Sociology of Indian Society by CN Shankar Rao

Author:CN Shankar Rao [Rao, CN Shankar]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Chand (S.) & Co Ltd ,India
Published: 2004-08-31T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 13

RURAL LIFE IN INDIA

PART I : RURAL INDIA

NATURE, FEATURES AND PROBLEMS

India A Classical Land of Villages - Indian Villages Through the Ages - Village Studies - Some Important Village Studies and The Main Issues Involved in Them -

Importance and Limitations of Village Studies - Definition of Village - Traditional Characteristics of Indian Village - Agrarian Class Structure - Daniel Thorner’s Classification : Landlords, Working Peasants and Labourers - Village Solidarity : Factors Favourable for Solidarity - Manifestation of Village Solidarity : Critical Comments - Village Settlement Patterns : Nucleated and Dispersed Villages - A.R.

Desai and J.B. Chitambar’s Classification - Land Tenure System and Land Reforms

After Independence : Systems of Land Tenure in Pre-Independence India : The Zamindari Tenure and Its Defects: The Mahalwari System; Ryotwari Tenure and Its Evil Effects - Land Reforms After Independence - Land Reform Measures : Abolition of Intermediaries, Tenancy Reforms, Ceilings on Land Holdings and Its Advantages

- Consolidation of Land Holdings and Its Advantages - Co-operative Farming -

Progress of Land Reforms in India A Brief Assessment - Causes for the Poor Performance of Land Reforms Programme - Problems of Indian Villages :

Agricultural Problems, Economic Problems, Social Problems.

The present world is still dominated by the villages. In spite of the craze towards city life majority of the people in this globe prefer to stay back in their villages in the midst of nature. Hence the world population is predominantly rural. More than 2/3 of the world’s population still lives in villages. India is basically a land of villages. In spite of the increasing trend towards urbanisation more than 3/4 of the population of India resides in more than 5.58 lakh villages. The study of the Indian society becomes meaningful and fruitful only if its villages, and their problems are studied carefully. It is the task of “rural sociology” to delve deep into the phenomenon of village life. Even in India, rural sociology, that is sociology of rural life is becoming a full-fledged academic discipline with a firm foundation.

Villages existed in India even during the Vedic period and also prior to that. Some even described these villages as “self-contained little republics”. The autonomy, independence and self-sufficiency which the Indian Villages enjoyed for centuries came to an end during the British Period.

But under the British rule they were slowly exposed to the modern trends. Scholars started making 375

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SOCIOLOGY OF INDIAN SOCIETY

some systematic studies of the villages especially after Independence. These studies though have their limitations, are of much importance in understanding our own rural society and its dynamics.

They started throwing much light on village solidarity, village settlement patterns, rural class structure, land reforms and their impact, agrarian unrest and so on.

It is true that the Indian Villages are undergoing a fast change now. These changes have not always brought the positive results in all the spheres of village life. There are a large number of villages which suffer from major problems such as poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, indebtedness, superstition and the like. Progress of the nation can be ensured only if these rural problems are dealt with carefully and efficiently.

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