discuss the various features of social change
Answers
1. Universality of Social Change:
Social change is universal. It characterises every society. No society is static. It is continuously in flux. This becomes evident from the fact that each modern society is today different from its past form. Under the impact of several internal and external factors, each society experiences changes in its structures, functions, institutions and processes.
2. Social Change is not Uniform:
Social Change differs from society to society. Change is the law of nature. Change is the spice of life. However, it can be progressive or regressive, positive or negative, permanent or temporary, planned or unplanned, unidirectional or multidirectional, beneficial or harmful.
Each society has its own history and culture and hence the process and nature of social change always differs from society to society. This makes it essential for the social scientists to study the process and nature of social change in each society.
3. Social Change involves Community Change:
Social Change does not mean the change in the life of an individual or several individuals or some groups of individuals. It is a change involving the life of the entire community. It characterises and influences the life of the whole community. It is a community change and not an individual change.
4. Nature and Speed of Social Change in Various Societies is Different:
In all societies the nature and speed of social change varies. Each society has it own history and culture. Naturally, it experiences social change which is different in nature and speed from the social change which comes in every other society.
The speed of change in some societies is slow while in others it is fast and rapid. In societies with low levels of literacy and development, the speed of social change in slow. In a developed and highly literate society the social change speedily comes.
5. Social Change is again Relative to Time:
Social Change characterises each society. Its speed, however, always differs from time to time and is not essentially uniform. It keeps on changing from time to time. Before 1947, when our country was living under British imperialism, the speed of change remained slow. However, after independence, the speed of change in Indian society became very fast.
Rapid industrialisation, development of agriculture and initiation of the process of planned socio-economic development increased the speed of social change. Under the impact of information and communications revolution of contemporary times, the speed of change has become very fast. Thus the speed of change in each society continues to vary from time to time.
6. Social Change shows a Chain-Reaction Sequence:
Since social change always comes under the impact of several social, economic, technological and situational factors, it very often shows a Chain-Reaction sequence i.e. change in one part/factor leads to changes in other parts/factors and then a change in the way of life of the community of people takes place. Industrialisation and urbanisation lead to changes in family life and village life. Increased need for labour to run the factories encourages the women to join the work force.
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