a-vis caste structure
particularly with reference to socio-cultural behaviour patterns. Sanskritization is to be used
as a tool of analysis regarding dominant castes or groups and caste ranking and ranks of the
sanskritizing castes. Sanskritization does not necessarily reduce ‘economic inequalities’ nor
does it challenge caste hierarchy, however, it symbolizes an increased sense of awareness
among the non-privileged sections. Mobility at the level of individual is more concerned
with psychological processes, such as aspirations, ambitions, frustrations, etc. and therefore,
it can be better explained by the theory of reference group behaviour. Individual mobility is
observable when we find that some individuals are esteemed high irrespective of their caste,
class and family statues. It is a mobility in personal status of an individual which is a
combination of his caste status and non-caste status. Education and sanskritization are two
main factors responsible for mobility at the individual level. We find that in all the six
villages of Rajasthan studied by us, the graduates and matriculates are respected more than
other members of their families and their age-groups irrespective of their caste and economic
status. The reverse of the pattern of marginally going up is the pattern of marginally going
down. Adherence to the so-called defiling and degrading callings and practices lowers down
status compared to those who have discarded the degrading occupations and taken up the
clean and prestigious occupations and practices. This applies to some families of several
lower and upper castes.
• Industrialization has brought a lot of changes in economic, political, cultural and most
importantly in social sphere. Industrial society is characterized by meritocracy and openness.
This facilitates for occupational and social mobility. Therefore, Lipset Zetterberg feel that
industrialism creates uniform mobility pattern. Duncan and Blau discussed number of factors
generated by industrialization that have bearing on mobility patterns. Industrialization led
to breakdown of kinship ties, increase in division of labour, growth in rationalistic attitudes,
emphasis on achievement based occupation etc.
• The first major study of intergenerational mobility in England and Wales was conducted by
David Glass and his associates in 1949. The study showed that upward mobility was more
frequent than downward mobility, most mobility was short range and nearly two-third of
men interviewed were in different status category from that of their fathers. His study also
revealed a significant degree of inequality of opportunity.
• Reference group theory is certainly a better conceptual frame than the concepts of
sanskritization and westernization. The latter concepts are of an ad hoc nature. They lack
refinement at conceptual level. Mobility at individual level in terms of aspirations, frustration,
morale and commitment can be better understood with the theory of reference group
behaviour. Mobility in caste structure at different levels could be explained through the
application of a set of perspectives.
• The applicability of the reference group theory, however, still remains to be tested to
understand structural (induced) changes emanating from legislation, land reforms, and
democratic decentralization etc. which do not involve groups and individuals as such but
the systems in existence. Structural changes do not take a cognizance of aspirations and
frustrations of the individuals and groups per se. The objective is an overhauling of the

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