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Unit-1: Meaning and Forms of Social Change

America, the rate of social change is extremely fast. Change is nature’s perennial truth; thus, at the Notes
societal level it exists in all eras and societies in either form.

3. Natural and inevitable: Change occurs necessarily because it is nature’s perennial truth; hence, it
is called a natural process. Society also keeps on changing in a natural way. Often, human nature
opposes change, but still change keeps on happening because person’s needs, desires, circumstances
are responsible for change. For example, during primitive times, the design of the houses used to
be of different types, but in modern times, when for all types of work one has to be depend on
machines; naturally change occurred in types of houses, which was thought to be quite impossible.
Thus, human beings necessarily accept occurring changes in order to accommodate their changing
circumstances. However, this is a natural occurrence.
4. Comparative and unequal speed: Social change is observed in all societies but the rate of change
is different in different the societies. In rural societies, change occurs at a very dull rate. The reason
for this is that the factors responsible for the change to occur are of different types, whereas in urban
society, change occurs at comparatively fast rate.

At these two places, the occurrence of change can be identified only after making a

comparison at these two places and analysing how much change has happened at
the particular place.
For example, social change occurs at a fast rate in urban societies as compared to the primitive
societies. Here we are able to determine the difference in rate of social change in these two types
of societies. Social change has an intimate relationship with country, period and circumstances. In
other words, every country has different circumstances; hence, in every country social change also
occurs at different rate, which can be known comparatively.
5. Complex phenomenon: Based on a comparative anaylsis of the occurrence of change in two societies,
it is clear that a social change has occurred, but it is clearer in terms of how much and at what level
the change has occurred? Its measurement is not possible. For example, today’s ideas, values,
traditions, customs have been different since primitive era, but it is not possible to evaluate the
extent of difference because the occurrence change is qualitative in nature. Hence, the characteristic
of social change is a complex phenomenon; it is not easy to understand its nature.
6. Prediction impossible: Change does occur, but what will be its direction? What will be its nature?
At what place will the change occur etc is not specified. For example, the impact of technological

development influenced the entire nation. Various fields, such as standard of living, arrangement

of food, commutation, materialistic comfort etc are influenced by it, but it is a difficult task, if not
impossible, to analyse the extent of influence of peoples’ ideas, faith and values. Industrialisation

and urbanisation has influenced various areas of joint families, marriage, caste practice etc, whose

complete influence cannot be certainly foretold. However, only prospects can be analysed.
Self Assessment
Fill in the blanks—
1. The relation of social change is related to the occurrence of change in the entire society, and not only
the change at ........................ level is called a social change.
2. There is not a single society in the world, where ........................ has not occurred.
3. Because ......................... is nature’s perennial truth, occurs essentially; hence, it is called a natural
process.

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01/08/13 8:00 PM
Parivartan and Vikas ka Samaj Shastra book 3
Parivartan and Vikas ka Samaj Shastra book 3 01/08/13 8:00 PM