UNIT 10 RESPONDING TO SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND CULTURAL CHANGE

LESSON 3: SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

LEARNING OUTCOMES: The learners are expected to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the agents/ institutions, processes, and outcomes of

cultural, political, and social change;

2. Evaluates factors causing social, political, and cultural change; and

3. Develop a plan of action for community-based response to change

LEARNING CONTENT:

SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

A social movement is a collective action of groups which aims to promote or resist change in
the society.

Social movements are purposeful, organized groups, either with the goal of pushing toward
change, giving political voice to those without it, or gathering for some other common purpose.
Social movements intersect with environmental changes, technological innovations, and other
external factors to create social change. There are myriad catalysts that create social
movements, and the reasons that people join are as varied as the participants themselves.
Social movements are a type of group action. They are large informal groupings of individuals
or organizations focused on specific political or social issues. In other words, on carrying out,
resisting or undoing a social change.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

1. All social movements have objectives

2. Movements develop programs for change
3. Movements establish an ideology- beliefs, norms, and values to justify their existence
and give themselves direction
4. Each member has a commitment

ORIENTATIONS OF SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

1. Power-Oriented Movements: The social movement in which member use coercion and
often illegitimate means to reach their objectives. 2. Persuasion-Oriented Movements: The
social movement that uses legal means to accomplish their objectives 3. Participation-
Oriented Movement: A social movement relatively unconcerned about changing society but
attempts to create a following of dedicated believers. Members join to gain orientation and
help from the movement.

STAGES OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

1. Incipient Phase: This is the stage when the social movement is characterized by
confusion and disorganization.
 2. Organized Phase: This is the stage when the social movement has already established
leadership, goals, ideologies, and programs which are defined and elaborated.
3. Stable Phase: This is the stage of the social movement when it has now evolved into a
bureaucratic organization.

REASONS FOR THE EMERGENCE OF SOCIAL MOVEMENTS:

Social movements rise due to certain reasons; they are not spontaneous. What gives rise to a
social movement is the attributed to certain social factors.

A. Changing Cultural Values: Changes in our society constantly happen. In all civilized
societies the behavior and value system of the people are changing. While in the process of
cultural drift the people develop new ideas. In order to make these ideas effective in society
movements are being organized. The examples of cultural change include the following:
progress of a democratic society, the liberation of women, the increase of mass education,
equality of the sexes, and development of secularism.

B. Disorganization in the Society: The changing society is different in various aspects of

society. They do not take place concurrently. While one part may change so fast; the
others may lag in their changes. It is a proven fact that urbanization of societies through
industrialization has resulted to numerous social problems. Confusion and uncertainty
bring about social disorganization because traditions are no longer depended upon as guide
to human behavior. Individuals become disenfranchised. They feel secluded from the
society. A feeling develops that the public leaders are apathetic to their wants. The
individuals feel uncertain, disorganized and exasperated. Thus, confusion and frustration
produce social movements.

C. Injustices in the Society: When a group of people feel that injustice has been done to it
they become frustrated and alienated. Such feeling of injustice provides fertile soil for social
movements. The feeling of social injustice is not limited to the miserable poor. Any group, at
any status level may come to feel itself the victim of social injustice. A wealthy class may
feel a sense of injustice when faced with urban property ceiling Act or high taxes intended
to benefit the poor. Social injustice is a subjective value judgment. A social system is unjust
when it is so perceived by its members.

THEORIES OF SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

1. Absolute Deprivation Theory. This theory states that the working class even with
their longer hours of work could barely support their family’s basic needs. Such a
scenario would someday push the working class to organize, to revolt and to break
existing structures.
2. Relative Deprivation Theory. This theory refers to the conscious feelings of negative
discrepancy between legitimate expectations and present realities. This perceived
discrimination may lead to collective action leading to mobilization and revolt.
3. Resource Mobilization Theory. This theory refers to the mobilization of resources
like money, media, political influence, and influential people to articulate a group’s
grievances and frustrations.
TYPES OF SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

1. Redemptive or “Messianic” Movements. These are usually religious in character

and do not attempt to change society, but engage in attracting people to their religious
causes and beliefs.
2. Revolutionary Movements. These are movements seeking radical change making
their ideological beliefs as their guide and weapon.
3. Reform Movements. These are movements which seek only to improve, to reform or
to revise the existing order. They do not attempt to abolish it.
4. Reactionary Movements. These are movements seek to restore the status quo after
social changes. The aim is to revert back to the old practices in the system.
5. “Utopian” Movements. These movements are promising an ideal if not perfect and
harmonious existence in society for its members. They convince members to live in
justice, freedom, equality, wisdom, beauty, and plenty. 6. Terrorism. Terrorism is the
use of violence against civilian targets for the purpose of intimidation to achieve political
ends.

THE FUNCTIONS OF SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

The great changes in the social order of the world which have occurred during the past two
centuries are very largely the direct or indirect result of social movements. For even if a
movement did not achieve all its goals, parts of its program were accepted and incorporated
into the ever-changing social order. This has been the main, or “manifest,” function of these
movements.

As a movement grows, certain secondary, or “latent,” functions may be observed:

a. The movement contributes to the formation of public opinion by providing for the
discussion of social and political problems and through the eventual incorporation of
some of the movement’s ideas into dominant public opinion; and
b. It provides training of leaders who may eventually rise to the positions of leading
statesmen.