Mentors Comment:

Social movements, in our times, are represented in events like  protests post Delhi Gangrape of 2012 or Anna Hazare’s Jantar Mantar andolan etc. So just think of them and imagine what went wrong with those movements? Why were they not successful in challenging dominant cultures of the time and why they fizzled out.

Start with short discussion on what is the relevance of these movements and why it should matter to all of us. Add the present scenario of these movements in the discussion.

Then discuss the main question: why these social movements are losing potency? Politicisation of the movement, lack of clarity among the leaders of the movement, gaining the short term goals, greed of the leaders, losing out of distinct culture of the movements are some the issues with these social movements in contemporary Indian history. Point them in your discussion.

Don’t end the answer without suggesting what can be done in order to revive these movements.

 

Model Answer:

Social movements are purposeful, organized groups striving to work toward a common goal. These groups might be attempting to create change, to resist change, or to provide a political voice to those otherwise disenfranchised. But in today’s market-oriented Indian society, the element of resistance is either weakening — or on the verge of dying. In the recent past, there has been a constant weakening of social movements. In our recent memories, Narmada Bachao Andolan or Anna Hazare’s movement against corruption or Kashi Ram’s movement for the upliftment of dalits are the best example of social resistance movement in post independence India.

Present scenario of social movements in India:

• Social movements in contemporary times have failed to sustain themselves as transformative movements and have instead accommodated, assimilated and adjusted with the state or other dominant forces, against which they initially evolved.
• Most of these social movements aspired to an alternative political culture and language and a claim for identity, rights and values.
• These movements have been reduced to everyday resistance.
• Sometimes, it comes out as a civil society in the form of short-term resistance.
• Some movements in the recent times have led to the emergence of political parties and leaders but, in most of the cases, these parties failed to develop their own independent politics.
• The middle class has had a positive impact on the movement and played progressive roles in various revolutions.

Reasons for decline in social movements in India:

• The problem with many of these social movements is that after some time, they start to adopt and emulate the values of those against whom they were fighting.
• The tone and tenor of the dominant class slowly percolate into the resistance movements and consequently change their characters.
• Leaders of subaltern groups eventually adopt the political culture and mannerisms of mainstream parties and leaders.
• Most of the labour movements in Mumbai or Kolkata faded away in the recent past as their union leaders adopted the “mannerisms” of their bosses and the managements.
• Some tribal leaders gradually walked over to mainstream political parties and could not maintain their culture of difference, which was supposed to be their strength in the starting.
• Opportunism, corruption and self-interest crept into the everyday lives of the leaders.
• This affects the second rung of leaders and some of its cadres who are the backbone of the mission.
• Most of these movements failed to develop an alternative language to communicate with their followers and started speaking the mainstream language.
• Merging of subaltern groups with the middle class, as a result of the growing culture of consumerism among their grassroots cadres and workers.

Steps needed to improve:

• It is crucial that any social movement that seeks to be a people’s movement, and aims to become lasting and relevant, must sympathize with the concerns of all of India’s poor and disadvantaged.
• Such movements must fully recognize and value the right to development, in tandem with the right to a functional and healthy democracy, if they are to meet with success on the public and political levels.
• Leadership of all social movements should rise above politics and personal gains and create a moral rightness among the supporters to follow it.
• Politicisation of the movement, with the involvement of political parties, may lead to results in short term, but in long term its should be avoided.
• Better coordination among the members with clear cut goal of the movement described.
• A receptive government, which can listen to all the grievances of its people, will go a long way in the social history of India.

India got its independence from foreign rule through prolonged social movements in the form of national freedom movement. Ours is the history of getting changes through these social movements in all fields of life, be it religion, upliftment of poors and marginalised, environmental protection etc. The need of the hour is a vibrant civil society and an accommodative state which can guide India through these times.