Page 314 - DSOC202_SOCIAL_STRATIFICATION_ENGLISH

Unit 14: Emergence of Middle Class System

• Women, being the integral part of our so called democratic nation have always been looked Notes
down under the dictatorship of men. Women not only suffer in the rural India, but the
problem remains the same in the urban sector of the society too. India’s economy has
undergone a substantial transformation since the country’s independence in 1947 and so the
growth of women has also evolved. A section of Indian women the elite and the upper
middle class have gained by the exposure to the global network. Many of the working
women, who manage their own expenses, do contribute towards the economic needs of their
family as and when required. Unlike the earlier time they often participate in discussions at
workplace where their views are also given equal importance before any final decision.
• The basic infrastructure of society has hardly improved, though the role of women within
the same structure is passing through a transitional phase. It is but natural that she would
remain vulnerable to exploitation even in her economically independent status.
• In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, the term middle class was first used to
describe these emerging class of bourgeoisie. It stood in-between the rich land owning class
and poor working class. With expansion of industries and urban areas, trade and service
economy grew. People engaged in these works like small traders and professionals constituted
the middle class whom we called ‘old middle classes’.

14.4 Key–Words

1. Emergence : The process of coming into view or becoming exposed after being concealed.
2. Peasantry : The class of peasants.

14.5 Review Questions

1. What is the concept of middle class?
2. Explain the rise of middle class in India during the British Rule.
3. What is the growth of middle class after independence?
4. Write a short note on the emergence of middle class
Answers: Self–Assessment
1. (c) 2. (d) 3. (a) 4. (a)

14.6 Further Readings

1. Sharma, K.L., 2010 : Perspectives on Social Stratification, Rawat Publication.
2. Sharma, K.L., 2010 : Social Stratification & Mobility, Rawat Publication.
3. Hasnain, Nadeem, 2011 : Indian Society and Culture Continuity and Change,
Jawahar Publishers and Distributors.

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