Important Questions & Answers: Social Movements

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Q1: What is a socio-reform movement?
Ans: A socio-reform movement is a movement that aims to remove existing social evils and ills from society.

Q2: Why were tribal movements started in India?
Ans: Tribal movements were started in India to preserve tribal cultures and prevent their assimilation into other societies.

Q3: Why is mobility present in social reform?
Ans: Mobility is present in social reform because the nature and focus of social reforms can change over time and vary across different societies.

Q4: What are the two objectives of social welfare?
Ans: The two objectives of social welfare are:

• Fulfilling the needs of society's members.
• Establishing social relations that enable individuals to develop their abilities.

Q5: What is a Political Movement?
Ans: A political movement is a movement that seeks to achieve specific political objectives, such as advocating for political reforms or pursuing independence.

Q6: Why were caste-based movements started before independence?
Ans: Caste-based movements were started before independence to challenge the dominance of Brahmins and to uplift the social status of specific castes within the caste hierarchy.

Q7: What is meant by Resource Mobilisation?
Ans: Resource mobilization refers to the process by which a social movement gains strength and support through political influence, financial resources, media coverage, and the cooperation of people.

Q8: What is meant by the Reformist Social Movement?
Ans: A reformist social movement seeks to bring about changes in the existing social and political systems through gradual and incremental steps.

Short Answer Type Questions

Q9: Which changes could be brought with the help of socio-reform movements?
Ans: Socio-reform movements can bring about changes in society by addressing social evils and promoting equality. They can help in eradicating practices like child marriage, dowry system, and child labor, which hinder the progress of the country. These movements aim to uplift the status of marginalized groups and promote social justice. By challenging traditional beliefs and norms, socio-reform movements can create a more inclusive and progressive society.

Q10: What is the nature of social movements?
Ans: Social movements are not institutions because they are not permanent and traditional like institutions. They are generally informal and unorganized, and they go against established traditions. Social movements are not associations either, as they do not have their own constitutions. These movements demand changes in social norms and strive to challenge and transform existing societal structures.

Q11: Why were tribal movements started?
Ans: Tribal movements were initiated for various reasons:

• Tribal people have a unique culture and identity which they strive to protect and preserve. They resist any interference or threat to their tribal identity.
• The impact of other communities, religions, and classes may lead to a need for change among tribal people, which can spark movements.
• In the case of Jharkhand, the tribal movement aimed to create a separate state for tribals, as they felt their demands and rights were being overlooked.
• The movement led by Birsa Munda, a tribal leader, against Christian conversions aimed to preserve and revive the Hindu practices and customs among the converted Munda tribe.

Q12: What are the features of Revolutionary movements?
Ans:

• Revolutionary movements seek to establish a new system by overthrowing the existing one.
• They often employ violent and suppressive measures to achieve their goals.
• Revolutionary movements arise when there is a need to remove deep-rooted social evils and challenge autocratic rule.
  The main objective of revolutionary movements is to end the rule of oppressive rulers and bring about radical social change.

Q13: Distinguish between the New social movement and the Old social movement.
Ans: The new social movements differ from old social movements in the following ways:

• Old social movements were often associated with political parties, while new social movements focus on quality of life issues and are not primarily aimed at changing the distribution of power in society.
• The old social movements aimed to remove social evils and address issues of exploitation, while the new social movements aspire for better living standards.
• Old social movements were closely aligned with political parties, whereas modern movements distance themselves from formal political systems and exert pressure on the state from outside.
• New social movements often prioritize environmental concerns, human rights, and other contemporary issues.

Q14: Explain something about the Chipko Movement.
Ans: The Chipko movement originated in the hilly regions of Uttarakhand (formerly part of Uttar Pradesh) in 1970. The livelihoods of the local people were heavily dependent on the forests in the region, which provided resources for their sustenance. However, the government allocated these forests to private contractors, leading to conflicts with the local communities. In response, the villagers collectively resisted the cutting of trees by hugging them, thereby preventing deforestation. Women and children actively participated in this movement. The name "Chipko" originated from the act of hugging trees. The movement gained prominence with the involvement of environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna. Eventually, the government imposed a 15-year ban on the cutting of trees in the Himalayan region.

Q15: State the features of new farmers' movements.
Ans: The features of new farmers' movements include:

• Regional organization, with movements being specific to particular regions or states.
• Involvement of farmers rather than peasants, as these movements focus on the issues faced by farmers.
• Non-alignment with any political party, maintaining independence from political affiliations.
• Strong "anti-state and anti-urban" ideology, representing resistance against the state and urban centers.
• Focus on demands related to prices and other issues affecting farmers' livelihoods.
• Use of novel methods of agitation, such as road and railway blockades and refusal to allow entry to politicians and bureaucrats.