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Sociology · Sociology of Indian Society

Chapter 13 : RURAL LIFE IN INDIA PART I: RURAL INDIA NATURE, FEATURES AND PROBLEMS

Table of contents51 sections
  1. 1.RURAL LIFE IN INDIA PART I: RURAL INDIA NATURE, FEATURES AND PROBLEMS
  2. 2.India a Classical Land of the Villages
  3. 3.Demographic Dominance of Villages
  4. 4.Varied Size of the Villages
  5. 5.Indian Villages through the Ages
  6. 6.Key Terms
  7. 7.📌 Exam Tidbits
  8. 8.Village Studies and their Significance
  9. 9.3 Categories of Village Studies (Doshi and Jain)
  10. 10.Important Village Studies (Post-1955)
  11. 11.Importance of Village Studies
  12. 12.Main Drawbacks of Village Studies in India (S.C. Dube)
  13. 13.Key Terms
  14. 14.📌 Exam Tidbits
  15. 15.Definition of Village - Traditional Character
  16. 16.12 Traditional Characteristics of Indian Villages
  17. 17.Key Terms
  18. 18.📌 Exam Tidbits
  19. 19.Agrarian Class Structure
  20. 20.Post-Independent Agrarian Structure (A.R. Desai)
  21. 21.Cultivators by Land Size
  22. 22.Daniel Thorner's Classification of Rural Classes
  23. 23.Dhanagare's Model of Agrarian Classes
  24. 24.Agrarian Classes Based on Size of Cultivated Land
  25. 25.Key Terms
  26. 26.📌 Exam Tidbits
  27. 27.Village Solidarity
  28. 28.6 Factors Favourable for Village Solidarity
  29. 29.Manifestations of Village Solidarity (M.N. Srinivas)
  30. 30.5 Critical Comments Regarding the Concept of "Village Solidarity"
  31. 31.Key Terms
  32. 32.📌 Exam Tidbits
  33. 33.Village Settlement Patterns
  34. 34.1. Nucleated vs Dispersed Villages (Based on Settlement Pattern)
  35. 35.2. A.R. Desai's Classification (Based on Degree of Permanence)
  36. 36.3. J.B. Chitambar's Classification
  37. 37.Key Terms
  38. 38.📌 Exam Tidbits
  39. 39.Land Tenure System and Land Reforms After Independence
  40. 40.Systems of Land Tenure in Pre-Independent India
  41. 41.Land Reforms After Independence
  42. 42.Progress of Land Reforms - Assessment and Causes for Poor Performance
  43. 43.Key Terms
  44. 44.📌 Exam Tidbits
  45. 45.Problems of Indian Villages
  46. 46.1. Agricultural Problems
  47. 47.2. Economic Problems
  48. 48.3. Social Problems
  49. 49.Key Terms
  50. 50.📌 Exam Tidbits
  51. 51.Quick-Recall Box

Chapter preview

RURAL LIFE IN INDIA PART I: RURAL INDIA NATURE, FEATURES AND PROBLEMS

India a Classical Land of the Villages

The world population is predominantly rural, with more than 2/3 of the world's population living in villages. India is basically a land of villages, where the study of Indian society requires a deep dive into village life through the discipline of rural sociology.

  • Kropotkin (no year): "We do not know one single human race or single nation which has not had its period of village communities."
  • Bogardus (no year): "Human society has been cradled in the rural group."

Demographic Dominance of Villages

Villages constitute the basic elements of India's social structure, sheltering two other elements: caste and the joint family system.

  • Total Villages: More than 5.58 lakh villages (specifically 5,58,088 according to the 1991 Census). More than 3/4 of the population of India resides in more than 5.58 lakh villages. In India alone more than 50 crores of people live in villages, spread over more than 500 districts. More than 74% per cent of Indians live in more than 5.5 lakh villages in India.
  • Rural Population Share: 76.7% in the 1981 Census → decreased slightly to 74.28% in the 1991 Census.
  • Urban Population Growth: 10.8% in 1901 → 23.3% in 1981 → 25.72% in 1991 → projected to be 28.4% in 2000.
  • Absolute Urban Population: 217.17 million in 1991 → projected to be 285 million in 2001.
  • In the time span of around 100 years (1881-1991), India's urban population increased only by 10%.

Varied Size of the Villages

Villages vary in population size and state-wise distribution. People prefer settling where there is cultivable land, drinking water, and a friendly physical environment.

Population Size (1991 Census)Percentage to Total Number of Villages
Less than 50026.5%
Between 500 - 200048.8%
Between 2000 - 500019.4%

State-wise Distribution (Largest to Smallest):

  • Uttar Pradesh: 1,12,566 villages
  • Madhya Pradesh: 71,352 villages
  • Bihar: 67,546 villages
  • Orissa: 46,553 villages
  • Maharashtra: 39,354 villages
  • Nagaland: 1112 villages
  • Sikkim: 440 villages

(Key Data: Total India villages 580,781 excluding J&K;…

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Chapter 14 : RURAL LIFE IN INDIA PART II : RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND RURAL CHANGE