Social Change
Social
change is a natural part of the process of human growth and evolution. Several
internal and external factors play a major role in the process. Further, the
nature of social change can be progressive or regressive, temporary or
permanent, planned or unplanned, unidirectional or multidirectional, beneficial
or harmful.
Definition
According to H M Johnson."social
change mean change in social structure"
According
to Koenig," Social change may be defined as in patients on model
social change refers to the modification which occurs in the life pattern of a
people."
According to Lundberg,
"Social change is any modification in established pattern of inter-human
relationships and standards of conduct.
Essential
characteristics of social change
1. University of social change;
Social change is universal. It characterises every society. No society is
static. It is continuously in flux.
2. Social change is not uniform;
Social change differs from society to society. Change is the Spice of life.
However it cannot be progressive or regressive, positive or negative, permanent
or temporary, planned or unplanned, unidirectional or multidirectional,
beneficial or harmful.
3. Social change involves community
change; Social change does not mean the change in life of
an individual or several individuals or some groups of individual.
4. Social change is again relative to
time; Social change characterizes its society. Its speed
however always differs from time to time and is not essentially uniform.
5. Social change source a chain
reaction sequence: Social change always comes under the
impact of several social, economic, technological and situational factors. it
very often show a Chain Reaction sequence that is changed in one part or factor
leads to change in other parts or factor and then it change in the way of life
of the community of people takes place.
Patterns or mode of social
change
Social
change is a Universal process but it was in several ways: Darwin, Herbert
Spencer, Marx, MacIver, Sorokin and several other sociologists have tried
to explain the modes for patterns in different ways.
1. Social change to evolution;
Evolutionary process tells that social change is like an evolutionary change
which occurs due to internal forces within society. In the process, the society
changes over from a simple to a complex society.
2. Social change through progress;
progress indicates a very definite direction of change; it means that the
society in its present state is going forward in accordance with the desired
and needs of the people.
3. Social change through development;
In the process of development there is a realization that society is moving forwards but there is no
questions of its being good or bad.
Development means changes in social life of the people. It is also a
mode of social change.
4. Social change through revolution;
There is always a social discontent and conflict which when touches it extreme
point, the dissatisfied and downtrodden sections of society get United and
organises a revolution for bringing about a fundamental all round changes in
society.
5. Social change through social
movement; Social movement is the active action for endeavours
which are undertaken to eradicate Evil social customs, religions, misbelievers,
cultural and social discrimination. Such endeavor may be individuals or
collective and their aims to make the life of individual.
Factors of social
change
Many
factors which affect social change can be discussed as follows:
1. Natural factors;
Natural forces and factors plays an important role in unifying or
disintegrating the society. This factors and forces acts as a source of big
loss for the victims. This initiative effort aims to rapid reconstructions and
development.
2. Geographical factors of social
change; The geographical condition always affects the
social system and acts as factors of social change. The cultural life of the
people depends upon the physical environment, progress also depends upon the
availability of natural resources, their exploitation and how are these being
recouped and preserved.
3. Biological factors;
Biological factors are those factors which determine the structure selections
and hereditary qualities of generations.
4. Demographic factors;
The demographic factors always influence the process and nature of social
change. The population increase or decrease always brings social problems. When
the birth rate in a society exceeds death-rate, population begins to rise. A
constantly rising population gives birth to poverty, unemployment, disease and
several other related problems.
5. Cultural factors;
The cultural factor also plays a role in bringing about social change. Our
social life depends upon on ourbeliefs, ideas, values, custom conventions,
Institution and the like. When there is a change in this, it influences the
social life.
6. Science and Technology as factors
of social change: Science and technology happens to be
the most important factors of social change. New scientific inventions and
technologies always greatly influence the social life.
Hindrance in the way
of social change.
The
following have been some of the major hindrances in the way of social change;
1. Traditionalism and social
conservatism; Traditionalism acts as one of the
greatest hindrance in the way of social change. Every human being loves is traditions,
customs and way of life. He respects the traditional Institutions and distrust
new social inventions.
2. Ignorance;
Ignorance is the second major hindrance in the way of social change. The
ignorant and the illiterates always have a deep faith in their blind belief.
3. Indolence;
People also refused to accept social innovations due to their indolences and
mental inertia in European societies.
4. Religion;
Religion also acts as a hindrance in the way of social change. According to
Marx religion acts as opium for the people. Religion gives birth to blind
beliefs, rituals and superstitions.
5. Caste system;
This caste system is another hindrance in the way of social change. Due to
caste system the society remains divided into several caste and subcaste. It
generates and maintains a system of social inequality and discrimination.
6. Vested interests;
Some vested interests raised hue and cry again social reforms and changes. The
Fundamentalist always of oppose change. They try to live by their religious
dictates and traditions and are not prepared to accept the new change and
inventions.
7. Economic cost;.
Despite the presence of hindrance, social change always takes place in every
society. It is a natural universal feature of every social system of the world.
Theories of social
change
1. Theory of deterioration;
Some thinkers identify social changes with deterioration. According to Indian
mythology man has passed through four ages. Satyug, where there was the best
age, in which man was honest, truthful and perfectly happy. Treat, Draper and
Kaliyug. Thereafter, degeneration began to take place. The modern age is the
age of Kalyug wherein man is deceitful, treacherous false, dishonest, selfish
and consequently unhappy. This view of social change as deterioration dates
ancient times.
2. Linear evolutionary theory;
Auguste Comte believes that human societies evolved in a unilinear Fashion that
is in one line of development. He identified three states of social revolutions
or changed. The age of theology, the age
of metaphysics, and the age of positivism.
3. Telic Theory of social change;
Lester F-Ward has asserted that progress can be achieved by means of purposive
effort or conscious planning. Through education and knowledge intellect can
assert itself over emotion and this can lead to the possibility of effective
planning.
4. Cyclical theory of social change;
Splengler developed a version of cyclical Theory of social change. He Analyse
the history of various civilisations including the Egyptian, Greek and Roman
concluded that all Civilization pass through a similar cycle of birth, maturity
and death.
5. Structural - functional Theory of
social change; Structural is an arrangement or units
for the performance of function. Function is the consequent of the activities
of structure. Its structures serve its own function and at the same time help
other to function. In this way the whole social system functions and undergoes
social change.
6. Deterministic Theory of social
change; The deterministic theory has been a widely popular
Theory of social change among several contemporary sociologists. According to this theory there are certain
forces, social or natural or both, which bring about social change and the
circumstances which determine the cause of social change.
7. Conflict Theory of social change;
Several sociology emphasizes the importance of conflict in social change.
Conflict theory is quite impressive and influential but it does not account for
all forms of social change. It does not tell us much about the direction of
social change.
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