The Concept of Social Movements
"Social Movement"-is one of the major forms of collective behaviour. In the recent years study of social movements has attracted of a large number of sociologists not only in India but also in West. We hear of various kinds of social movements launches for one or the other purpose. There are movements to demand more and more reservation for the SCs and STs and other backward classes and there are counter movements demanding its cancellation or at least the status quo. There are movements to "save environment", to "save wildlife" and to "save world peace". There are movements for and against the construction of Sri Ram Temple at the disputed place of Ayodhya. There are Fascist Movements, Communist Movements, Naxalite Movements, Tribal Movements, Peasants Movements, Womens Movements, Youth Movements, Labour Movements, Civil Rights Movements, Human Rights Movements and so on. What then do we mean by social movements?
Definition of Social Movements:
- A social movements is formally defined as "a collectively active with some continuity to promote or resist change in the society or group of which it is a part"- Turner and Killian.
- "A social movement is a collective effort to promote or resist change"- Horton and Hunt.
- Social movement can be defined as "organised group effort to generate or resist social change"- Neil J. Smelser.
- "A social movement is a collective effort to transform established relations within a particular society"-Rudolf Herberle.
Characteristics of Social Movements
M.S.A. Rao one of the prominent Indian Sociologists, has made a mention of the nature of the social movements in the book "Social Movements in India", edited by him. According to him, social movements include two characteristics about which there is considerable agreement among the sociologists. They are as follows:
1. Collective Action:
Social movement undoubtedly involves collective action. However, this collective action, takes the form of a movement only when it is sustained for a long time. This collective action need not be organised. It could be an informal attempt also. But it should be able to create an interest and awakening in relatively large number of people.
2. Oriented towards Social Change:
A social movement is generally oriented towards bringing social change. This change could either be partial or total. Though the movement is aimed at bringing about a change in the values, norms, ideologies of the existing system, efforts are also made by some other forces to resist the changes and to maintain the status quo. The counter attempts are normally defensive and restorative rather than innovative and initiative change. They are normally the organised efforts of an already established orher to maintain itself.
As M.S.A. Rao points out, though sociologists are almost agreeable on the above mentioned two chracteristics or social movement ; they differ a lot regarding other criteria- such as the presence of an ideology, method of organisation and the nature of consequence.
3. Ideology before the Movement:
An important component of social movement that distinguishes it from the general category of collective mobilisation, is the presence of an ideology. Example: A student strike involves collective mobilisation and its oriented towards change. But in the absence of an ideology a student strikes becomes an isolated event and not a movement. On the contrary, if the strike is committed to an ideology, it may last for longer period and the form of a movement.
4. Oraganisational frame work:
As Paul Wilkinson pointed out that a social movements requires a minimum organisational framework to achieve success or at least to maintain the tempo of the movement. To make the distinction between the leaders and the followers, to make clear the purposes of the movement, to persuade people to take part in it or to support it, to adopt different techniques to achieve the goals- a soial movement must have some amount of organisational framework.
5. The techniques and results:
A social movements may adopt its own technique or method to achieve its goal. There is no certainty regarding it. It may follow peaceful or follow conflicting, violent or non-violent, compalsive or persuasive, democratic or undemocratic means or method to reach its goal. The same thing is true of the results. It may become successful or it may become fail ; it may become partial success or at least may create a general "awakening" in the public regarding an issue. The result of a movement has a close bearing on the ideology and the organisational framework.
As M.S.A. Rao points out, though sociologists are almost agreeable on the above mentioned two chracteristics or social movement ; they differ a lot regarding other criteria- such as the presence of an ideology, method of organisation and the nature of consequence.
3. Ideology before the Movement:
An important component of social movement that distinguishes it from the general category of collective mobilisation, is the presence of an ideology. Example: A student strike involves collective mobilisation and its oriented towards change. But in the absence of an ideology a student strikes becomes an isolated event and not a movement. On the contrary, if the strike is committed to an ideology, it may last for longer period and the form of a movement.
4. Oraganisational frame work:
As Paul Wilkinson pointed out that a social movements requires a minimum organisational framework to achieve success or at least to maintain the tempo of the movement. To make the distinction between the leaders and the followers, to make clear the purposes of the movement, to persuade people to take part in it or to support it, to adopt different techniques to achieve the goals- a soial movement must have some amount of organisational framework.
5. The techniques and results:
A social movements may adopt its own technique or method to achieve its goal. There is no certainty regarding it. It may follow peaceful or follow conflicting, violent or non-violent, compalsive or persuasive, democratic or undemocratic means or method to reach its goal. The same thing is true of the results. It may become successful or it may become fail ; it may become partial success or at least may create a general "awakening" in the public regarding an issue. The result of a movement has a close bearing on the ideology and the organisational framework.
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