SOCIAL REFORM MOVEMENTS

IN INDIA
A STEP TO MODERNIZATION OF INDIA
SOCIAL REFORM MOVEMENT
Introduction: Social reform movement is type of social
movement that aim is betterment and development of
society.
Ideology
Leadership Agenda

Collective
Action

Organization strategy

Definition: Certain social and political changes brought

in society for betterment through collective action are
generally called Social Reform Movement.
 Characteristics
Rationalism: A rationalist critique of socio-religious
reality generally characterized the nineteenth
century reforms. A rational and secular outlook was
very much evident in positing an alternative to the
prevalent social practices.
Religious Universalism: An important religious idea in
nineteenth century was universalism a belief in unity
of godhead and emphasis on religious being
essentially the same.
The reformer’s emphasis on universalism was an
attempt to contend with this particularising pull.
Casteism
It was the chief hindrance
of the way of development.
Every religion was divided
in different category fixed
by birth and high cast
started exploitation of
lower cast.
 Idolatry

Polygamy

Untouchability
Social reform in India did not ordinary mean, as it did in the west, a
recognition of entire structure of society with a view to the alleviation of
condition of underprivileged; rather it
mean the infusion into the existing social structure of new ways of life
and mode of behaviour. Generally Such changes was gradual and incited
only by the upper classes.
Social change in India was for a very long time based on filtration theory;
the filtration of attitudes and mode of behaviour from the upper layers
of society to lower ones.
Social reforms are so closely intertwined with religious thought and
efforts in every part of India.

Hindu Reform Movement

Satya
 Rajmundary
Bramha Sodhak
Prarthana Arya Samaj Social
Samaj Samaj
Samaj Movement Reform Movement
Movement
Movement and Mvement and Raja and
and M. G. Dayanand and
Ram Mahatma
Ranade Saraswati Veerchand
Mohan Ray Jyotiba
Gandhi
Phule
Raja Ram Mohan Ray And Bramha Samaj Movement
• Raja Ram Mohan Ray, father of India’s renaissance ,
founded a theistic society opposed to polytheism,
mythology and idolatry.
• The first and most influential of all the religious
movements.
• Ram Mohan Ray protest strongly against the practice
of Sati, Polygamy and Slavery.
• He opened a Hindu College in Calcutta in 1817.
• The Great achievement of thisw movement was
Abolition of practice
of ‘Sati’ in 1829 by that time Indian
Government
M.G. Ranade And Prarthna Samaj
 Movement
• In 1867, a theistic society was actually founded by
Atmaram Pandurang
• also know as Prarthana Samaj movement.
• M. G. Ranade was great activist of that movement .
• His own Theist’s confession of Faith is a brave attempt
to give the thought of the samaj.
• There were four reform sought by this movement as
The abandonment of Caste, The Introduction of
Widow Remarriage, The encourageement of Female
Education, and Abolition of Child Marriage.
• Justice Ranade founded Widow Remarriage
Asssociation and Deccan Education Society for
Reform.
• This movement was an offshoot of Bramha Samaj
Movement
Dayanand Saraswati And Arya Samaj
Movement

• Arya Samaj, Society of Aryan

founded by Dayanand Saraswati in
1975.
• Dayanand Saraswati initiated a
number of reform movemnets with
slogan ‘GO BACK TO VEDAS’ in his
book Satyarth Prakash
• He undertook a tour of entire
country condemned the caste
systm, idolotry, and child marriage.