Structure of Indian Society
Chapter: 1
SOCIOLOGY
VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q.1 What is colonialism?
Ans: Colonialism simply means the establishment of rule by one country over another.
Q.2. When did nationalism originate in India?
Ans: In India nationalism emerged as a protest movement against the British colonial rule.
Q.3. What is communalism?
Ans: Communalism is the belief that religion supersedes all other aspects of a person’s or group’s identity. It is usually accompanied by an agremine and hostile attitude towards persons or groups of other religions.
Q.4. What is ethnic group?
Ans: An ethnic group is one whose members share a distinct awareness of a common cultural identity, separating them from other groups around them.
Q.5. Define community?
Ans: Community stands for any distinctive group whose members are connected to each other.
Q.6. What is meant by social class?
Ans: A social class is an economic grouping based on common or similar position in the social relationship of production ,levels of income and wealth, lifestyle and political preferences.
Q.7. Define class.
Ans: According to maclver, “A social class is a portion of community marked off from the rest by social status”.
According to Ogburn and Nimkoff “A social class is the aggregate of a person having essentially the same social status in a given society “.
Q.8.What is a social map?
Ans:A social map tells one about his or her location society.
Q.9. What is meant by generation gap?
Ans: Generation gap is a friction between older and younger generations. This is a social phenomenon, common to many societies and many time periods.
Q.10.What is population structure?
Ans: Population structure means things like relative proportion of women, men and different age groups in a particular population.
Q.11. What is population density?
Ans: The ratio of number of people living in a particular region or country and area of that particular region or country is known as population density.
Q.12. What is life expectancy?
Ans: Life expectancy refers to the estimated number of years that an average person is expected to survive.
Q.13. What is meant by population explosion?
Ans: When the population of any country increases unexpectedly then it is known as population explosion. When population increases to such an extent that it’s results could become destructive. India is also facing this type of problem.
Q.14.What is family planning?
Ans:Meaning of family planning is to keep family small in size. Size of the family should remain in control so that the income of the family should be more than expenditure. Giving birth children according to one’s wish is called family planning. Very limited numbers (1 to 2) of children are given birth to it.
Q.15.What is the literal meaning of the word ‘demography’?
Ans: Demography is the systematic study of population. Demography studies the trends and processes associated with population, including changes in population size, patterns of births, deaths and migration, the structure and composition of the population such as the relative proportions of women, men and different age groups.
Q.16. When was the first and the last census carried out in India?
Ans: The first census survey was carried out in India during British rule in between 1867-72.The last census was carried out in India in 2011.
Q.17. What is the dependency ratio?
Ans: Dependency ratio is a measure comparing the portion of a population which is composed of dependents I.e. elderly people, who are too old work and children who are too young to work, with the portion that is in the working age group, generally between 15-64 years. Thus,dependency ratio is equal to the population below 15 or above 64,divided by population in the 15-64 age group. Dependency ratio is usually expressed as a percentage.
Q.18. What is ‘jajmani system’?
Ans:Jajmani was a non-market exchange system prevalent during the pre-colonial period in the North Indian villages. Agricultural products and other goods and services were circulated without use of money. This system was based on the caste system and customary practices.
Q.19.What is meant by infant mortality rate?
Ans:The infant mortality rate is the number of deaths of babies before the age of one year per 1000 live births.
The maternal mortality rate is the number of women who die in childbirth per 1000 live births.
Q.20. Mention the latest state initiative to tackle the problem of hunger and starvation in rural areas.
Ans:The latest state initiative to tackle the problem of hunger and starvation in rural areas is the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
Q.21. Mention the name of the state where the declining sex ratio is highest.
Ans: The highest sex ratio is the state Sikkim.
Q.22. What is the total population of Indian according to the census of 2001?
Ans: The total population of India according to the census of 2001 is 1.03 billion.
Q.23. Mention any two factors responsible for the decline in the child sex ratio.
Ans:Demographers and sociologists have offered several reasons for the decline in the child sex ratio. Following are two factors responsible for this-(1)levels of nutrition, and (2)General education and awareness as well as the availability of medical and communication facilities improves.
Short type question and answer
Q.1. What is meant by class system?
Ans: A class is an economic grouping based on common or similar position in the social relationship of production, levels of income and wealth, lifestyle and political preferences. A social system which is based on class is known as a class system.
Q.2. What is reflexivity?
Ans:’Self -reflexivity’ or simply reflexivity literally means turning back on yourself. Sociology teach one to look at oneself ‘from the outside ‘- which is known as ‘self – reflexivity ‘. This is the ability to reflect upon yourself to turn back your gaze (which is usually directed outward) back towards yourself.
Q.3.why the process of emergence of nationalism in colonies is related with the anti-colonial movement?
Ans: Colonial rule unified all of India for the first time. The shared experience of colonial domination helped unify different sections of the community. The emerging middle class began with the aid of western style education to challenge colonialism on its own ground. Colonialism and western education, also gave the impetus for the rediscovery of tradition. This led to the developments on the cultural and social front, which solidified emergent forms of community at the national and regional levels.
Q.4. What is a personalized perspective?
Ans: By ‘personal troubles’, Mills means the kinds of individuals worries, problems or concerns that everyone has. As for example, one may be happy or unhappy about the way elders of his/her family treat or other such matters concerning job, individual identity etc. All these aspects of a person are known as personalised perspectives.
Q.5. Why are rural people moving towards urban areas?
Ans: Rural people are moving towards urban areas mainly to seek employment. The other factors are educational opportunities, better health care etc . Factories, shop and business establishments in a city provide employment opportunities and to grab these opportunities rural people move towards urban areas. The decline of economic value of agricultural products have accelerated the process.
Q.6. How is population explosion responsible for our lower standard of living?
Ans: When the population of any country increases unexpectedly then it is known as population explosion. According to Malthus, human population rises in geometric progression while the means of human subsistence like food, cloth etc. Can grow in arithmetic progression. Hence, humanity is compelled to live in poverty forever due to population explosion.
Q.7. Why is population necessary?
Ans: The concept of state or nation is incomplete without population. In fact, population is an indispensable element of state. The growth rate of a state depends upon the structure of its population. A rising dependency rate is always a cause of worry for the countries. Actually, for defence and production and distribution or resources population is necessary.
Q.8. What are demerits of increasing population?
Ans: According to Malthus, increasing population compels the entire humanity to live in poverty forever. For Malthus, population rises in geometric progression while agricultural production only grows in arithmetic progression. Thus, increasing population brings poverty. Generally increasing population demands more infrastructures like school, health care units, roads, foods and shelter etc.and hence it creates extra burden and state.
Q.9. What are the merits of decreasing population?
Ans: While population explosion puts extra pressure on the existing basic needs like food, shelter and other infrastructures, a decreasing population helps in raising the living standard of the population. Declining infant mortality rate and maternal mortality rate, increasing life expectancy along with decrease of poverty are some of the merits of decreasing population.
Q.10. How does population affect economic development?
Ans: Population affects the process of economic development. When the population of a particular country increases manifold, it puts extra pressure on the basic needs of human life as well as basic infrastructure. On the other hand a decreasing population accelerated the growth rate. Similarly age structure of population also affects the growth pattern of that state. Demographic dividend is the benefit flowing from the changing age structure. When the dependency ratio falls down, it becomes a source of economic growth and prosperity. Thus, population affects economic development of a particular state.
Q.11.what is the importance of demographic data?
Ans:Demographic data are important for the planning and implementation of state policies, especially those for economic development and general public welfare.
Q.12. What is the difference between formal demography and social demography?
Ans: Formal demography is primarily concerned with the measurements and analysis of the components of population change. Its focus is on quantitative analysis for which is has a highly developed mathematical methodology suitable for forecasting population growth and change in the composition of population. On the other hand, population studies or social demography enquiries into the wider causes and consequences of population structures and change. Social demographers believe that social processes and structure regulate demographic processes.
Q.13.Mention any two reasons for population explosion?
Ans:Following are two reasons for the population explosion :
(1) Advanced methods of disease control, and
(2)Better nutrition.
Q.14. What is the replacement level?
Ans: Replacement levels is the rate of growth required for new generations to replace the order ones that are dying out. When the difference between ‘birth rate ‘ and ‘death rate’ is zero or in practice very small, it is said that the population has stabilized or reached the replacement level.
Q.15. What is pandemic?
Ans: A pandemic is an epidemic of infectious disease that has spread through the human population across a large region, for instance, multiple continents or even worldwide. A widespread endemic disease that is stable in terms of how people are getting sick from it is not a pandemic. Throughout history, there have been a number of pandemics, such as smallpox and tuberculosis.
Long type question and answer
Q.1. Explain the main characteristic of urban society.
Ans: Urban society is an industrial society which is highly modernised, literate, complicated and heterogeneous. There are marked differentiations among the people in urban society. The following are some of the characteristics of urban society:
(1)Nuclear family :- In urban society we normally see nuclear family systems. In urban society women is equal to man in performing many duties like moving out, earning livelihood etc.
(2) Industrial society :- Urban societies are mainly industrial societies. People are largely dependent on an industry, business and service sector rather than agriculture.
(3)Social mobility :- In the industrial societies, an individual can raise or pull down his status with his effort or labour. Social mobility has enabled the society to move from status to contract.
(4) Enhanced status of women :- In urban societies that status of women is higher than that of rural society. In urban society,the woman is not confined to household work but she is found at all the responsible places in society.
Q.2. Describe the main characteristic of rural society.
Ans: Some important features of rural society are as follows :
(1)Agrarian society :- In rural society, agriculture became the sole occupation of the people. There are some other occupations like animals husbandry, weaving, pottery making etc.
(2)Simple division of labour :- There is no notable division of labour in rural societies. There are only a few specialised roles beyond the basic division an the basis of age and sex differentials.
(3)Importance of family :- Rural society assigns a remarkable place to the family as a child bearing, reproductive as well as an economic unit. Entire family works as a unit in the field and seeks order from the head of the family.
(4)Simple and uniform life :- Life of the people in rural society is simple and uniform. Unlike urban societies, people in villages lead simple and uniform lives.
Q.3.What are the different characteristics of class systems?
Ans: Some characteristics of class system are :-
(1) A social class is distinguished from other classes by certain customary modes of behaviour, which are taken to be characteristics of the class and may be concerned with such things as dress, pattern, way of recreation and expenditure etc.
(2)class system is an open system of social stratification. Individual is free to move in the hierarchical ladder depending upon his quality.
(3)In social class, there exists a feeling of equality in relation to members of one ‘s own class, while there is a feeling of inferiority in relation to those who stand above in the social scale.
(4)The sole basis of the caste system in the economy. Another noteworthy feature of the caste system is that a class possessing certain privileges would like not only to possess them exclusively but also to increase them.
Q.4. Explain the personal troubles and social issue as stated by
C. Writing mills.
Ans: According to American sociologists C. Writing mills, sociology helps one to map the links and connections between ‘personal troubles and ‘social issues ‘. By ‘personal troubles ‘, Mills means the kinds of individual worries, problems or concerns that everyone has. As for example, one may be happy or unhappy about the way elders of his/her family treat or other such matters concerning job, individual identity etc. By ‘social issue’,Mills means about the issues of large groups and not about the troubles of individuals.
Q.5. What do you know about demographic transition theory of population?
Ans: The theory of demographic transition Is a very significant theory in demography, which suggests that population growth is linked to overall levels of economic development and that every society follows a typical pattern of development related to population growth. There are three basic phases of population growth in a society that is underdeveloped and technologically backward. Here, growth rates are low, because both the death rate and birth rate are high, so the difference between the two I.e.net growth rate is low. The last stage is also one of low population growth in a developed society, where both birth rate and death rate have been reduced considerably and the difference between them again becomes small. Between these two stages, which is characterized by very high rates of growth of population.
In the transitional period, population explosion happens, because death rates are brought down relatively quickly through advancement in science and technology. However, it takes longer time for society to adjust to change and alter it’s reproductive behavior, which evolved during the period of high death rates to suit the situation of longer life spans and low death rate. Hence, population explosion occurs.
Q.6. Write the main features of Indian population.
Ans: India is the second most populous country in the world after China. According to the census of 2011,India’s population stands at 103 crepes.
However, the growth rate of India’s population has not always been very high. Between 1901 -1951, the average annual growth rate didn’t exceed 1.33%,modest rate of growth.
The demographic dividend results from an increase in the proportion of workers relative to non-workers in the population. Presently, India is one of the youngest countries of the world. In 2020,the average Indian will be only 29 years old. This implies that a large and growing labour force can deliver unexpected benefits in terms of growth and prosperity.
In India sex ratio is decling. Demographers and sociologists have offered several reasons for the decline in the sex ratio in India. Severn neglect of girl babies in infancy leading to higher death rates, sex specific abortions that prevent girl babies from being born, female infanticide (killing of girl babies due to religious and cultural beliefs) etc. Are some of the main causes of declining child sex ratio in India.
In India literacy rate is increasing. While in 1951,literacy rate was only 18.3,in 2001 it reached 65.4. In India, female literacy has been rising faster than male literacy. Between 1991 and 2001, female literacy rose by almost 15%while rise in male literacy was little less than 12%.
In India, people are preferring urban life. The 2001 census reveals that 28% of our population lives in cities compared with only 11% in 1901. Thus, statistics show that urban population is increasing nearly about two and half times in a century.
Q.7. Which two checks of population control are given by Malthus?
Ans: According to Malthus, human population tends to grow at a much faster rate than the rate at which the means of human subsistence, especially food, I.e.agriculture production can grow. Hence, imbalance arises between food supply and increasing population. According to Malthus ,as humanity has only a limited ability to voluntarily reduce the growth of its population,catastrophic events like famines and epidemics that cause mass deaths were necessary to reduce the imbalance between food supply and increasing population.
Q.8. Which subjects are included in the subject matter of social demography?
Ans: Demography is the systematic study of population. Demography studies the trends and processes associated with population, including changes in population size, patterns of births, deaths and migration, the structure and composition of the population such as the relative proportions of women, men and different age groups.
Formal demography is primarily concerned with the measurements and analysis of the components of population change. Its focus is on quantitative analysis for which it has a highly developed mathematical methodology suitable for forecasting population growth and changes in the composition of population. On the other hand, population studies or social demography enquires into the wider causes and consequences of population structures and change. Social demographers believe that social processes and structure regulate demographic processes. Like sociologists, social demographers seek to trace the social reasons that account for population trends.
Q.9.Explain briefly the scope of social demography.
Ans: Social demography studies all those social processes and structures which regulate demographic processes. Actually, social demography tries to explain the social causes of demographic change. Thus, it includes the wide areas which actually fall within the subject matter of sociology.
Q.10. Analyse the success and failure of the family planning programme?
Ans: The following are some of the demographic achievements of India :-
(1) India reduced birth rate from 40.8 in 1951,to 24.1 in 2004.
(2) India reduced the infant mortality rate from 146 per 1000 live births in 1951 to 58 per 1000 live births in 2004.
(3) Reduced crude death rate from 25 in 1951 to 7.5 in 2004.
(4)Life expectancy increased from 37 years to 62 years.
(5)Total fertility rate dropped from 6.0 in 1951 to 3.0 in 2004.
The declining sex ratio is a prime causes of concern for India. Demographers and sociologists have offered several reasons for the decline in the sex ratio India. Severe neglect of girl babies in infancy leading to higher death rates, sex specific abortions that prevents girl babies from being born, female infanticide (killing of girl babies due to religious and cultural beliefs) etc. Are some of the main causes of declining child sex ratio in India.
Q.11. Highlight the main features of age structure of the Indian population.
Ans: Age structure of population refers to the proportions of people in different age groups relative to the total population.
The demographic dividend results from an increase in the proportion of workers relative to non-workers in the population. Presently, India is one of the youngest countries of the world. In 2020,the average Indian will be only 29 years old. This implies that a large and growing labour force can deliver unexpected benefits in terms of growth and prosperity.
But this potential can be converted into actual growth only, if the rise in the working age group is accompanied by increasing levels of education and employment. If the new entrants to the labour force are not educated, then their productivity will remain low and if they remain unemployed, they will remain dependent rather than earners. Thus, changing age structure by itself can not guarantee any benefits, unless it is properly utilised through planned development. In India, the rear problem is unemployment. Data from census of India 2001 shows a sharp fall in the rate of employment generation. The rate growth of employment in the 15-30age group, which stood at around 2.4%year between 1987-1994 fell to 0.7% for rural men and 0.3%for urban men during 1994-2004. This suggests that India perhaps is missing out the potential benefits that the country’s changing age structure temporarily offers.
Q.12. What would be some of the reasons for the declining sex rations?
Ans: The sex ratio for the 0-6 years age groups is known as juvenile or child sex ratio. Age specific sex ratios began to be computed in 1961.Demographers and sociologists have offered several reasons for the decline in the sex ratio in India. Severe neglect of girls babies in infancy leading to higher death rates, sex specific abortions that prevent girl babies from being born, female infanticide (killing of girl babies due to religious and cultural beliefs) etc. Are some of the main causes of declining child sex ratio in India.
Q.13. Explain briefly the achievements of India’s population policy.
Ans: The following are some of the demographic achievements of india :-
(1)India reduced birth rate from 40.8 in 1951, to 24.1 in 2004.
(2)India reduced the infant mortality rate from 146per 1000 live births in 1951 to 58 per 1000 live births in 2004.
(3)Reduced crude death rate from 25 in 1951 to 7.5 in 2004.
(4)Life expectancy increased from 37years to 62 years.
(5)Total fertility rate dropped from 6.0 in 1951 to 3.0 in 2004.
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