Change and Development in Rural Society

CBSE Class-12 Sociology Test Paper-01

Part-2 (Ch-04 Change and Development in Rural Society)

General Instruction:

Question 1-5 carries two marks each.
Question 6-8 carries four marks each.
Question 9-10 carries six marks each.

Why is Indian society considered to be primarily a rural society?
Why there is a close connection between agriculture and culture.?
Rural is not just about agriculture. Explain.
Why has there been a change in the source of livelihood for rural society in present times?
List the non-agricultural activities and occupations that are part of rural societies in India.
How is the land structure distributed in rural society in India?
Access to land largely determines the agrarian class structure. Explain.
After Independence, why was if felt that a major reform in the agrarian structure is necessary?
Discuss about the sources of livelihood for people in rural India.
Explain the complex relationship between caste and class in rural India.

CBSE Class-12 Sociology Test Paper-01
Part-2 (Ch-04 Change and Development in Rural Society)

Indian society is considered primarily a rural society, as the majority of India’s people live in rural areas (67 per cent, according to the 2001 Census). They make their living from agriculture or related occupations. This means that agricultural land is the most important productive resource for a great many Indians.
There is a close connection between agriculture and culture because the nature and practice of agriculture varies greatly across the different regions of the country. These variations are reflected in the different regional cultures. One can say that both the culture and social structure in rural India are closely bound up with agricultural and the agrarian way of life.
Rural is not just about agriculture because many activities that support agriculture and village life are also sources of livelihood for people in rural India. For example, a large number of artisans such as potters, carpenters, weavers, ironsmiths, and goldsmiths are found in rural areas. They were once part and parcel of the village economy though their numbers have been steadily lessening since the colonial period.
There has been a change in the source of livelihood for rural society in present times due to increasing interconnection of the rural and urban economies. Many people living in rural areas are now employed in, or have livelihoods based in, rural non-farm activities. For instance, there are rural residents employed in government services such as the Postal and Education Departments, factory workers, or in the army, who earn their living through non- agricultural activities.
Non-agricultural activities and occupations that are part of rural societies in India are people who are artisans such as potters, carpenters, weavers, ironsmiths, and goldsmiths are found in rural areas. Rural life also supported many other specialists and crafts persons as story- tellers, astrologers, priests, water- distributors, and oil-pressers. There were also specialist and ‘service’ castes such as Washermen, Potters, and Goldsmiths.
Agricultural land structure is not equally distributed among people living in a particular village or region. Nor does everyone have access to land.
In fact, the distribution of landholdings in most regions is highly unequal among households. In some parts of India, the majority of rural households own at least some land – usually very small plots. In other areas as much as 40 to 50 per cent of families do not own any land at all. This means that they are dependent on agricultural labour or other kinds of work for their livelihoods. This of course means that a few families are well-to-do. The majority live just above or below the poverty line.
Access to land largely determines what role one plays in the process of agricultural production. It classifies rural society into the following class structure:
1. Medium and large landowners: They are usually able to earn sufficient or even large incomes from cultivation (although this depends on agricultural prices, which can fluctuate greatly, as well as other factors such as the monsoon).
2. Agricultural labourers: They are mostly paid below the statutory minimum wage and earn very little. Their incomes are low. Their employment is insecure. Most agricultural labourers are daily- wage workers and do not have work for many days of the year that is known as underemployment.
3. Tenants: These are cultivators who lease their land from landowners. They have lower incomes than owner-cultivators. Because they have to pay a substantial rent to the landowner – often as much as 50 to 75 per cent of the income from the crop.
A major reform in the agrarian structure was felt necessary if agriculture was to progress.
The agricultural situation in India was dismal at the time of independence. It was marked by low productivity, dependence on imported food grains, and the intense poverty of a large section of the rural population.
The policy makers thus, felt that a major reform in the agrarian structure, and especially in the landholding system and the distribution of land, was necessary if agriculture were to progress. Nehru and his policy advisors thus embarked on a programme of planned development that focussed on agrarian reforms as well as industrialisation. Thus, from the 1950s to the 1970s, a series of land reform laws were passed both at the national level as well as in the states that were intended to bring about the changes in the agrarian structure.
Agriculture is the single most important source of livelihood for the majority of the rural population. But the rural is not just agriculture. Many activities that support agriculture and village life are also sources of livelihood for people in rural India. For example, a large number of artisans such as potters, carpenters, weavers, ironsmiths, and goldsmiths are found in rural areas. They were once part and parcel of the village economy. Their numbers have been steadily lessening since the colonial period.
Rural life also supported many other specialists and crafts persons as story- tellers, astrologers, priests, water-distributors, and oil-pressers. The diversity of occupations in rural India was reflected in the caste system, which in most regions included specialist and ‘service’ castes such as Washermen, Potters, and Goldsmiths. Some of these traditional occupations have declined. Also, increasing interconnection of the rural and urban economies has led to many diverse occupations in present times. Many people living in rural areas are employed in, or have livelihoods based in, rural non- farm activities. For instance, there are rural residents employed in government services such as the Postal and Education Departments, factory workers, or in the army, who earn their living through non- agricultural activities.
In rural areas, there is a complex relationship between caste and class.
1. The correspondence between caste and class is visible in some areas with the higher caste having more land and higher income. However, in most areas this is not most areas.
2. In most areas the highest caste, the Brahmins, are not major landowners, and so they fall outside the agrarian structure although they are a part of rural society.
3. In most regions of India the major landowning groups belong to the upper castes with each region, usually having just one or two major landowning castes, which are also numerically very important. Such groups were termed by the sociologist M.N. Srinivas as dominant castes.
4. The dominant caste is the most powerful group, economically and politically, and dominates local society in each region. Examples of dominant landowning groups are the Jats and Rajputs of U.P., the Vokkaligas and Lingayats in Karnataka, Kammas and Reddis in Andhra Pradesh, and Jat Sikhs in Punjab.
5. While dominant landowning groups are usually middle or high ranked castes, most of the marginal farmers and landless workers belong to lower caste groups.
6. In many regions of India, the former ‘Untouchable’ or dalit castes were not allowed to own land and they provided most of the agricultural labour for the dominant landowning groups.
  Thus, the rough correspondence between caste and class means that typically the upper and middle castes termed as ‘proprietary caste’ group also had the best access to land and resources, and hence to power and privilege.

Change and Development in Rural Society - Test Papers