Change & Development in Industrial Society Class 12 Sociology

Images of industrial society

• Marx, Max Weber, and Emile Durkheim established a link between urbanization and the decrease in face-to-face interactions with the rise of industry. The growth of industry has resulted in a complex division of labor.
• Marx described the situation where people see work as a means of survival and not something enjoyable as alienation. The survival of people depends on whether technology allows for human labor.
• Industrialization has brought about greater equality in some areas. For example, distinctions of caste are no longer relevant in cyber cafes, trains, or buses.
• Early sociologists had a mixed view of industrialization, seeing it as both positive and negative. However, by the mid-20th century, modernization theory had gained influence, and industrialization was seen as inevitable and advantageous.

India's industrialization

• India's experience of industrialization differs significantly from the western model, yet shares similarities in several ways. Comparative analysis of different nations suggests that a single model of industrial capitalism cannot be universally applied.
• India's first modern industries were cotton, jute, coal mines, and railroads. The government took over the "commanding heights of the economy" after independence, including defense, transportation, communication, power, mining, and other projects.
• Under India's mixed economy policy, the government had exclusive access to certain sectors, while the private sector was allowed to operate in others. However, the government aimed to ensure regional dispersion of industries through its licensing policy.
• The government also provided unique incentives and support to promote the small-scale industry.
• In developed nations, less than 10% of people work in agriculture, while the majority are employed in services, industry, and manufacturing sectors. Conversely, in developing nations like India, nearly 60% work in the primary sector (agriculture and mining), 17% in the secondary sector (manufacturing, construction, and utilities), and 23% in the tertiary sector (trade, transport, financial services, etc.).

Formal or organised sector

The organised sector refers to businesses that employ at least ten people on a regular basis. These companies have government registration, provide job security and benefits, follow an open hiring process, and offer channels for addressing grievances.

The limited size of the organised sector has significant social implications.

• Firstly, only a small number of individuals have the opportunity to work for large corporations where they can interact with people from different backgrounds and locations. While urban areas provide some diversity, most Indians work in small-scale workplaces.
• Secondly, few Indians have access to stable, well-paying employment. Two-thirds of those who do work for the government, explaining the appeal of government jobs. Others must rely on their children as they age.
• Thirdly, as only a small proportion of the population belong to unions, a feature of the organised sector, they lack the experience of organising and fighting for fair pay and secure working conditions. Although the government has laws to regulate the unorganised sector, the employer or contractor often controls the working conditions.

Globalisation, liberalisation and changes in Indian industry

• Since the 1990s, the Indian government has implemented a liberalisation strategy that encourages private businesses, especially foreign ones, to invest in sectors previously controlled by the government, such as telecom, civil aviation, and power.
• This policy has allowed for the opening of industries without the need for licensing and the availability of foreign goods in Indian stores. As a result of liberalisation, many Indian businesses have been acquired by multinational corporations.
• The government has initiated a "disinvestment" process in which it attempts to sell its stake in several public companies. However, this has led to concerns among government employees about the loss of their jobs. In the case of Modern Foods, the first company to be privatised, which was established by the government to provide affordable and healthy bread, 60% of the workforce was forced to retire within the first five years.

How is work carried Out?

• India has a diverse range of workplaces, spanning from large corporations with mechanized work settings to small enterprises operating from homes. 
• The fundamental obligations of a manager are to supervise employees and enhance their productivity. There are two main strategies for improving employee output: increasing the duration of work and elevating the quantity of production within a fixed timeframe.

Frederick Winslow Taylor, an American in the 1890s, developed a new management methodology called "Scientific Management," also known as Taylorism. This involved using stopwatches to time workers and requiring them to meet a daily production goal. Another method for boosting output is organizing work effectively. The introduction of assembly line production, where the conveyor belt's speed could be adjusted to control the rate of work, further increased production. With increasing automation, fewer people are employed, but they must still keep up with the machines' pace. To keep business costs down, just-in-time production and outsourcing are used, but employees experience a lot of stress when supplies are delayed and they must quickly catch up with their production goals.

Working conditions 

Conditions of coal miners' jobs

• The Mines Act of 1952 specifies safety regulations, the maximum number of hours per week a worker can be required to work, and the need to pay overtime for any additional hours worked.
• To avoid liability for accidents and benefits, many contractors do not maintain proper records of their employees.
• After mining in a location has ended, the company must fill in any open holes and restore the area to its pre-mining condition, but they often fail to do so.
• Working conditions in underground mines are highly dangerous due to flooding, fires, roof and wall collapses, gas releases, and ventilation problems.
• Workers in mines, both underground and overground, are at risk of breathing issues and illnesses such as silicosis and tuberculosis, as well as injuries from mine blasting, falling objects, and other hazards in extreme weather conditions.
• As a result, India has a significantly higher rate of mining accidents compared to other countries.

Home-based work

• Working from home contributes significantly to the economy. This includes producing products like carpets, bidis, agarbattis, lace, zari or brocade, and many other similar items. Women and kids are the main workers in this field.
• An agent delivers the raw materials and collects the finished item.
• Depending on how many pieces they produce, home workers are paid on a piece-rate basis. Consider the bidding industry.

STRIKE

• Workers do not report to work during a strike. Making the decision to call a strike is challenging because managers might try to use substitute labour.
• Without pay, workers also struggle to support themselves.