Class 12 Sociology Chapter 5 Important Question Change and Development in Industrial Society Term 2 2022

Sociology Chapter 5 Important Question Change and Development in Industrial Society Term 2 2022

Class 12 Sociology Chapter 5 Important Question Change and Development in Industrial Society Term 2 2022, (Sociology) exams are Students are taught thru NCERT books in some of the state board and CBSE Schools. As the chapter involves an end, there is an exercise provided to assist students to prepare for evaluation. Students need to clear up those exercises very well because the questions inside the very last asked from those.

Sometimes, students get stuck inside the exercises and are not able to clear up all of the questions.  To assist students, solve all of the questions, and maintain their studies without a doubt, we have provided a step-by-step NCERT Important Questions for the students for all classes. These answers will similarly help students in scoring better marks with the assist of properly illustrated Notes as a way to similarly assist the students and answer the questions right.

Class 12 Sociology Chapter 5 Important Question Change and Development in Industrial Society Term 2 2022

 

Objective Questions

 

Multiple Choice Questions

1. During British rule, the Zamindari system caused to stagnate and decline.

(a) industrial production (b) agricultural production

(c) Both (a) and (b)         (d) Neither (a) nor (b)

Ans. (b) During British rule, the Zamindari system caused agricultural production to stagnate and decline.

In the Zamindari system, the zamindar was the owner of the land and he used to give the land to marginal and landless farmers for tilling purposes.

2. Many working poors were tied to landowners in hereditary labour relationships such as system in Gujarat.

(a) Ryotwari              (b) Zamindari

(c) Contract farming (d) Halpati

Ans. (d) Many poor labourers to be tied into ‘hereditary’’ labour relationships such as the Halpati system in Gujarat and the Jeeta system in Karnataka due to lack of resources and dependence on the landed class for economic, social and political support.

3. Under the land rule during the colonial period, which areas became more prosperous?

(a) Areas where Zamindari system was imposed

(b) Areas where Ryotwari system was imposed

(c) Both (a) and (b)

(d) None of the above

Ans. (b) Under the land rule during colonial period areas where Ryotwari system was imposed became more prosperous. In the Ryotwari system, the cultivators rather than the zamindars were responsible for paying the tax.

4. Which of the following is/are the characteristics of agricultural labour?

(a) They own no land of their own

(b) They work for others

(c) They are more often paid less wages i.e., below the statutory minimum wages

(d) All of the above

Ans. (d) All the given options are the characteristics of agricultural labour

5. The redistribution of property rights on the land is done for the benefit of small farmers and

agricultural labourers. It includes two types of institutional changes- one relates to agrarian relation and the other to the size of the unit of cultivation. The phenomenon talked about in the above passage is known as

(a) Agriculture           (b) Land Reforms

(c) Green Revolution (d) Globalisation

Ans. (b) The phenomenon talked about in the above passage is known as land reforms. Land reform led to the redistribution of property rights to benefit small farmers and agricultural labourers, and re-defined the size of the land and agrarian relations.

6. The laws that imposed an upper limit on the amount of land that can be owned by a particular family is known as

(a) Abolition of Zamindari system

(b) Tenancy Abolition and Regulation Act

(c) Land Ceiling Act

(d) Ryotwari system

Ans. (c) The laws that imposed an upper limit on the amount of land that can be owned by a particular family is known as Land Ceiling Act. The ceiling varies from region to region, depending on the kind of land, its productivity, and other such factors.

7. ______ is a term that refers to the structure or distribution of landholdings. Access to land forms the rural class structure because agricultural land is the most valuable productive resource in rural areas. The role one plays in the agricultural production process is largely determined by one’s access to land.

(a) Industrial structure

(b) Agrarian structure

(c) Infrastructure

(d) Urbanisation

Ans. (b) Agrarian Structure refers to the land holdings i.e. the amount of land a person holds. There is an unequal distribution of land, some people have lots of land and some people don’t have any. The agrarian structure, thus, is how the land holdings have been distributed among people.

8. The Green Revolution was initiated in the 1960s and 1970s mainly in and growing regions.

(a) jowar, brinjal

(b) wheat, rice

(c) wheat, sugarcane

(d) apples, plum

Ans. (b) The Green Revolution was initiated in the 1960s and 1970s mainly in wheat and rice growing regions.

9. Which statement is correct regarding the positive consequences of the first phase of the Green Revolution?

(a) Many farmers shifted from Multi-crop to Mono-crop systems.

(b) Migration from rural and urban areas increased.

(c) The employment and wages of agricultural workers increased in many areas.

(d) It brought regional inequalities in India.

Ans. (c) The employment and wages of agricultural workers increased in many areas is a positive consequences of the first phase of the Green Revolution. Regions such as the Punjab, Western U.P, coastal Andina Pradesh, and parts of Tamil Nadu received the first wave of the Green Revolution package.

10. Which of the following statements is correct?

(a) The second phase of the Green Revolution was introduced only in semi-arid regions of India.

(b) The second phase of the Green Revolution was introduced in dry and semi-arid regions of India.

(c) The second phase of the Green Revolution was introduced in rice and wheat regions of India.

(d) The second phase of the Green Revolution introduced only in South India.

Ans. (b) The correct statement is second phase of the Green Revolution is being introduced in the dry and semi-arid regions of India. In these areas, there has been a significant shift from dry to wet (irrigated) cultivation, along with changes in the cropping pattern and types of crops grown.

11. Which yojana was initiated by the government regarding the transformation of rural development?

(a) Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana

(b) Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana

(c) Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan

(d) National Rurban Mission

Ans. (a) The Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana was initiated by the Indian government regarding the transformation of rural development in 2015. The overall outcome of these efforts at ‘rural development’ was to transform the rural economy and agriculture, the agrarian structure and rural society.

12. Name the sociologist who coined the term ‘footloose labour’.

(a) Verrier El win

(b) Jan Breman

(c) Auguste Comte

(d) Herbert Spencer

Ans. (b) Jan Breman coined in the sociologist coined the term footloose labour to describe the migrant workers looking for seasonal employment in the farms of Punjab and Haryana or the constructions sites in UR New Delhi, or Bangalore (or Bengaluru as per the new name).

13. In Contract farming, the company identifies the ________ to be grown, provides the ________ and other inputs as well as technical knowhow.

(a) grass, money (b) crops, seeds

(c) crops, money (d) seeds, money

Ans. (b) In Contract Fanning, the companies identifies the crops to be grown, such as potatoes, tomatoes, flowers, etc. provides the seeds and other inputs as well as technical know how these products are only produced for the MNCs and the farmer is assured of an income and a profit.

14. Which state has undergone a unique development phase in which political mobilisation, redistributive steps, and links to an external economy have resulted in a significant transformation of the rural countryside?

(a) Bihar   (b) Tamil Nadu

(c) Kerala (d) Madhya Pradesh

Ans. (c) Kerala has undergone a unique development phase in which political mobilisation, redistributive steps, and links to an external economy have resulted in a significant transformation of the rural country side. The rural areas in Kerala is a mixed economy that integrates agriculture with retail sales and services, including remittances from abroad.

15. In most of the regions of India, the major landowning groups belong to the

(a) politicians         (b) upper castes

(c) educated elites (d) urban population

Ans. (b) In most of the regions of India, the major landowning groups belong to upper castes of society. Land is the most important resource in rural societies since most people are engaged in agriculture. Lower caste groups have very less land or no land in their possession.

 

Assertion-Reasoning MCQs

Directions (Q. Nos. 1 to 4 ) For questions 1 to 4, there are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Mark your answer as per the codes provided below

(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A

(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A

(c) A is true, but R is false

(d) A is false, but R is true

1. Assertion (A) : Green Revolution was a time in which agricultural production increased significantly as a result of new inventions.

Reason (R) : New technology, seeds, and fertilisers were used during Green Revolution.

Ans. (a) Green Revolution was a time in which agricultural production increased, due to high yielding variety of seeds (HYV), fertilisers, new technology and irrigation methods. It is termed as Green Revolution. It took place in the 1960s-70s and later period in India. Thus, Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A

2. Assertion (A) : Women workers in most regions in our country are usually excluded from ownership of land because of the prevailing patrilineal kinship system and mode of inheritance.

Reason (R) : The exploitative nature and decreasing level of women participation, leads to decrease in their social position and more exploitation.

Ans. (a) Women are usually excluded from ownership of land in most regions of India because of the patrilineal kinship system and the mode of inheritance. Although according to the law, women are supposed to have an equal share of family property, in reality they have limited rights and only some access to land. Thus, Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

3. Assertion (A) : Jats and Rajputs of Uttar Pradesh are dominant castes.

Reason (R) : The dominant castes are the most economically and politically powerful groups who dominate local society.

Ans. (b) Jats and Rajputs of Uttar Pradesh represent the dominant caste. A dominant caste refers to the politically and economically strong group of people enjoying high social status and dominating the society. Depending on the region, the composition of the dominant caste changes. This does not mean they are dominant everywhere. Thus, Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.

4. Assertion (A) : Men migrate out periodically in search of work and better wages.

Reason (R) : Commercialisation of agriculture has led to the growth of migrant agricultural labour.

Ans. (a) With commercialisation of agriculture, there was large scale seasonal migration of labour in post-independence India. Men came mainly from drought prone and less productive regions in search of work and better wages. Thus, A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

 

Case Based MCQs

1. Many districts of colonial India were administered through the Zamindari system. In other areas that were under direct British ride had what was called the Raiyatwari system of land settlement (raiyat means cultivator in Telugu). In this system, the ‘actual cultivators’ (who were themselves often landlords and not cultivators) rather than the zamindars were responsible for paying the tax. Because the colonial government dealt directly with the farmers or landlords, rather than through the overlords, the burden of taxation was less and cultivators had more incentive to invest in agriculture. As a result, these areas became relatively more productive and prosperous.

(i) The progressed unevenly across the states of India, like variation in the agrarian structure,

(a) Zamindari system (b) Agrarian laws

(c) Land reforms        (d) Land ceiling

Ans. (c) The land reform progressed unevenly across the states of India, like variation in agrarian structure.

(ii) Unlike these stem, the burden of the tax was less on farmers in the system of land administration.

(a) Zamindari, Agrarian (b) Ryotwari, Zamindari

(c) Zamindari, Ryotwari (d) Agrarian, Ryotwari

Ans. (c) Unlike the Zamindari system, the burden of the tax was less on farmers in the Ryotwari system of land administration because the farmers were also the landlords, unlike in the case of the Zamindaris system.

(iii) Land reforms are essential in

(a) boosting agricultural growth

(b) eradicating poverty

(c) enhance social justice

(d) All of the above

Ans. (d) Land reforms are essential in boosting agriculture growth, eradicate poverty and bring social justice in rural areas.

 

Subjective Questions

 

Short Answer (SA) Type Questions

1. What do you understand by rural and agrarian society? What is the main occupation of people in rural areas?

Ans. Rural society is one where agriculture is the single most important source of livelihood for the majority of the population. Also there are many activities indirectly related to agriculture that form a part of rural society.

Agrarian society is a type of society where the maximum population is engaged in agriculture and allied activities. The main source of livelihood of an agrarian society is agriculture.

Primarily, the people in rural areas are engaged in agriculture and the production through land is the main source of income for them. More than 2/3rds of the population of India reside in the rural areas and they are engaged mostly in agriculture related activities.

2. What do you understand by Green Revolution? Identify two negative social effects of Green Revolution.

Ans. The Green Revolution was a period when the productivity of agriculture increased drastically as a result of new developments. During this time period, new chemical fertilisers and synthetic herbicides and pesticides were created that resulted in drastic changes in output and increased growth and productivity.

Green Revolution although came up with lot of positive effects and benefits but it had also certain negative consequences. These are as follows

(i) It led to increased inequality in the rural society as rich grew richer and poor grew poorer.

(ii) It also increased the regional differences as some regions developed more than the others.

3. Discuss some of the features of the Zamindari system.

Ans. The features of the Zamindari system are as follows

• In a Zamindari system, the zamindar was the owner of the land and he used to give the land to marginal and landless farmers for tilling purposes.

• In return, the marginal farmer used to pay a heavy amount of tax to the zamindar and the zamindar used to pay the tax to the government.

• This system was majorly considered to be exploitative in nature and the farmers who were landless suffered at the hands of the zamindars who used to extort lot of money from these farmers.

4. What were the land reforms that took place in India after independence?

Ans. Land reforms have been an integral part of Indian reform system. Some land reforms are as follows

• After independence, many exploitative practices that were started by the Britishers had ended.

• The Zamindari system had been abolished.

• Land had been consolidated and any type of fragmentation of land was not entertained.

• There were many new types of tenancy reforms that were introduced by the Government of India.

• New records of land and cooperative farming practices were adopted. This gave a lot of boost to the Indian agriculture.

5. What is the meaning of land ceiling and what are the different reforms it brought about in India?

Ans. Land ceiling is a concept where an individual should possess cultivable land according to a prescribed limit. Previously, many people had lots of land in their ownership while there were many who were devoid of any land. This land ceiling was carried out to provide cultivable land to all and the fixing of the land came to be known as land ceiling.

It brought following reforms

• Redistribution of cultivable land.

• Ceiling of the upper limit of land holdings.

6. Mention the loopholes found in the implementation of the Land Ceiling Act.      (Delhi 2019)

Ans. The loopholes found in the implementation of the Land Ceiling Act are discussed as follows

• Land Ceiling Act imposed upper limit on the amount of land that can be owned by a particular family.

• Possession of surplus land (above the ceiling limit) held by each household, and redistribute it to landless families.

• There were many loopholes and other strategies through which most landowners were able to escape from sharing their surplus land taken over by the state.

• In most cases landowners managed to divide the land among relatives and others, including servants, in so-called benami transfers.

• In some places, some rich farmers actually divorced their wives (but continued to live with them) in order to avoid the provisions of Land Ceiling Act, which allowed a separate share for unmarried women but not for wives.

7. Write briefly about ‘Contract Farming’.

Ans. Under the contract fanning system, the company identifies the crops to be grown, provides the seeds and other inputs as well as technical knowhow and also the working capital to a farmer. In this type of farming, the farmer is assured of the market because the company guarantees that it will purchase the product at a pre-determined fixed price.

It is very- common now in the production of specialised items such as cut flowers, fruits like grapes, figs, etc. While contract farming appears to provide financial security, it can also lead to greater insecurity as farmers become dependent on these companies for their livelihoods. In contract farming the export-oriented products such as flowers and gherkins also means that agricultural land is diverted away from foodgrain production.

It caters mainly to the production of elite items because it usually requires high doses of fertilisers and pesticides and is often not ecologically sustainable.

8. What are the major positivities and negativities of contract farming?

Ans. The major positivities of contract farming are as follows

• The company associated provides guarantee of purchase from the farmers just at the time of produce and that too at a pre-determined fixed price.

• All this provides financial security to the farmers who are assured of the revenue they get out of their produce.

There are many negativities associated with contract farming which are as follows

• It can lead to greater insecurity as farmers become dependent on companies for their livelihoods.

• The crops require high degree of fertilisers and pesticides which are not good for soil.

• Contract farming of export-oriented products also means that agricultural land is diverted away from foodgrain production. In addition, contract farming primarily caters to the production of elite items which is not ecologically sustainable.

 

Long Answer (LA) Type Questions

1. Discuss in detail about the land reforms that were introduced after independence in India.

Ans. India was an underdeveloped country at the time of independence where industries were not too developed and technology and science lagged behind to a great extent. The main source of income for the people of India was agriculture and more than 80 per cent of the population of India lived in rural India.

People who lived in the villages were in pitiable condition, so it followed certain non-governmental steps that had to be taken to bring fruitful reforms in the agricultural sector. Many land reforms that were initiated are as follows

Abolition of Zamindari System : The first and the most effective among the land reform laws. By the abolition of the zamindari system, intermediaries between the State and cultivators were removed. This act weakened zamindars economic and political power while strengthening the actual cultivators, i.e., farmers. It removed the top layer of landlords, but the zamindari system existed in different forms.

Consolidation of Landholdings : Before independence, the landholdings of farmers were scattered in the country and the fields were at far off places. Consolidation of land in return provided for the increased productivity in agriculture.

Tenancy Reforms : Under the system of tenancy reforms, the actual tenants used to pay around half of their produce in the form of taxes. After the First Five Year Plan, it was fixed to 20 to 25 per cent after which the tenants were given the ownership and security of the land.

Land Ceiling Act : This law imposed an upper limit on the amount of land that a family could own. The ceiling varies region to region depending upon how fertile the land is. State is supposed to identify and take possession of surplus land need by each household and redistribute it among the landless families.

2. Explain Green Revolution and the social consequences associated with it?

Ans. The Green Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s introduced important changes. It was a government programme of agricultural modernisation and the programme of Green Revolution was funded by international agencies.

Green Revolution was mainly marked by High Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds along with pesticides, fertilisers and other inputs.

The programme of Green Revolution was introduced only in those areas that had abundant irrigation. But only some parts of the country could reap the benefits of Green Revolution like that of Punjab, Western Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and some parts of Tamil Nadu. There were many social consequences of Green Revolution, which are as follows

• The agricultural productivity increased very rapidly and the medium and large farmers who produced a surplus for the market got the maximum benefit through Green Revolution.

• The service caste groups giving agriculture related services became jobless due to introduction of machinery thus worsening their economic condition.

• Small and marginal farmers could not benefit from Green Revolution as they could not buy new seeds and technology. It was only large farmers who were able to benefit from the new technology.

• Differentiation of Indian rural society took place due to it. The rich grew richer and poor became poorer.

• The excessive use of pesticides hybrid seeds, etc., that needed assured irrigation also brought negative impacts. Many farmers shifted from multi crop system to mono crop system.

• Various kinds of violence such as inter-caste violence have risen due to sharp caste and class inequalities and exploitative labour relations.

• This satisfactory economic condition of farmers changed their social relationships. Their purchasing power increased and it made the rich farmers better off.

3. Discuss the consequences of commercialisation of agriculture.

Ans. The consequences of commercialisation of agriculture are as follows

• The commercialisation of agriculture was beneficial to the British planters, traders and manufacturers, who were provided with opportunity to make huge profits by getting the commercialised agricultural products at throw away prices.

• The poor peasants were forced to sell their produce just after harvest at whatever prices they could get as they had to meet in time the demands of the government, the landlord, the moneylender and their family members requirements.

• Indian moneylenders advanced, cash advances to the farmers to cultivate the commercial crops and if the peasants failed to pay them back in time, the land of peasants came under ownership of moneylenders.

• Commercialisation of agriculture did not encourage growth of land market because major profit of commercialisation went to company traders and mediators.

• Commercialisation effected traditional relations between agriculture and industry. In India, traditional relations acted as factors for each others development which were hampered.

4. Migration and lack of job security created poor working and living conditions of migrant labour. Explain with reference to the circulation of labour in India.         (Delhi 2019)

Ans. Migration and lack of job security created poor working and living conditions of migrant labour due to the following reasons

• Commercialisation of agriculture has led to the growth of migrant agricultural labour.

• The seasonal demand for agriculture labour increased in prosperous Green Revolution regions such as Punjab leading to seasonal migration.

• Labourers migrate due to the increasing inequalities in rural areas.

• Ten-twelve of them are housed in small rooms, and sometimes one shift has to make way for another.

• Men migrate out periodically in search of work and better wages, while women and children are often left behind in their villages with elderly grandparents.

• Migrant workers come mainly from drought prone and less productive regions, and they go to work for part of the year on farms or construction sites.

• Landless workers do not have many rights, they are usually not paid the minimum wage, and can be easily exploited.

5. The pattern of farmers suicides point to the significant crises that the rural areas are experiencing. What do you understand by ‘matrix event’ and how are they responsible for farmers suicides?         (Delhi 2019)

Ans. Farmers in India for centuries have periodically faced distress due to drought, crop failures or debt. Sociologists have attempted to explain this phenomenon by looking at the structural and social changes that have been occurring in agriculture and agrarian society. Such suicides have become ‘matrix events’ that are, a range of factors that come together to form an event. Some of the events or factors responsible for farmers suicides are discussed below

• Agrarian distress caused by structural changes in agriculture and changes in economic and agriculture policies.

• The changed pattern of land holdings, changing cropping patterns especially due to the shift to cash crops.

• Liberalisation policies that have exposed Indian agriculture to the forces of globalisation.

• Farmers are heavily dependent on high cost inputs. Loss of crops due to pests or any natural disaster further leads to increase in suicides.

• There is a decline in state support in the form of subsidies for agriculture.

• They are unable to bear the debt burden as well as, natural disasters resulting in the failure of agricultural produce.

• The changing culture in rural areas in which increased incomes are required for marriages, dowries and to sustain new activities and expenses such as education and medical care.

6. What measures do you think the government has taken, or should take, to protect the rights of landless agricultural labourers and migrant workers?            (NCERT)

Ans. The condition of agricultural labourers and migrant workers is very poor in India. The government has taken following measures to protect them, such as

• The Zamindari system has been abolished such as Halpati system in Gujarat an Jeeta system in Karnataka.

• The tenancy abolition and regulation acts were introduced, either to outlaw tenancy altogether or to regulate rents to give some security to the tenants.

• Land Ceiling Acts were passed to put an upper limit on the amount of land that can be owned by a particular family. These acts aimed to distribute the surplus land among the landless SCs and STs population.

The above steps taken by the government could not improve the condition of landless and migrant workers in India. The government should take more steps in this regard are as follows

• They should be provided alternative employment opportunities to improve their life.

• Skill development should become an integral part of their overall development.

• Land reforms should be carried out as per the specific requirements and needs of a particular region of the country.

• They should be given all the rights and social security benefits that are given to workers in the organised sectors.

• The government should introduce laws to safeguard the occupational rights of migrant workers regarding the eviction scenarios.

7. There is a direct link between the situation of agricultural workers and their lack of upward socio-economic mobility. Justify this statement.      (NCERT)

Ans. The socio-economic status of the agricultural workers is informed by profession. Therefore, it is justifiable to state that there is direct link between the situation of agricultural workers and their lack of upward socio-economic mobility as per the following reasons

• The land is a deciding factor for agricultural activities. The socio-economic status of the individuals involved in agricultural activities is decided by the amount of land they own. Farmers with relatively less or no land would enjoy low socio-economic status than those who own acres of land.

• Low and declining wages provided for agricultural activities are yet another factor determining the socio-economic factors of farmers. The poor working conditions for marginal wages prevent the improvement in the socio-economic status of agricultural workers.

• This socio-economic conditioning also has an element of gender. The exploitative nature of labour ensures the lesser participation of women. And this further diminished their socio-economic position in society. Women experienced even lower social and economic conditions than men involved in agricultural activities.

• The patrilineal mode of inheritance excluded women from land ownership. Thus, most women across the regions in India could not better their social and economic status in society.

8. What are the different factors that have enabled certain groups to transform themselves into new wealthy, entrepreneurial, dominant classes? Can you think of an example of this transformation in your state?

Ans. There are various factors that have enabled certain groups to transform themselves into new, wealthy, entrepreneurial and dominant classes.

These factors are being discussed as follows

(i) Commercialised Agriculture : One of the important factors that brought changes in many areas is that the agriculture was becoming more commercialised, i.e. where the crops were being grown primarily for sale in the market.

As the cultivation becomes more commercialised, these rural areas were also becoming integrated to the wider economy. This process increased the flow of money into villages and expanding the opportunities for business and employment.

(ii) Emergence of New Regional Elite Group : It is considered one of the major factors which had enabled certain groups to transfer themselves in new- wealthy entrepreneur and dominant classes in the society.

In several agriculturally rich regions, such as the coastal Andhra Pradesh, Western Uttar Pradesh, and Central Gujarat, well-to-do farmers belonging to the dominant castes began to invest their profits from agriculture in other types of ventures.

(iii) Diversification Process : In several agriculturally rich regions, such as Andhra Pradesh, Western Uttar Pradesh, framers from dominant caste began investing their profits into other business ventures. It gave rise to new entrepreneurial groups that moved into growing towns of respective regions, contributing to the rise of new regional elites.

For example, the gulf residents of Kerala have transformed the rural economy of Kerala. The contribution from the external economy of Keralites living abroad has transformed the rural regions making it into a mixed economy.

9. Read the passage given and answer the questions.

“The harsh working conditions suffered by labourers in Aghanbigha were an outcome of the combined effect of the economic power of the maliks as a class and their overwhelming power as members of a dominant caste. A significant aspect of the social power of the maliks was their ability to secure the intervention of various arms of the state to advance their interests. Thus, political factors decisively contributed to widening the gulf between the dominant class and the underclass.” (NCERT)

(i) Why do you think the maliks were able to use the power of the state to advance their own interests?

(ii) Why did labourers have harsh working conditions?

Ans. (i) The maliks were able to use the power of state to advance their own interests as they had the economic power and they belonged to the upper class.

(ii) The labourers had harsh working conditions because they belonged to the lower class and were exploited by upper castes or dominant sections of the society.

 

Case Based Questions

1. Read the following passage and answer the questions given below.

The first important legislation was the abolition of the Zamindari system, which removed the layer of intermediaries that stood between the cultivators and the state. Of all the land reform laws that were passed, this was probably the most effective, for in most areas it succeeded in taking away the superior rights of the zamindars over the land and weakening their economic and political power. This did not happen without a struggle, of course, but ultimately the effect was to strengthen the position of the actual landholders and cultivators at the local level. However, zamindari abolition did not wipe out landlordism or the tenancy or sharecropping systems, which continued in many areas. It only removed the top layer of landlords in the multi-layered agrarian structure.

(i) How was the end of Zamindari system a benefit to mankind?

Ans. The abolition and the end of Zamindari system was a great service to the mankind in the sense that it helped to remove the intermediaries and stood for the cultivators of the state. It succeeded in taking away the rights of the zamindars over the land and also helped in weakening of their economic and political power.

(ii) In what way were the actual landholders and cultivators benefitted by the abolition of the zamindari system?

Ans. The actual landholders and the cultivators got strengthened by the abolition and complete end of the Zamindari system. They gained strength at the local level and were strengthened by this system. Hence, they were benefitted to a large extent by the abolition of this system.

(iii) What does the author think about the present system and what could be said about the nature of the author?

Ans. The author is not entirely satisfied by the system and the abolition of the Zamindari system. It has not been able to wipe out the landlordism and the tenancy of the sharecropping system. It had only removed the top level landlords in the multi-layered agrarian structure. The author is definitely a pro-active and a thoughtful man who wants betterment of the society.

2. Read the following passage and answer the questions given below.

Another negative outcome of the Green Revolution strategy was the worsening of regional inequalities. The areas that underwent this technological transformation became more developed, while other areas stagnated. For instance, the Green Revolution was promoted more in the Western and Southern parts of the country, and in Punjab. Haryana and Western UR than in the Eastern parts of the country (Das, 1999). As a result, we find agriculture in states such as Bihar and in Eastern UR and in dry regions such as Telangana, to be relatively undeveloped. These are also the regions that continue to have an entrenched ‘feudal’ agrarian structure, in which the landed castes and landlords maintain power over the lower castes, landless workers and small cultivators. The sharp caste and class inequalities together with exploitative labour relations in these regions have given rise to various kinds of violence (including inter-caste violence) in recent years.

(i) What is the inhuman aspect that can be attributed to Green Revolution?

Ans. The inhuman aspect that can be attributed to Green Revolution is the Green Revolution brought about increased regional inequalities. The effects of the Green Revolution did not spread evenly to all parts of the country. The areas where the technological benefits did not reach had been surrounded by high levels of inequalities. The technological evolution brought about a lot more changes that led to increase in the number of disparities within the people.

(ii) What is the meaning of entrenched feudal agrarian structure?

Ans. Entrenched feudal agrarian structure mentioned in the passage is a system whereby the castes and the landlords maintained dominance over the landless workers and the small cultivators. There was always the feeling of dominance of the landlords over their subjects.

(iii) What does the term ‘exploitative labour relations’ in the above passage imply?

Ans. The term ‘exploitative labour relation in the above passage implies how the caste-based inequalities informed by land ownership in some regions gave rise led to the exploitation of landless small cultivators and workers. These inequalities gave rise to various kinds of violence, including inter-caste violence.

3. Read the following passage and answer the questions given below.

Several profound transformations in the nature of social relations in rural areas took place in thepost-Independence period, especially in those regions that underwent the Green Revolution. These included an increase in the use of agricultural labour as cultivation became more intensive; a shift from payment in kind (grain) to payment in cash; a loosening of traditional bonds or hereditary relationships between farmers or landowners and agricultural workers (known as bonded labour) and the rise of a class of free wage labourers.

The change in the nature of the relationship between landlords (who usually belonged to the dominant castes) and agricultural workers (usually low caste), was described by the sociologist Jan Breman as a shift from patronage to exploitation (Breman, 1974). Such changes took place in many areas where agriculture was becoming more commercialised, that is, where crops were being grown primarily for sale in the market. The transformation in labour relations is regarded by some scholars as indicative of a transition to capitalist agriculture. Because the capitalist mode of production is based on the separation of the workers from the means of production (in this case land), and the use of free wage labour.

(i) What do you mean by commercialised agriculture?

Ans. Commercialised agriculture is the process of growing crops for the purpose of selling it in the market. This process increased the flow of money into villages and expanded the opportunities for business and employment.

(ii) What were some of the notable changes that underwent due to Green Revolution?

Ans. Some of the notable changes that underwent due to Green Revolution are as follows

1. There was increase in the use of agricultural labour as cultivation became more intensive.

2. There was shifting in payment mode i.e. from grain to cash.

(iii) What is feminisation of the agricultural labour force?

Ans. Feminisation of agriculture labour refers to the process of increasing the participation of women in the agricultural labour force. Their participation doesn’t ensure equal treatment and wages, and women feel insecure as they are paid less for the equal amount of work they carry out in the field.

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