Social Change
Short Questions
1. What does social change mean according to Harry Johnson?
Answer: Social change means a change in social structure.
2. Who proposed the Theory of Three Stages of human thought?
Answer: Auguste Comte proposed the Theory of Three Stages.
3. What is an example of cyclical social change?
Answer: The return of old fashion styles like punk hairstyles is an example.
4. What approach compares society to a biological organism?
Answer: The structural-functional approach, inspired by Herbert Spencer’s Organic Analogy, compares society to a biological organism.
5. What is an example of a planned social change?
Answer: The development of planned cities is an example of planned social change.
6. Which factor is responsible for changes due to natural calamities like earthquakes?
Answer: The physical factor is responsible for changes due to natural calamities.
7. What does demography study in the context of biological factors?
Answer: Demography studies the size, structure, and distribution of the population.
8. Who linked Protestant ethics to the spread of capitalism?
Answer: Max Weber linked Protestant ethics to the spread of capitalism.
9. What economic policy of 1991 impacted Indian society?
Answer: The LPG (Liberalization, Privatization, Globalization) Policy of 1991 impacted Indian society.
10. Which factor is driven by technological innovations like e-governance?
Answer: The technological factor is driven by innovations like e-governance.
11. What is the role of education in social change?
Answer: Education develops skills and transforms lives to drive social change.
12. What is an example of a short-term social change?
Answer: Purchasing a home theatre is an example of short-term social change.
13. What is an example of a long-term social change?
Answer: Eradicating dowry practices is an example of long-term social change.
14. What does the term “neutrality” mean in social change?
Answer: Neutrality means social change is ethically neutral and amoral.
15. What is anomic suicide according to Emile Durkheim?
Answer: Anomic suicide is a state of normlessness or chaos that triggers suicidal feelings.
Long Questions
1. Explain the nature of social change with examples.
Answer: The nature of social change is universal and inevitable, occurring in all societies whether tribal, rural, or urban, as no society remains static. It can be linear (e.g., Auguste Comte’s Three Stages), multilinear, or cyclical (e.g., fashion trends like punk hairstyles returning), with varying speeds. The direction and consequences may be positive (e.g., technological progress) or negative (e.g., natural disasters), making it a continuous and complex process.
2. Describe the structural-functional approach to understanding society.
Answer: The structural-functional approach views society as a system with interrelated parts like education and government, each performing specific functions, inspired by Herbert Spencer’s Organic Analogy. It suggests that changes in one part (e.g., family structure shifting from joint to nuclear) affect the whole system, maintaining or disrupting equilibrium. Dysfunction, such as normlessness leading to anomic suicide (Durkheim), requires conscious efforts to restore balance.
3. What are the characteristics of social change?
Answer: Social change is universal, occurring in all societies with varying speeds in aspects like population and customs, and is a continuous process from nomadic times to the present. It is temporal, taking place over time, and involves an interactional chain reaction where one factor (e.g., rising school fees) triggers others (e.g., dropouts). It is neutral, short-term or long-term, and can be planned (e.g., city planning) or unplanned (e.g., earthquakes).
4. Discuss the physical factors responsible for social change.
Answer: Physical factors, including climatic conditions, natural resources, and geography, significantly influence social change by shaping human settlements and lifestyles. Natural calamities like the 1993 Latur earthquake cause displacement and long-term societal shifts, while fertile lands or mineral-rich areas promote development. However, human activities like industrial pollution leading to global warming highlight the need for sustainable development.
5. Explain the role of biological factors in social change.
Answer: Biological factors, or demographic changes, involve population dynamics such as birth rates, death rates, and sex ratios, which impact society’s structure and resources. Overpopulation or under-population leads to issues like unemployment and housing shortages, while a declining sex ratio affects socio-economic opportunities. The growing number of senior citizens or youth decline poses new challenges, requiring adaptive societal responses.
6. How do socio-cultural factors contribute to social change?
Answer: Socio-cultural factors involve changes in values, beliefs, and ideologies, driving social change through cultural diffusion when cultures interact or clash. Max Weber’s link between Protestant ethics and capitalism, or the global impact of ideas from Darwin and Marx, exemplifies this influence. Negative aspects like fundamentalism or superstition can hinder progress, creating barriers to societal transformation.
7. What is the significance of economic factors in social change?
Answer: Economic factors, such as industrial revolutions and globalization (e.g., India’s 1991 LPG Policy), drive large-scale social and political transformations by affecting institutions like family and education. They lead to urbanization, employment, and class conflicts (as per Marx’s conflict theory), fostering movements like labor or women’s rights. However, economic competition also widens class divides, necessitating welfare-focused development.
8. Discuss the impact of technological factors on social change.
Answer: Technological factors, marked by innovations like e-governance and e-learning, create new life conditions and measure societal progress, transforming economic, cultural, and political spheres. Historical developments, such as British-era transportation systems expanded by India, continue to benefit modern society, while digitization aids governance. Yet, it coexists with inequalities, as many lack access to healthcare or education despite technological advances.
9. How does education act as a factor of social change?
Answer: Education, through formal, informal, and online means (e.g., MOOCs, Right to Education), equips individuals with skills and awareness to drive societal transformation. It includes inclusive efforts like admitting transgender students and providing scholarships, adapting pedagogy with technology like smart boards. This empowers people to solve problems and seek employment, fostering long-term societal progress.
10. Differentiate between planned and unplanned social change with examples.
Answer: Planned social change is intentional, driven by governments or agencies, such as the development of planned cities with designated zones for residences and parks. Unplanned social change occurs suddenly due to external events, like earthquakes or floods causing loss of life and requiring immediate rehabilitation. Both types shape society, but planned changes aim for stability, while unplanned changes often lead to unpredictable outcomes.
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