Passage Based Questions: Structural Change | Sociology Class 12 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Passage - 1

Direction: Read the case carefully to answer the questions.

Passage: “We saw in the earlier section how the colonial state had an important role in the way industrialisation and urbanisation took place in India. Here we very briefly touch upon how the independent Indian state played an active role in promoting industrialisation. And in some sense was responding to the impact that colonialism had on the growth of industry in India. For Indian nationalists the issue of economic exploitation under colonial rule was a central issue. Images of precolonial fabled riches of India contrasted with the poverty of British India. The Swadeshi movement strengthened the loyalty to the national economy. Modern ideas made people realise that poverty was preventable. Indian nationalists saw rapid industrialisation of the economy as the path towards both growth and social equity. Development of heavy and machine-making industries, expansion of the public sector and holding of a large cooperative sector were considered very important. A modern and prosperous India, as visualised by Jawaharlal Nehru, was to be built on an edifice of giant steel plants or gigantic dams and power stations. Read Nehru’s remarks on the Bhakra Nangal dam:”

Q1: How did British India differ from earlier times and what were the reasons?
Ans: Images of precolonial fabled riches of India contrasted with the poverty of British India due to the economic exploitation and atrocities of Britain.

Q2: How was industrialization promoted in independent India?
Ans: Development of heavy and machine-making industries, expansion of the public sector, and holding of a large cooperative sector were considered very important.

Q3: What were the British-developed cities in India and their reasons?
Ans: (i) Coastal cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai were favored.
(ii) From these cities, primary commodities could be easily exported and manufactured goods could be cheaply imported.
(iii) Colonial cities served as the primary link between the economic center and core in Britain.

Passage - 2

Direction: Read the case carefully to answer the questions.

Passage: “We have already seen how industrialization and urbanization did not happen in India quite the way it did in Britain. More importantly, this is not because we began industrialisation late, but because our early industrialisation and urbanisation in the modern period were governed by colonial interests. We cannot go into details about different industries here. We simply take the case of the tea industry in India as an example. Official reports show how the colonial government often used unfair means to hire and forcibly keep labourers. And clearly acted on behalf of the British planters. From fictional and other accounts we get a glimpse of what life was for planters in this industry.”

Q1: Why did urbanization in India differ from that in Britain?
Ans: Urbanization in India differed because our early industrialization and urbanization in the modern period were governed by colonial interests.

Q2: Describe the working conditions for laborers in the tea industry.
Ans: Harsh measures were taken against the laborers. The colonial government often used unfair means to hire and forcibly keep laborers.

Q3: From which region did people migrate to Assam for work on tea plantations?
Ans: People from present-day Jharkhand moved to Assam to work on the tea plantations.

Passage - 3

Direction: Read the case carefully to answer the questions.

Passage: “You would be more than aware of increasing urbanisation in India. Recent years of globalisation have led to enormous expansion and change of cities. In the 21st century, India will be witnessing a fast pace of urbanisation with the ambitious scheme of ‘Smart City’ initiated by the Government of India. Writing on the different kinds of urbanisation witnessed in the first two decades after independence, sociologist M.S.A. Rao argued that in India many villages all over the country are becoming increasingly subject to the impact of urban influences. But the nature of urban impact varies according to the kind of relations a village has with a city or town. He describes three different situations of urban impact as mentioned in the box.”

Q1: When and how was the National Planning Committee established?
Ans: The Planning Commission was set up in March 1950 by a resolution of the Government of India, which defined the scope of the Commission’s work.

Q2:  What is the urban impact on villages where many people have moved to far-off cities?
Ans: Villages where a significant number of people have sought employment in distant cities experience urban impact as these people live away from their families, leaving the family members behind in their native villages. Urban impact is also observed in villages located near industrial towns.

Passage - 4

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.
The impact of colonial rule is distinguishable from all other earlier rules because the changes it brought in were far-reaching and deep. History is full of examples of the annexation of foreign territory and the domination of weaker by stronger powers. Nevertheless, there is a vital difference between the empire building of pre-capitalist times and that of capitalist times. Apart from outright pillage, the pre-capitalist conquerors benefited from their domination by exacting a continuous flow of tribute. On the whole they did not interfere with the economic base. 

Q1: What distinguishes colonial rule from earlier forms of domination in terms of its impact?
Ans:

• Colonial rule brought far-reaching and deep changes unlike earlier forms of domination.

Q2: How did pre-capitalist conquerors differ from colonial powers in terms of economic interference?
Ans:

• Pre-capitalist conquerors did not significantly interfere with the economic base of the territories they dominated.

Q3: What was the key difference between the empire building of pre-capitalist times and that of capitalist times?
Ans:

• Unlike pre-capitalist conquerors, colonial powers during capitalist times exacted continuous tribute and brought significant economic changes in the territories they dominated.

Passage - 5

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.
Colonialism also led to considerable movement of people. It led to movement of people from one part to another within India. For instance people from present day Jharkhand moved to Assam to work on the tea plantations. A newly emerging middle class particularly from the British Presidency regions of Bengal and Madras moved as government employees and professionals like doctors and lawyers moved to different parts of the country. People were carted in ships from India to work on other colonised lands in distant Asia, Africa and Americas. Many died on their way. Most could never return. Today many of their descendents are known as people of Indian origin. 

Q1: How did colonialism impact internal migration in India?
Ans:

• Colonialism led to significant internal migration, such as people from Jharkhand moving to Assam for work on tea plantations.

Q2: Who were the groups of people that migrated within India due to colonialism?
Ans:

• The newly emerging middle class from British Presidency regions like Bengal and Madras, including government employees, doctors, and lawyers, moved to various parts of the country.

Q3: What was the consequence of colonialism on Indian migration to other colonized lands?
Ans:

• Colonialism resulted in forced migration of Indians to distant Asian, African, and American colonies, with many perishing during the journey. Their descendants are now known as people of Indian origin.

Passage - 6

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.
Capitalism is an economic system in which the means of production are privately owned and organised to accumulate profits within a market system. (We have already discussed the capitalist market in the first book – Indian Society.) Capitalism in the west emerged out of a complex process of European exploration of the rest of the world, its plunder of wealth and resources, an unprecedented growth of science and technology, its harnessing to industries and agriculture. What marked capitalism from the very beginning was its dynamism, its potential to grow, expand, innovate, use technology and labour in a way best assured to ensure greatest profit. What marked it too was its global nature. Western colonialism was inextricably connected to the growth of western capitalism.

Q1: What is the fundamental characteristic of capitalism in terms of ownership and profit?
Ans:

• Capitalism is characterized by privately owned means of production and the organization of these resources to accumulate profits within a market system.

Q2: How did capitalism in the West emerge according to the passage?
Ans:

• Capitalism in the West emerged through a complex process involving European exploration, plundering of wealth and resources from other parts of the world, significant growth in science and technology, and their integration into industries and agriculture.

Q3: What distinguished capitalism from its beginning, as mentioned in the passage?
Ans:

• Capitalism was marked by its dynamism, the ability to grow, expand, innovate, and efficiently use technology and labor to maximize profits.
• Additionally, it was characterized by its global nature, with Western colonialism being closely connected to the growth of Western capitalism.

Passage - 7

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.
Industrialisation refers to the emergence of machine production, based on the use of inanimate power resources like steam or electricity. In most standard western textbook of sociology, we learn that in even the most advanced of traditional civilizations, most people were engaged in working on the land. The relatively low level of technological development did not permit more than a small minority to be freed from the chores of agricultural production. By contrast, a prime feature of industrial societies today is that a large majority of the employed population work in factories, offices or shops rather than agriculture. Over 90 per cent of people in the west live in towns and cities, where most jobs are to be found and new job opportunities are created.

Q1: What is industrialization, and how does it differ from traditional forms of production?
Ans:

• Industrialization refers to the shift from manual labor and handicrafts to machine production, powered by inanimate resources like steam or electricity.
• In traditional societies, most people engaged in agricultural work due to limited technological development.
• In contrast, industrial societies witness the majority of the population working in factories, offices, or shops, with a significant urbanization trend.

Q2: What is the significance of industrialization in terms of employment patterns and urbanization?
Ans:

• Industrialization leads to a majority of the workforce being employed in non-agricultural sectors such as factories, offices, and shops.
• Over 90% of people in Western countries now live in towns and cities, where these non-agricultural jobs are concentrated.
• Urbanization and industrialization are closely linked, with cities becoming hubs for employment opportunities and economic activities.

Q3: How did technological limitations in traditional civilizations affect the distribution of labor and freedom from agricultural chores?
Ans:

• Limited technological development in traditional civilizations restricted the majority of the population to agricultural work.
• Technological constraints meant only a small minority could be freed from agricultural chores.
• Industrialization, powered by machines and inanimate resources, enabled a shift, allowing a larger portion of the population to engage in non-agricultural occupations.

Passage - 8

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.
In India the impact of the very same British industrialisation led to deindustrialisation in some sectors, and decline of old urban centres. Just as manufacturing boomed in Britain, traditional exports of cotton and silk manufactures from India declined in the face of Manchester competition. This period also saw the further decline of cities such as Surat and Masulipatnam while Bombay and Madras grew. When the British took over Indian states, towns like Thanjavur, Dhaka, and Murshidabad lost their courts and, therefore, some of their artisans and court gentry. From the end of the 19th century, with the installation of mechanised factory industries, some towns became much more heavily populated. 

Q1: What impact did British industrialization have on traditional industries in India during the colonial period?
Ans:

• British industrialization led to deindustrialization in certain sectors in India.
• Traditional exports like cotton and silk manufactures declined due to competition from British products, affecting local industries negatively.

Q2: How did the growth of manufacturing in Britain affect Indian cities during the colonial era?
Ans:

• Cities like Surat and Masulipatnam experienced decline while Bombay and Madras grew due to shifts in trade and economic activities.
• British control over Indian states resulted in the loss of courts in towns like Thanjavur, Dhaka, and Murshidabad, leading to the decline of artisans and court gentry in these areas.

Q3: What changes occurred in Indian towns during the late 19th century with the advent of mechanized factory industries?
Ans:

• Mechanized factory industries led to significant population growth in some towns.
• The installation of these industries caused urban areas to become much more heavily populated, marking a transformation in the demographic landscape of certain Indian towns.

Passage - 9

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.
For Indian nationalists the issue of economic exploitation under colonial rule was a central issue. Images of pre-colonial fabled riches of India contrasted with the poverty of British India. The Swadeshi movement strengthened the loyalty to the national economy. Modern ideas made people realise that poverty was preventable. Indian nationalists saw rapid industrialisation of the economy as the path towards both growth and social equity. Development of heavy and machine-making industries, expansion of the public sector and holding of a large cooperative sector were considered very important.

Q1: What was the central concern for Indian nationalists during colonial rule concerning the economy?
Ans:

• Indian nationalists were deeply concerned about economic exploitation under colonial rule, highlighting the disparity between the pre-colonial wealth of India and the poverty prevalent during British rule.

Q2: How did the Swadeshi movement impact Indian nationalism and economic loyalty?
Ans:

• The Swadeshi movement bolstered loyalty to the national economy, encouraging Indians to support indigenous products and industries over British imports.
• This movement aimed to promote self-reliance and reduce dependence on British goods, strengthening the spirit of nationalism among Indians.

Q3: What strategies did Indian nationalists advocate for economic development and social equity during the colonial period?
Ans:

• Indian nationalists believed that rapid industrialization was crucial for both economic growth and social equity.
• They emphasized the development of heavy and machine-making industries, the expansion of the public sector, and the establishment of a large cooperative sector to achieve economic progress and reduce social disparities.

Passage - 10

Direction: Read the following Passage and Answer the Questions.
In 1951, 17.29% of India’s population i.e., 62.44 million people, were living in 2,843 towns. In 2011, 31.16% of India’s population i.e., 377.10 million people, were living in 7,935 towns. This shows a steady increase in terms of absolute numbers, number of UA/towns and the per cent share of the urban population. However, the decennial growth rate of the urban population showed a declining trend during 1981–2001, reversed the trend and showed marginal increase in 2011. The decennial growth rate of the urban population in 1951 was 41.42% and in 2011, it was 31.80%.

Q1: How did the urban population in India change between 1951 and 2011 in terms of absolute numbers and percentage of the total population?
Ans:

• In 1951, 17.29% of India’s population, equivalent to 62.44 million people, lived in 2,843 towns.
• By 2011, the urban population had increased to 31.16% of India’s total population, comprising 377.10 million people living in 7,935 towns.
• This demonstrates a significant rise in both absolute numbers and the percentage share of the urban population over the years.

Q2: What trend did the decennial growth rate of the urban population show from 1951 to 2011?
Ans:

• The decennial growth rate of the urban population was 41.42% in 1951, indicating a rapid urbanization trend.
• However, during 1981–2001, there was a declining trend in the urban population growth rate.
• This trend reversed, showing a marginal increase in the growth rate in 2011, which stood at 31.80%.

Q3: How did the number of urban agglomerations (UAs) or towns in India change from 1951 to 2011?
Ans:

• In 1951, there were 2,843 towns in India where 17.29% of the population resided.
• By 2011, the number of towns had increased to 7,935, accommodating 31.16% of the total population.
• This indicates a steady rise in the number of urban agglomerations, reflecting the ongoing urbanization process in India.