Transformations in Societal Foundations through Industrialization in India

This phenomenon encapsulates profound transformations in the foundational frameworks that underpin social, economic, and cultural systems  that have been significantly influenced by the advent of industrialization in India. Structural social change refers to changes within the structural part of society, such as caste structure, village structure due to Industrialization in India.

Structural changes brought changes in the structural part of society, caused by multiple factors which are explained below.

Colonialism’s Legacy: Economic Transformations, Societal and the Unintended Consequences of Imperial Dominion – effect of Industrialization in India

• Imperial Dominion: It is characterised by the establishment of rule by one country over another, with Western colonialism having had a significant impact historically. 
  • In India, the colonial era, notably under British rule, brought about profound and far-reaching changes compared to prior rulers, who mainly exacted tribute without meddling with the existing economic systems.

Economic Transformation under British Rule – Overview of Industrialization in India

• Capitalist Ambitions: British colonialism, driven by capitalist objectives, directly interfered with India’s economic systems to maximise its benefits for Britain. 
• Restructuring the Foundations: This involved alterations in land ownership laws, crop cultivation, and manufacturing, significantly differing from the practices of pre-capitalist conquerors.

The Impact of Colonial Rule on Social Dynamics and Migration

• Societal Reshaping: Colonial rule induced significant societal shifts, including substantial movement of people both within India and to other colonised regions for labour. 

• Imposing Governance: Legal, cultural, and architectural changes were introduced to facilitate British governance, with notable laws like the Forest Acts affecting pastoralists adversely.

Nationalist Awakening Due to Colonialism & Industrialization in India

• Unintended Consequences: Western education, introduced to create a managerial class for colonial rule, unexpectedly spurred nationalist and anti-colonial consciousness among Indians. 
  • This illustrates how certain changes under colonialism had unintended repercussions.

The Interlink between Colonialism, Capitalism, and Nation-states

• Capitalism’s Global Impact: The structural changes triggered by colonialism were reflective of capitalism’s dynamics and its global nature. 
  • As capitalism emerged as a dominant economic system, the modern concept of nation-states also rose as a dominant political form. 
• Colonial Practices vs. Nationalist Ideals: The contradiction between colonial practices and the ideals of nationalism highlighted the struggle for sovereignty among colonised societies like India.

Industrialization in India

• The Epoch of Mechanization: Industrialization signifies the shift from manual to machine production using inanimate power resources like steam or electricity. 
• Urban Migration Surge: This transformation freed a significant population from agricultural chores, facilitating their migration to urban areas for jobs in factories, offices, or shops, a pattern observed notably in the West.

Impacts of Industrialization in India

• On Urban Centers

• • Colonial Urban Reshaping: While traditional urban centers like Surat and Masulipatnam declined, new colonial cities like Bombay and Madras emerged, linking the economic core in Britain with the colonised periphery of India. 
    • These cities became pivotal for the export of primary commodities and import of manufactured goods, epitomising global capitalism’s concrete expression in colonial India.
  • Dual Role Cities: Industrialization in India led to the Dual Role of Cities such as economic hubs and colonial Outposts as cities like Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras played a dual role as economic hubs and colonial outposts.
• On Indian society
  • Colonial Industrialization: The industrialization in India during the colonial period, unlike the West, had a mixed impact on social structure and urbanisation. 
    • It fostered new social groups and relationships, symbolising a broader socio-political transformation. 

• • In India, British industrialization led to deindustrialization in certain sectors, declining traditional exports like cotton and silk due to competition from Manchester, and consequential growth in agriculture rather than urbanisation.
  • The Indian experience reflects the contradictory and unintended consequences of colonial policies on the nation’s industrial and urban landscape.
• Liberalisation: A detailed exploration of the evolution of Industrialization in India from the early years of independence leading to liberalisation post-1990 portrays the transition of industrial strategies aligned with changing economic landscapes.

Industrialization in India after Independence

Nationalist Vision of Industrialization in India 

• Nationalist Aspirations: Colonial rule propelled Indian nationalists to envision Industrialization in India as a catalyst for growth and social equity. 
• Contrasting Realities: The vivid contrast between pre-colonial affluence and British-era poverty fueled this vision. 
  • The Swadeshi movement further instilled a sense of national economic allegiance, aligning with modern ideologies that identified poverty as avoidable.

Strategic Industrial Expansion

• Key Focus: Rapid Industrialization in India, particularly focusing on heavy and machine-making industries, was seen as pivotal. 
• Post-Independence Economic Vision: The Indian state emphasised enlarging the public sector and fostering a substantial cooperative sector, underscoring the critical role of Industrialization in India led to economic growth and in ensuring social equity post-independence.

Urban Dynamics in Modern India: Post-Independence Trends, Globalization Impact, and the Decennial Shifts in Population Growth

Definition of Urbanisation: It  is the process of people moving from rural areas to urban areas, such as towns and cities.

Post-Independence Urbanisation Trends

• Sociologist M.S.A. Rao, analysing the urbanisation types in India post-independence, notes a growing urban influence on many villages. 
• Urban-Village Dynamics: The extent of this influence depends on the village’s relationship with nearby urban centers, manifesting in three different impact situations as outlined.

• • Decades of Urban Expansion:
    • Steady Increase: The period between 1951 and 2011 saw a steady increase in urban populations from 2,843 towns to 7,935 towns. 
  • Decennial Shifts: 
    • A Slight Decrease: There was a slight decrease in urban population growth rates from 1981 to 2001, 
    • Marginal Increase: This trend  got reversed and showed marginal increase in 2011.
      • The decennial growth rate of the urban population in 1951 was 41.42% and in 2011, it was 31.80% (Refer to Figure)

Urban Expansion and Globalisation 

• Recent globalisation waves have significantly spurred urbanisation in India, with cities undergoing massive expansion and transformation. 
• The 21st century marks a rapid urbanisation pace.

Urbanisation Overtaking Rural Growth

• Demographic Turning Point: A significant milestone post-independence is the urban population’s absolute increase surpassing that of rural areas for the first time, owing to a sharp rural growth rate decline while urban areas maintained their growth rate.
• Urbanization Momentum: This reflects a significant shift in population dynamics, emphasising the urbanisation wave’s momentum in modern India.