Chapter-14 Ge oh fee, NDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITIES a EEE cee a ae Life — Rural Comntunity — Meaning and Characteristics — eee oe Rural Economic Organisation — Rural Recreational Ae- oe sated ee oie Het ee Welfare Activittes — The Urban Commu- ng and Characteristics — Urban Problems — Advantages and = aoe sages and Disadvan Loch vee By Urban Influence om the Country — The Urban Rural Contrast — 1. COMMUNITY AND INDIVIDUAL LIFE Community plays an important role ini the life of ivi ity i organised socal ie ofa locality. “The mart ofa a ees omen be Pen within i¢". One cannot live wholly ‘within a business organisation or a church; one can live wholly Within a tribe ora city. The basic riterion of community, then is that all of one’s social relationships may be found within it. | ‘Some communities ae inclusive and independent on others. ‘There area few primitive commie nities like that of the Yurok tribes of California which are almost isolated. But modern-communities have big population and are very much dependent on other communities. The character of the com- ‘and the role of the individual in it depend much on its territorial size, size of the population, hhature of the local government and the economic pursuits of the people. = Tdentification with the Community. One aspect of every dommunity is its territorial base, People tend to develop ‘attachment or sentimental identification with the area in which they live permanently. This gives rise ‘to what is often called *we-fecling’. This becomes evident, as Maclver says, when people say swe? and ‘ours’. The ‘we-sentiment represents the common interests of the Tr is because of this strong sense of identification that people react sharply whenever their village, or town, or city, or nation, the community to which they belong, is criticised, or threatened Sr oe oal the community is “home of his home and flesh of his flesh”. at he has to play his role, his Rol Further, ev’ {individual is conscious ofthe fat th Se ets com 1 any role, a farmer, a shop-Keepe,tessh ination of an individual to rds the group (community) onthe One hand, and therealisation ae ‘Jap ‘through socialisation and “habituation in the group. This kind of attachment toward ¢ of the role that one has to play, the individual may devel upon the: community. An individual is physically the daily discipline of life”. 5 Dependence. Every member of the community feels that he isdependent ical dependence and psychological 172 |Y Nc: : 2 ! 2.RURALAND URBAN COMMUNITIES OG > Communities arf. commonly divided into two general types-rural and urban. The line distix guishing these two types is not definite, Writers do not agree in Often locality is regarded as rural or urban by reference to its population. Other criterion employed are: density of population, legal limits, and legal status (i.e. status of rural or urban). Some other writers have used ‘occupations and social organisations, that is, the type of social and economic institutions, relationships, folkways as criterion. theuse of criterion for defining them. whether the locality has been given the ~ B.A: Sorokin and C.C. Zimmerman, in “Prinelplés of Rural-Urban Sociology”, have stated that the factors distinguishing rural from urban communities incl fthe size populatic Jude occupation, size, and density of ion and stratification. isti etween rural and urban communities has been r Holland, a commt containing more urban. In Japan,'the number is fixed at 30,000 India at 5,000; and e per square mile should be considered a city. Wal {in France at 2000; Mark Jefferson says that a community‘ with a density of Willcox suggested that a regarded as a city and 1,000 per square mile shoul et RURAL COMMUNITY. - a fone different stages of dévelopment. The carliest human sed aggregations of a few families who carried on ‘mutually interdependent activities in gathering food and defending themselves against their enemies, ‘These primitive bands were migratory. Gradually,man acquired skill and knowledge in agriculture, Then began the settled life of man. With .developmentof agriculture and the consequent stabilisation of the source of food, human communities became more permanent. ‘These communities came to be known as Village Communi ities, The village is the oldest permanent community of man. {All early communities were basically rural in character. As Kropotkia points out, “We do not tant part in the rural community. i locality contributes to the integration and stability of the village community. Such’proximity developed a sociability and had encouraged solidarity and know one single human race of single nati Bogardus says, “Human society has «As the raral sociologist Dwight Sand has stated in his p murs y x E farmsteads and in a bamlet or village which which has not had its period of village communities.” cradled in the rural group”. consists of people living ina limited physical area who ‘of satisfying theta, Psychological bonds play an impor- “The Rural Communi" ror be: TANIQ PHOTOSTAT Ikbamle History Sociology, Scanned with CamScanner Scanned with CamScanner ate) eeet Oe ae eh a Sh ee a ane vee depend ent on the. Hei ety be — =e Psychologically ha a, a Of his physical needs are satisfied with the community. ik redom Rian mmunity because,it saves him from the fear of solitude wean Reged and HM, Lynd in their “Middl i See recmemoarinelGeiee A Study in American Culture” point out that * variations in detail. They write itd performed by the people of a community despite infinite seemingly intricate instiotonal ie ot, t in an Arunte village in Central Australia or in our own pean acc re, dividends coming-out of parties, prayer meet- rai: wet , human behaviour appears tp consist of variations upon a few major f activity : getting the material necessities for food, clothing, shelter, matihg, initiat Perens tha prova tani of 3 , 1g, shelter, matihg, initiating the ee ere tis ‘thought and behaviour, and so on’. Lynd and Lynd have mentioned ee of human activities on which the impact of community (particularly the city) is eee. sreat, They are: "(1) Gerting a living, (2) Making a home, (3) Training the yourg, (4) oe leisure in various forms of play, art and so on, (3) Engaging inzeligious practices, and (6) nngaging in community activities’. They have also pointed out that the character of these activites may go on changing in keeping with the changes that take place in the material as well as the non- material culture of the community. BenetisefCommuatytie ‘TARIQ PHOTOSIAY Serene taf itlekar On atalnans ~The individual not ily lives in a community but also Teaps the benefits of community life, The individual makes achievements and registers progress due to the support given by the community. 1. The community life provides the individual the needed protection and security. There is strength in unity. The individual is better equipped to'face dangers and overcame problems with the due assistance of the other members of the community than alone. ; °D. The community life provides for co-operation of the members. The individual in co-opers- tion with others can work in the more efficient manner in the. social, economic, cultural and other elds, The community plays a very important role especially in the economic field. Hence the com- munity development projects are-given high priority in India, 5. The community life depends on some kind of communication system among the members. Communication is the medium of interaction. It may take place through the senses, emotions, senti- ments and ideas. Language in its spoken and written form has made ‘communication much easier. Language has become the collective memory of mankind, Tt has contributed to the advancement of Civilication and to the conservation of cultural values. Thus, community life which depends on lan- guage has contributed to its development. | w2"4. The community life provides the individual op tunities for the manifestation of his talents ‘and.abilities. It helps him to develop nobler feelings of jce-mindedness, selflessness, self-sacri- fice, kindness, compassion, patience, perseverance, subljmity, benevolence towards each other and so on, The community has been reminding the individ of his social responsibilities and obliga- tions and to become more human ‘and less brutal in his approach. It has been helping him to move ever greater perfection. i: ae eis nas its own conflicts and contradictions forthe individual. 1: is not always smooth and free from tensions and clashes. Due fo the greediness, selfishness, unsocial andl anti- sooialcbabits and tendencies of man, conflicts and clashes, tensions and tussles do take eee a sevtmunity, The community can manage with these only if it has an efficient system oF $98 control. : Conclusion TARIQ PHO iT ‘STAT Pou Historically, the community has beth an expression that emphasised bee ft mankind”. Community has been “generating Sere of belonging to. sgether" all these days, But in the Wake of modem industrialist eo ae fiving, phenomenal growth of urbanisation, ‘widespread division of labour isation, vast socio-economic and political changes, ‘the task. of retaining the ‘sense of belonging together has mon life of a people o! et Scanned with CamScanner Scanned with CamScanner~ mutually’ t ‘These primitive bands were migratory. Gi jually,; become, as Maciver says, ‘not less necessary but mor . transition from a type of social fi gasiatiok beaed a Penton, ne to atype of social organisation characteriseil by rapid technological as a ‘of special interest groups and formal social control, the community has ee neta, has revealed new problems”. One of the main problems mercilessly imposed by i Nis plex urban community is the problem of the mental disorder. Cases of mental ites ten cities, Even living in the midst of plenty people may often feel that they are alone. The identification with the community may become weak. The loss of identification may lead to the of community” which in turn may result if ‘alienation’. Alienation may even cause suicide. This nee lament that “the wheel of destiny roils or to its end, the birth of the : 2. RURAL AND URBAN COMMUNITIES ___ Communities aré commonly divide) into two general types-rural and urban. The line distin guishing these two types isnot definite, Writers do not agree in the use oferiterion for defining them, Often locality is regarded as rural or urbar{ by reference to its population, Other criterion employed are: density of population, legal limits, ang legal status (i.e. whether the locality has been given the status of rural or urban). Some other writets have tised occupations and social organisations, that is, the type of social and economic instifutions, relationships, folkways as criterion. P.A. Sorokin and C.C. Zimmerman, in “Principles of Rural-Urban Sociology”, have stated that the factors distinguishing rural from urban communities include occupation, size, and density of population, as well as mobility, differentiation and stratification. _ However, in many countries the distinction between rural and urban communities has been made on the basis of the size of the population. In Holland, a community containing more than 20,000 people is called urban. In Japan, the number is fixed at 30,000; in India at 5,000; and in ULS.A. at 2:500 and in France at 2000. Mark Jefferson says that a community with a density of 10,000 people or more per square mile should be considered a city. Walter Willcox suggested that a ‘community with a population of more than 1,000 per square mite should be regarded as a city and [ess than 1,000 people as *rural’ community. . 3. THERURALCOMMUNITY z different stages of development. The carliest human anised aggregations of a few families who carried on sng food and defending themselves against their enemies. ‘man acquired skill and knowledge in agriculture. ‘With the development of agriculture and the consequent stabilisation ‘Then began the scttled life of man- er of the source of food, human ‘communities became more permanent. These ‘communities came to be ities, The village is the oldest permanent community of man. known as Village Communt Re i ‘communities were basical $ Read: ‘human race of single nation which has not hhad its per ‘Bogardus says, “Human society ‘has been cradled in the rural group”. a et Fe ccc ‘comm i ing in a limited:physical area Who i i ists of people living in a limited phy’ Bee ee Do cg wet Psychological bonds play an impor- have common interests and cy si oats tthe in aration and stability ofthe ee ‘Such Sy vad developed a sociability and had encours vil : rural in character. ‘As Kropotkin points out, “We do not ‘od of village communities.” ged solidarity and 5 in his “The Rural Community”, & rural mutuality. Peart, ro n X phe rl soit Det Sd mens nn i AS community. consists 0° 3 ‘ forms Se of their common activ! , Scanned with CamScanner Scanned with CamScanneree | eee Individual and Com ia Rural community i ity is often looked people and their instituti upon as. an association in Which there is “social i i what Cooley termed sea tat Le area”, The relationships in the ieee fos = ; i i 28 “country neighbourhooe” the intimate nature. The rural localities are Gften referred to The rural sociologi i | gists LH. Kolb and Br S200 persed anda bint aru scieowtad Gadd egeieien keene fined as “a group of people permanently residi veo ic ac ciainpew airman ent loped certain community consciousness anda fee Eonar hos ievig ie eeparais Kern otter communities" cultural, social and economic’relations feel that they ‘The rural community has a long history of i it ha Bates ee acy wm a so cen has become almost natural with the phenomenon of recent development. Ri FSSC asap tm isa ee ee eae, anaarie a a ral ite a os ‘the urban life. It is said that God made n city. In spite of the growth of cities, the population of the world i au es In India alone more thart 50 crores of people live in villages. More than 70 i cot : oy inmore than five lakh villages in Tad. The urban life sill depends on the farm and what Charaeteristies ___1, The Social Homogeneity. The rural community is largely homogeneous: The rural social life is simple and smooth-going. Unity and uniformity in social life are largely visible. We find similarity in the ways of thinking, behaving, dressing, action and living. We also find agreement or ' consensus among people with regards to habits, opinions, morals, customs, values, religious beliefs, dress, etc. . 2. Dominance of Primary Relations. A village ity is often regarded as a“primary group’. Hence the rural community is characterised by th primary relations, “There exist face-to- aoa elations among people. Every person knows every other and hence everyone is interested in the welfare of all. The village community is relatively small in size, The members frequently meet and maintain regular contacts. The relationships are informal, personal and inclusive. ‘Community spirit prevails over individual interests. People ae free an frank in their expressions. A sense of belonging to the community holds them together. 3. Informal Social Control. Social contro, thats, the contral of soci! behaviour of people is relatively simpler and less problematic, Predominance off .e-to-face relationship has made the task of regulating relations a simple one. Customs, traditions, yup standards and morals are themselves tffective as social pressures. Any kind of social disobedience is easily noticed and the disobedient is put to gossip and slander. Formal means of social control such as law, legislation, police, court, etc. : ey Ae are not resorted to in normal situations to maintain the order. “4. Occupations. The rural commurity is marked PY predominant agriculture. Agriculture is associated with different tras like pottery, ‘veaving, earpentry, smithery, brick-making, shoe-making, taning, curing hides barbering, building houses and repairing, ol @ indi, toy-making, society there is less division of labour specialisation are also limited. Neither ger is aerjed tasks. On the contrary, the villager at tines aed a jack ofall trades, but master of none. Women , sks. = ee tsi | Importance of Family. The rural community is built around he ni offal Te rural family is very cohesive. Itlives together 0% en ae circle provides the greatest part of the economic = Spe a fional and conservative. People sre ‘bound by family cus zl Scanned with CamScanner Scanned with CamScannera 176. Individual —Culture an fe mush dependent on their. menfolk. They ey much sentimental. They require the support inistitutions like marriage and family fot a living. Most of the time, the rural women engage them- selves in indoor activities, but often they work in fields. In rural life, the family is the smallest unit and not the individual. Individual interests are sub- ordinated to the family interests. Status df the individual is mostly derived from his family. Prope is considered as a possession of the family itself. Individual accepts the authority of the family in almost all fields. Marriage, religion, occupation, mode of living, etc, are all influenced by the tradi- tion of the family. Generally, there is less individual question and rebellion in a family. Further, the rural family is mostly a join’ family, Size of the family is normally big. Agricultural operation re- {quires a large number of people. The rural joint family meets the need for large labour force. 6. Role of Neighbourhood. ‘Neighbourhood’ is a community in miniature, It is similar t0 a community, but it is'a’smaller area in Which’ relationships tend to be primary, or more or less in mate, The neighbourhood is a part of the village, town or city, in which live a number of families among whom close relationships éXist. A neighbourhood has been defined as—an area in which the residents are personally well acquainted with each other and are in the habit of visiting ome another, of exchanging articles and services andy in general of doing things together. Ina village the neighbourhood is of great importance, Neighbours share the joys and sorrows together. They have the spirit of comradeship. There is not cnough of individuality and speed in the life of the village to disregard the feeling, interests and expectations of the ncighbouts. They partici- pate in all common ceremonies, functions and festivals. They assist one another in all important matters: ~*~ . | : 7. Faith in Religion. The rural oe are mostly religious in their outlook. They have deep faith in religion, in God. They have awe and reverence and, more than that fear of God. Their main occupation is agriculture which mainly depends on the mercy of Nature. The rural men believe that the Nature-Gods will have to be by various means to help them in agricultural operations. ‘The deep faith in religion and God has mninimised their mental tension and disturbance. 8. Conservatism and Dogmatismt, The rural peofile are said to be highly conservative, tradi- tional and dogmatic in their approach. If is true that their social attitudes and behaviour patterns are dictated by traditions. They do not acctpt policies, plans, programmes, principles, projects, doc- trines, etc. that the majority dis ied, They are basically skeptical in their attitude. 9, Rural Community and Social Change. The villagers are gencrally simpletons. They ¢ling firmly to their beliefs, traditions and ago-old practices. Custom is their ‘Kin’, They are not ready to go agains it. Their behaviour is natural and not artificial. They are far away from the superficial Franners and artificial gestures. They live a peaceful life. They are free from mental tensions and conflicts. They dislike conflicts and “They are sincere-hardworking’ and hospitable, But their probiem is that they eannot accept the urban people.and their way of life readily. They are not ready for sudden change, They are for status quo. They are in a way far away from the rapidly ‘changing urban civilised world. There is gap between the urban and the rural way of life. Of course nowadays the rural people are to the need of the modern world. They are also modifying their behaviour patterns slowly and gradually. ‘ ‘The Industrial Revolution and the| consequent industrialisation have brought far-reaching re- sults to the rural community. Rapid improvements in the fields of transport and communication, _ progress in the fields of science and technology, introduction of uniform system of education, imple- vrentation of various community welfare programmes and projects, opening of small factories and industries even in rural areas, provision of modem civilised facilities like radio, electricity, tele- ‘sie, television post and Telegraph, newspapers, introduction of various domestic electrical applic FE eés, increasing political consciousness of the people, the liberation ‘of women, etc., have all con- tributed to some radical changes in the ural life. B2eaa Eos ¢ Scanned with CamScanner Scanned with CamScannercity may be defined as a relatively large, dense and permanent sett satisfactory definition so far. Bergel writes, “Everybody seems | Individual—Culture and Society intenance allowance and old and jes, agricultural banks and vol- Nn t cer sections. Attempts are agricultural production and to develop the rurabgottage industries. Special S ness ee as - bags rel youths have been ive in wi te ra trp ih en ng gw Se ty pain rural — and health, a harmony, 9.THE URBANCOMMUNITY =~ __. The City. The ‘urban community’ means te city community. “The history ofevery civilisation is the history, not of its countryside, but ofits cities and towns. Civilisation means the city, and the city means civilisation. Man originally built the city, and the city, in tum, civilised man.” Man became a citizen when he became a member of a city-state, With the rise of the world-city, as Spengler tells us, “there were no longer noblessee and bourgeoisie, freemen and slaves, Hellenes and Barbarians, believers and nonbelievers, but only cosmopolitans and provincials. All other contrasts pele before this one, which dominates all events, all habits of life, all views of the world.” The city is Pilture par excellence; itis the epitome of culture. It is mankind's greatest work of art-and of artifice—because it contains all others. Culture, a manufactured environment, surrounds the city man. “tis an environment of bricks and steel and mortar and cement, pf bridges and tunnels, of sidewalks and streets, of monuments and buildings, of elevators and subway platforms.” The city is the product of man and his own achievement. The city “has everything that is ‘tawdry’ and everything sublime. Itholds both hope and despair. It encompasses millions ET ositat it can be the loveliest place on earth... It is a vital centre of every civilised society. tis both a place and a state of mind.”— Robert Bierstedt. ; ‘The Meaning of Urban System of Community. By * in system’, we mean urban commu- > ity. Urban Community life represents the eity-life, Though the term *urban’ is popularly used, itis not properly defined. There is no single ‘all-inclusive definition of a city or urban community. L.The urban sociologist. Howrad Woolston, in his st defined the city as a “Jimited geographic area, inhabited by @ largely and closely settled population, having many com- mon interests and institutions, under. local government authorised by the State.” 2. Park in his “The City” says that the city far from being 4 mere collection of individuals and of social conveniences, is rather a “state of mind, & body Bien and traditions, and the organised ‘ttinudes and sentiments that inbere in these customs.” : >, James A.’Quinn in bis “Urban Sociology”, viewed the city ee of specialisation”, ‘as a population aggregate whose occupations nonagricul 2 : POS Adna F, Weber bis“ The Growth of Cities” defined aay as any incorporated place With, a minimum of 10,000 inhabitants. oe i “Urbanis) way of life” writes: “For sociological purposes 5, Lowis Wirth in is essay “Urbanism as a way of ieee a ‘Though some sociologists have tried to define te satisfactory definition.” Kingsley Davis writes, “I define urban”. ‘Maclver remarks, “But between the two (urb: sharp tion to tell where the city ends ‘and country elements of the city while every city carries some features of Scanned with CamScanner Scanned with CamScannerIndividual ane! Communities on to decide.a community as urban, Some of them are population, legal limits, types of occupation social organisations. we Characteristics of Urban Community 4. Social Heterogeneity. An urban society is heterogencous. The city life is complex and manysided. Wide difference is found in the ways of living of the people. Uniformity and similarity are rarely found. Itis more characterised by diversity. As Louis Wirth in his ‘Urbanism as a way of Ie", points out “the greater the number of individuals participating in a ProckSs of interaction, the greater the potential differentiation between them...” Louis Wirth further says that “the city has been the melting-pot of races, peoples and cultures, and a most favourable breeding ground of new bio- logical anid cultural hybrids.” He also says that the city “has brought together people from the ends ofthe earth Because they are different and thus useful to one another, rather than because they are homogeneous and likeminded.” The ways of thinking, behaving, acting, the habits, morals, religious ee and practices, food and dress habits, occupations, etc., of the people differ significantly. Differentiation is potent in urban life. sleet he ay 2. Secondary Relations. The urban community is characterised by secondary relations. A cit) by virtue of its size cannot be a primary group. It is a secondary group. People are indifferent to- ‘wards one another. Face-to-face, friendly or intimaté relations may not be observed among people. Mass media of communication fuch as telephone, radio, press, post and telegraph, ete, are often resorted to by the urbanites for contacts. In cities people rarely take personal interests, in others’ concems, Superficial form of politeness and manners are commonly found. Physical contact rarely results in intimacy and closeness, Even the neighbours are often found to be strangers. Private inter- ests prevail over the common interests. E 4 : 3. The Anonymity of the City Life. The city is an Ocean of strangers. Heavy concentration in - a limited space makes it impossible for people to know one another. Every one appears to be a stranger for every other person. There prevails a state of namelessness in which the individual iden- tities remain unknown. This kind of namelessness that is found in the city is often referred to as anonymity of the city life. The anonymity of the city life makes more complex the problém of social control. Hist 3 = ‘ f 4, Secondary Control. Control of social behaviour is more difficult in a city. Predominance of secondary relations makes it more complex, the social control. The social behaviour of people is no ‘more regulated by customs, traditions, religion and group standards. Instances o! ‘social deviation are ‘commonly found in a city. City is the ocean of strangers, Violations of standards of behaviour may pass unnoticed and unchecked. In this way, informal means of social control are ot very effective, Regulation of social behaviour i largely done throiigh the spetialised agencies jike law, legislation, police, court, etc. The larger the city, the greater ‘becomes the problem: ‘of control and’more complex the agencies of secondary regulation. . © a ae 5, Large-scale Division of Labour and Speciatisation, An Urban community is known forts large-scale division of labour artd specialisation. ‘Specialisation is visible i y, fe. The larger the city, the greafer is the| specialisation. Hence we find different people in society engaging themselves in different kinds of activities like mechanical, commercial, educational, political, recre- ational, artistic, literary, scientific and so on. There are skilled, unskilled and semi-skilled workers, the artisans, the technicians, the ‘paper expert’, the ‘white-collar’ employees, the financiers, the businessmen, administrators, the politicians, the artists and others in society specialising themselves in some particular kind of activity or the other. City depends on division of labour also: Work is vided among people on the basis of interests, talents, efficiency, opportunities, age, Sex ard so on. ion of labour and specialisation are possible because of co-operation. a 6. Large-scale Social Mobility. An urban community is characterised by intense ‘social mobil- ity.‘Socta! Mobility’ refers to tte movement of people from one social status 0 another, from lower Scanned with CamScanner Scanned with CamScanner1 y 182 | ee Indivictual—Cutture and Society —. status to higher status or fi Fo sea ee a 7: ar community is determined more ty | Posies Tich position. An individual's position in an urban ~ 2 his achievements thah Ly his birth, The status is not predeter mined, High stress is laid on ee accomplish i fe i ‘ Withits elaborate division of boos ll ishments. Urban lifein this way is highly'gompetitive. The city aoa so u ipetitivehess, its |mpersonality, has a tendency to emphasise levements of people. A city judges status bs A EN rat be ececnplcics ig according to what the individual does and how he a i i Society provides for social mobility in countless ways. It provides for occupational ee nd geographic mobility on the one hand, and horizontal social mobility and vertical social heal the other. Individuals are busily engaged in improving their “career”. An clement of oppor eu pea eas in city. Maclver and Page write~"An accident, a lucky contract, a sudden Hin me ‘or missed, achange of style or fad, a happy or unhappy forecast of some event far yond his control, may revolutionise his prospects in a day.” _ 7. Individuation. In an urban community people ws more individualistic in their attitudes, As Kingsley Davis points out, “The secondary and voluntary character of urban association, the multi- oo and the social mobility all force the individual to make his own decisions and pl ‘as a career”, ; ‘The concentration of people in a limited space has tHe effect of emphasising individuality. The citydweller takes his independent decisions on such matters as education, marriage, occupation, enterprise, adventure, and so on, He is more selective in his choice and more individualistic in his preferences. He is guided by his own whims and fancies. He is detached except for the attachment of his own choice. He is not tied to any particular relationship or any particular cause. As Davis points out, “The individual stands over against the whole city, never completely absorbed by any one social” group.” The city provides wide opportunities for the adventurous spirit of the individuals. Simmel observes, “The city person is free in behaviour, less restrained, more individualistic, more formal and less sympathetic, and less of a conformist than the country person.” 5 ~-" g Voluntary Association. An urban community is the breeding centre of a number of volun- tary associations. The size of the urban population, its clase proximity, diversity, and easy contact, ‘make it the proper ground for voluntary associations. “No matter what a person’s hobby or vocation, national background of religion, age or colour, he can always find others with a similar basis of interest.” As a result new kinds of groups arise, based on ¢xtremely specialised interests, The group ‘must organise or its eavse will perish. People normally become members of a number of associations which may be called "secondary group” in orderto fulfil their varied interests. ‘9, Social Tolerance. Social tolerance characterises city life. Diversity of population, imper- sonality of contacts.apd heterogeneity in living style make it almost inevitable for the city people to develop the spirit of tolerance. “People rub elbows with nd become inclifferent to extremes ofall kinds—extremes of opinion and intercst, extremes ofpovery and wealti, exiremes of education and background.” The spirit of tolerance gives the strength pf unity in diversity to the life in a city. “Indeed the distinction between public and private, between what is shown and what is conceal i maich sharper in the city. It is the public behaviour that the city regulates, the private behaviour ‘ itignores. Its control is impersonal and general, that of the particular.”"-Kingsley Davis. 10, Spatial Segregation, Due to its very nature, the ¢ty is bound to be overocowded, a eae a large number of people from the village arcas. It is found thar various el o ke Songentate in different spois ofthe city. Occupational yrpups of people also prefs Te NE Tt * jn distinct zones of a city. ‘That is to say, some kind of, jctional segregation is cae — . mercial activities in the form of big departmental stores, show rooms, fancy eas e ae nae aires, fine hoiels, jewellery stores, etc, re-located in the centre. The same othe eas re sional services obnis, law offices, accounting ms, government of Rone fei nent ling sions, leaning and pressing sons shoe repr shor, Earebes uE yuntry personal and Scanned with CamScanner Scanned with CamScanner ”ee ae ae a a ~ the 18th Century this trerid has been intensified. Various:ractors have ae Individual and Communities "| : stores, etc, may be found at the ¢ross-roads of the entire city. In the city land is so cost buildings expand verteally filling the centre ofthe city'with skyscrapers. 7 It is|said that the urban family is not firmly/organised. Many of the 11, Unstable Family. traditional functions of the family are transferred to the éxternal agencies. Family is no longer the sae somie, educational, protective, recreational and effective unit, Family has lost much of its con- cover its individual members. Individualism is developing even inside the family. Even the women are getting employed outside the family. Relations between the husband and wife, parents and chi dren are strained to some extent,-Some sociologists have even retharked that the urban family is much more disorganised. | : 3 s 10, AT/RACTIONS OF CITY LIFE ae The city is a.centre of attraction. From its very inception the city has been attracting a large number of people especially fro the rural areas, After the outbreak: of the Industrial jolution in. made the rural people to flock to the cities. Of these two factors are significant” (/) the"push” factor, and (ii) the ‘pull’ factor. The ‘pull’ factor refers to the attractions of the city. a. The city is pulling people from various comers towards its nucleus. The rural people who are {ced with various economie problems, burdened with a large number of children, bored with the monotony of the routine life, and attracted by the glamour of the citys have started moving towards thecities The ety is tempting the rural people with its employment opportunities, edu ational facili- ties, medical facilities, recreational facilities such ‘as-movies, dramas, night clubs, cabarets, al bling centres, horse race, library,-publie parks, museums, orchestra, 200, circus Shows, efc. In comparison with the village, the city provides ample opportunities for personal ad ment. The city is a centre of brisk economii ic, commercial, artistic, literary, political, educational, technological, scientific and other activites. The rural people who come s:¢ontact with the city’ for a brief spell of time get themselves impressed by its appearance, glamour, comfort and luxuries. They are likely to develop rosy’ imaginations of the luxuries of the ony life. ‘They have come to believe that money-making is easier in the city. The city men and women; their dresses, fashions, habits, styles, tastes, interests, intelligence, talents, comforts, luxuries, étc., have great.impact om the rural people. As a result, they have started flocking towards the cities in a big number. This has sabuted to the process of urbanisation. Urbanisation resulted.in urban concentration on the one hand and rural depopulation, on the other. £ S f urbanisation: 25 cities in’ India each with a in India. In 1901, there were i ares = by re 107 suchtitie’ jf our nation. In 1971, there ion £29,000 or over. At i, 11 maj cities, re fos m eacl ‘of one million or over. Calcutta is Diggs ds eee cs ma écordin : : red by other cities sch’as Mur Ration of 92 lakhs (according to.the i ; Bangalore (29 Lakhs), Hydérabad (26 Lakhs), sieh 2 Lae) CY ne ‘Nagpur (13 ieee and ing cities of the world. |, Kanpur (7 Lakh |. Bangaloreis one OF ~ ipur (10 eid | 14, URBAN PROBLENS- es othe process of i istrialisation has added much’ ans - phi ae spe ee rapid industrialisation cities ha' Lae fn unsystematic manner. oe i a aeston. i jé timited’space have brought along, with eran VES ono peal ina ini Sian * Concha to the attraction of city fife (‘Pull-factors') men: have . _e sha problems of the urban $f : | Scanned with CamScanner Scanned with CamScannera ! ee ee Individual Culture and Society on of the kin, the family, the ‘blood’, stress disintegrating atti SEY s Wis: lood’, the nation and with i i isn Howeren seein atid of invidaism, tis cao sl coop _ hue ya chan ea ie opin hat tr 0 ee enue Bite aces Seem tyaking the uronn environment mor suites thie eet. eee teri i TWo-third.of the population ofthe world is rural in ea 13. THE URBAN-RURAL CONTRAST The city and country (vil i th Poe a A ee town and the land, the capital and the province (this despite op eens ‘most widespread and important of all kinds of social differen- ee ea aaa except'the most primitive, |and in most of human history. s a = Pavement, the lane and the street~these are“symbols of two different fe, two different cultures.” *The city man and the country man do indeed have two different views of the i world, have different rounds of Soles: in different ways the oe : ae mee ae of work and play, and spend their span of life fferent surro 5 ferences between th i i ete nthe rural society and the urban society can be pe Rural Society Urban Society ‘The urban society is heterogeneous. It is known for its diversity and com- 1. The rural society is homogeneous. “‘Itis marked by unity arid uniformity, It is dominated by primary relations. Itis hence more cohesive. le here are known for their sim- plicity-and hospitality, - frankness and Informal means of social control such as “customs, mores, conventions are sufficient to regulate interpersonal rela- It is less mobile. Opportunities for socil movements are limited. Status is mostly ‘The rural society provides limittéd scope for division of labour and specialisation. ‘Occupations are mostly unspecialised. Ag- riculture is the main occupation. It is built of family units. Family is very influential and dominant) ‘institution. People plexity. It is dominated by secondary rela~ tions, Itisnotunited. / The urban people are known for their ‘artificiality, sarrow-mindedness and selfishness. Formal means of social control such ‘as law, legislation, police, court, etc. are needed in addition to the informal means for regulating the behaviour of the people. ‘ It is more mobile. It is an ‘open’ society. It provides more chances for social -mobility. Here status is ‘achieved". Here occupitions are more specialised. ‘There is wide spread division of labour and specialisation opportunities for pursuing occupations are numerous. Here, the family is said to be unstable. More. than the family, individual & (Contd.)Scanned with CamScanner Scanned with CamScanner