Chapter 5: SOCIAL MOVEMENTS IN INDIA

Q.1 COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS BY CHOOSING THE COORRECT ALTERNATIVE GIVEN IN
THE BRACKET AND REWRITE.

1. The Chipko movement is for saving the environment .

2. The Bharatiya lok dal was started in the year 1974 .

(B) CORRECT THE INCORRECT PAIR AND REWRITE IT .

1. Women’s movement –gender equality .

Answer –gender equality .

2. International decade of women – from 1991 -2001

Answer -1975 – 1985

3. Towards equality – report on the status of women in india

Answer – report on the status of women in India .

4. Feminist movements – india after independence .

(C) IDENTIFY THE APPROPRIATE TERM FROM THE GIVEN OPTION IN THE BOX AND REWRITE IT
AGAINST THE GIVEN STATEMENT .

1. Leader of narmada Bachao Andolan

Answer - leader of narmada bachao andolan is medha patkar .

2. Significant role in trade union movement .

Answer - S.A Dange played a significant role in the trade union movement .

(D) CORRECT THE UNDERLINED WORDS AND COMPLETE THE STATEMENT .

1. The first kisan congress held in 1935 led to the establishment of the united trade union
congress.
Answer – The first Kisan Congress held in 1935 led to the establishment of the All India Kisan
Sabha (AIKS)

2. The women’s Indian association was formed in Bombay .

Answer – the women’s association was formed in madras .
 Q.2 WRITE SHORT NOTES
1. Farmer’s movement.
1. Early agitations (1857 -1921)-
 Firstly , the early part of british rule was marked by an exploitative revenue system .
 The farmers and peasants had to rely on money lenders to pay lagaan (taxes) to the
British authorities .
 During this phase the zamindari system became prevalent, through which landlords
could snatch away land from poor farmers when the farmer was unable to pay taxes.
 Many small cultivators lost their rights over their hereditary land and resources, the
problem was further compounded by famines and natural calamities during this period .
 Several revolts took place during this period. Several sociologists like A.R desai , D.N
Dhanagare have documented series of struggles by peasants and farmers against the
British government .
 During 1917 – 18 two peasant struggles led by National Congress are important,
namely , the Champaran struggle in Bihar against Indigo planters and satyagraha
movement of the peasants in Kaira against collection of land revenue in a situation of
crop failure .
2. Emergence of Kisan Sabhas (1922 to 1946)
 The initiative by the congress party to support the interests of landlords and zamindars
triggered a backlash. The congress supporting the capitalists did not go down well with a
section of struggling farmers. In 1926-27 many Kisan Sabhas were organized in Bengal,
Punjab and Uttar Pradesh with in revolutionary plans in mind.
 The Kisan sabha movement started in Bihar under the struggle .He opposed heavy
mechanization and industrialization; and championed low capital investment in
agriculture.

2. Characteristic of social movement

 Essentially collective in nature:

Social movement is not an individual action .It involves a collective action. A group
collectively has to be part of the movement.
 Planned and deliberate action:
Social movements have to be preplanned to be executed effectively. Movements are
deliberate initiatives and not spontaneous in nature
 Ideology and objectives:
A social movement is backed by an ideology. The ideology guides the course of the
movement. It has a set of objectives to fulfill.
 Social change:
 Social movements are oriented towards bringing about a change. It usually demands
change in the already established order or it resists change initiated by the authorities.

Q3 Write differences
1. Pre-independence and post independence of the women’s movement in India.

Pre-independence period of Women’s Post-independence period of Women’s

Movement Movement
i. It’s roots can roughly be traced to It refers to the Women’s Movement that
the beginning of 19th century. took place after 15th August 1947.
ii. Women became more aware of The period witnessed slowing down of
their status and position. Liberalism the Women’s Movement.
in thought and approach
encouraged women to educate
themselves.
iii. Social Reformers challenged This phase focused on sex stereotyping,
customary practices which were violence against women, and legislative
discriminatory. Also, conscious demands for equality of women.
efforts were made to educate
women.
iv. Important points: Important points:
a. Mahila Mandals were a. 1975-85 was announced as the
formed. international Women’s Decade.
b. Government enacted b. 1975 was declared as the
several laws. International Women’s Year.
c. Women’s Indian Association c. By 1980s, Women’s
was established in Madras. organizations became active.
d. All India Women’s d. Newsletters like Baija, The
Conference was established Feminist Network, Manushi were
in 1926. published to bring about
e. Mobilisation of women to women’s issues to the forefront.
fight for political e. By the end 1985, focus of
independence implied movement shifted considerably
women becoming aware due to several cases of violence
about their rights. against women.
f. Recently, Dalit feminist
movement has also emerged.
Q4 Explain the following concept with examples
1. Social movement
 According to TURNER AND KILLAN social movement means a collectively acting with
some continuity to promote or resist a change in the society or group of which it is a
part .
 The causes of social movements are cultural drift, social disorganization, perceived
social injustice, rigidity in the normative structure.
 Characteristic includes essentially collective in nature, planned and deliberate action,
ideology and objectives, social change.
 Social movements can be classified in various ways using different criteria.
(a) Cultural anthropologist David Aberle has identified four kinds of social movements,
based on two criteria: what is the target group for change and how much change is
advocated. The types are alternative social movements, reformative social movements,
redemptive social movement, and revolutionary social movements.
(b) Herbert blumer has classified social movements into 3 major categories, namely
general social movements, specific social movements and expressive social movements.

2 . Environmental movement
Answer – Gadgil and Guha have defined Environmental movement as, “An organized
social activity consciously directed towards promoting sustainable use of natural
resource, halting environmental degradation or bringing about environmental
restoration.”
The movement aims at collective goodness of humankind as against most of the other
movements where the target group is specific and defined.
The scope of the movement is wide and inclusive in the sense it has incorporated within
its folds, categories that are marginalized for different reasons, like tribal , farmers and
women
Chipko movement and narmada bachao andolan are the movements which are based
on saving ecology.

Q5 Complete the concept map

Significant concerns of 19th century Indian Women’s movement
i. Unequal status of women.
ii. Discriminatory customs.
iii. Education for women.
iv. Position of women in society.

Q6. Give your personal response

1. Has the study of environmental education had any effect on your behavior?
Answer – Yes, a large impact is been made in my thought of keeping the surrounding
clean, as we stay there and there are many ecological problems to come out of this
study is required to gain knowledgeable ideas and work on it

2. Why is it important to raise social concerns through social movements?

Q7 answer the following in detail

Social movement plays important role in bringing about the changes in society.
With reference to this statement, choose any two different social movements that you
have studied and comment on:
(i) The issue related to the movement and
(ii) How the movement has brought about the changes in the society.
Social Movement Environmental Movement: Narmada Bachao Andolan
Related issues The construction of Sardar Sarovar Dam on the river
Narmada would have led to displacement (i.e., loss of
livelihood for tribal and local people.)
Important points 1. To Protect against it, Narmada Bachao Andolan
(NBA) emerged in 1985 under the leadership of
Medha Patker.
2. It became an international movement.
3. In October 1994, Medha Patkar went on indefinite
dharna to pressurize the state governments of
Maharashtra, Gujrat and MP.
4. The movement suggested alternative methods for
generation of electricity and rehabilitation of the
displaced.
Resultant changes 1. NBA has brought issues of sustainable development
to the forefront.
2. It has questioned the validity of policy decisions
about development and the utility of the same.
3. The environmental movement continued to gather
new dimensions thereafter.

Social Movement Environmental Movement: Chipko Movement

Important points 1. Chipko stands for ‘ hug-the-tree’. It is a unique
movement started by Amrita devi.
2. It is marked by the Gandhian principal of non-
violence and known for active participation of
women.
3. The movement started in March 1973 in Chamoli
district (Himalayan region) under the leadership of
Sunderlal Bahuguna.
Related issues 1. Most of the Chamoli district is covered by forests
and livelihood of inhabitants there are linked to
forests. However, indiscriminate use of forest land
led to deforestation.
2. Industrialisation and development led to
improvement in transport and communication
networks.
3. People involved in developmental projects
challenged the established claim of local people on
forests.
4. Loss of means of livelihood affected and angered
people leading to the emergence of the movement.
5. In April 1973, when contractors and workers
reached Mumbai village to cut the trees in jungle
space allotted to them by the State government,
inhabitants hugged the trees so as to resist and mark
 their protest
Resultant changes 1. The action happened at a mass level and so, the
authorities had to retreat.
2. This incident boosted the morale of several other
groups facing similar problems to get together and
to protest against deforestation.