PSEB 12th Class Sociology Important Questions Chapter 7 Westernisation and Sanskritisation

Punjab State Board PSEB 12th Class Sociology Important Questions Chapter 7 Westernisation and Sanskritisation Important Questions and Answers.

PSEB 12th Class Sociology Important Questions Chapter 7 Westernisation and Sanskritisation

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. The process in which lower caste people start to imitate upper caste people is known as
(a) Westernization
(b) Sanskritization
(c) Secularization
(d) Modernization
Answer:
(b) Sanskritization

2. The change which comes in society or culture of any country is known as …………….
(a) social change
(b) religious change
(c) cultural change
(d) evolutionary change
Answer:
(c) cultural change

3. Which of these books was written by M.N. Srinivas?
(a) Cultural change in India
(b) Social change in Modern India
(c) Geographical change in Modern India
(d) Regional change in Modern India
Answer:
(b) Social change in Modern India

4. Who gave the concept of westernisation?
(a) Srinivas
(b) Majumdar
(c) Ghurye
(d) Mukherjee
Answer:
(a) Srinivas

5. What was the impact of westernization on our country?
(a) Weakening of caste system
(b) Increase in number of divorces
(c) Advent of nuclear families
(d) All of these
Answer:
(d) All of these

6. What is required to be a dominant caste?
(a) More population
(b) More arable land
(c) Higher status in caste hierarchy
(d) All of these
Answer:
(d) All of these

Fill in the Blanks:

1. …………….. gave the concept of westernization.
Answer:
Srinivas

2. In westernization …………….. is known as a model.
Answer:
British

3. …………… and ……………. brought many changes in Indian society.
Answer:
Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Rabindra Nath Tagore

4. First three castes had to go through ……………. samskara.
Answer:
Upanayan

5. Srinivas used the sanskritization instead of using …………………
Answer:
Brahminization

6. Srinivas studied the ……………. people.
Answer:
Coorg

True/False:

1. Srinivas was the student of Ghurye.
Answer:
True

2. Educated Indians were the carriers of westernisation.
Answer:
True

3. Westernisation brought many changes in Indian society.
Answer:
True

4. In Sanskritisation, living style of upper castes is adopted.
Answer:
True

5. To be a dominant caste, more arable land is required.
Answer:
True

6. Srinivas studied the Coorgs of south India.
Answer:
True

One Word/One Line Questions Answers:

Question 1.
Who gave the concept of Sanskritization?
Answer:
M. N. Srinivas.

Question 2.
Who gave the concept of Westernization?
Answer:
M. N. Srinivas.

Question 3.
Give any two, helping factors of Sanskritization.
Answer:
Industrialisation and Modernization.

Question 4.
In which book did Srinivas explain Sanskritization?
Answer:
Social change in Modern India.

Question 5.
What is cultural change?
Answer:
When change comes in culture or society of any country, it is called cultural change.

Question 6.
What is meant by Westernisation?
Answer:
When, in our country, western living style, habits etc. are adopted it is known as Westernisation.

Question 7.
What is Sanskritisation?
Answer:
When people of lower castes imitate upper castes and uplift their status by imitating them, it is called sanskritisation.

Question 8.
Which country, in Westernisation, is considered a role model?
Answer:
In Westernisation, England is considered a role model.

Question 9.
Which social reformers brought many changes in Indian society?
Answer:
Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Dayanand Saraswati, Jyoti ba Phuley, Vivekananda etc.

Question 10.
What is Gurukul?
Answer:
During ancient times, children were taught in Gurukuls.

Question 11.
Which castes are known as ‘DWIJA’?
Answer:
Upper three castes-Brahmin, Kshatriya and Vaishya.

Question 12.
Where do Coorgs live?
Answer:
Coorgs live near Mysore (Karnataka).

Question 13.
Lower castes of Mysore adopted the life style of which caste?
Answer:
Lower castes of Mysore adopted the life style of Lingayat community.

Question 14.
While analysing which village, does Srinivas use the word ‘dominant caste’?
Answer:
Rampur village situated near Mysore (Karnataka).

Very Short Answer Type Questions:

Question 1.
What is meant by Sanskritization?
Answer:
When lower caste people start imitating upper caste people and try to adopt their living style, habits etc. to uplift their social status, this process is known as sanskritization. It only changes social status but not the caste.

Question 2.
Give any two features of Sanskritization.
Answer:

• In sanskritization, lower caste people adopt the living style of upper caste people. So, imitation is a necessary element in this process.
• The process of sanskritization is a continuous process in which change comes in social status of lower castfefe.

Question 3.
What is Westernisation?
Answer:
Srinivas says, “I have used the term westernization to characterise the changes brought about in Indian society and culture as a result of over 150 years of British rule and the term subsumes changes occuring at different levels, technology, institutions, ideology and values.

Question 4.
What was the impact of Westernisation on Indian society?
Answer:

• Westernisation broke the clutches of caste system and it weakened.
• Due to Westernisation, women started getting education, came out of their houses and started doing jobs.
• Marriages started breaking down and number of divorces increased.

Question 5.
What is Dominant caste?
Answer:
According to Srinivas, dominant caste is that caste in village which has lot of arable land at village level, more population and higher status in local hierarchy. Presently few more attributes are attached with it such as western education, jobs in administration etc.

Question 6.
What is upanayan samskara?
Answer: Children of first three castes had to wear a sacred thread which was known as upanayan. After completition of this samskara, they moved to gurukul to take education. It was one important Samskara of Hinduism and lower castes were not allowed in this ceremony.

Short Answer Type Questions:

Question 1.
Sanskritization.
Answer:
The word Sanskritization was used by Indian sociologist M.N. Srinivas to explain the process of social mobility in traditional Indian society. This is a process in which lower castes collectively adopt the customs, traditions and ways of life of upper caste people. Through this process, lower caste people even sacrifice their actual traditions, customs etc.

Question 2.
Characteristics of Sanskritization.
Answer:

• Universal Process. Whole of the Indian society was affected by this. It means that it was not limited only to Hindu castes but its influence was also seen among Sikhs, Jains and Muslims.
• Group Mobility. This process affects whole of the group. Every lower caste group wants to lift itself upwards in society.
• Positional Change. In Sanskritization, positional change takes place but not the structural change. It means that caste hierarchy remains as it is.
• Imitation. Imitation is a necessary element of this process because lower caste people try to follow or imitate the living style of upper castes.

Question 3.
Any two sources of Sanskritization.
Answer:

• Impact of Western Education. First of all the upper castes were affected by the western education as they were first to take this education. Later on other castes also joined this race of western education.
• Impact of Urbanization. Industrial development led to development of urbanization. Restrictions of caste system came to an end with which personal change also took place. In urban conditions, it was very easy for lower castes to hide their actual caste and to adopt the new caste.

Question 4.
Any definition of westernization.
Or
Westernization.
Answer:
According to M.N. Srinivas, “I have used the term westernization to characterise the changes brought about in Indian society and culture as a result of over 150 years of British rule and the term subsumes changes occurring at different levels, technology, institutions, ideology and values.”

Question 5.
How has westernization affected our society?
Answer:

• Caste System has weakened due to westernization.
• Separation in marriages and number of divorces increased due to westernization.
• Females came out of four walls of house to work in offices.
• Joint families started to change into Nuclear families.

Question 6.
What are the results of westernization?
Answer:

• Change in Institutions. Many changes came in institutions of our society due to westernization. Strictness of marriage, family, caste system, religion no more pravails in modern society.
• Change in Values. Values of society are also changing due to this. Every one came to know about right of equality after getting education. Individualism and formal relations are increasing day by day.
• Change in importance of religion. The importance of religion has also been decreased due to this. In earlier times people were afraid of religion but now they use only that much of religion which is required.
• Spread of education. Education in our country is spreading day by day. Literacy rate of our country is 74% and it is increasing day by day.

Question 7.
Define Sanskritization
Answer:
According to M.N. Srinivas, “Sanskritization means not only the adoption of new customs and habits but also exposure to new ideas and values which have frequent expression in the vast body of Sanskrit literature, sacred as well as secular. Karma, dharma, pap, maya, sansar, moksha are examples of some of the most common Sanskrit theological ideas and when people become Sanskritized these words are used frequently.

Question 8.
Explain the meaning of Westernization.
Answer:
According to M.N. Srinivas, “I have used the term westernization to characterize the changes brought about in Indian society and culture as a result of over 150 years of British rule and the term subsumes changes occurring at different levels, technology, institutions, ideology and values.” So from this it is clear that concept of westernization includes the changes which came in institutions, ideology etc. of Indian society and which came due to political and cultural contact with western countries.

Question 9.
Give differences between Sanskritization and Westernization.
Answer:

Sanskritization	Westernization
Many restrictionsare being kept on eating habits in this.	No such restrictions are being kept in this process.
Process of Sanskritization is internal and purely Indian.	Process of westernization is external and foreigner.
This process is going on from the ages.	This process started when Britishers came to India.
Sanskritized caste gets higher status with mobility.	There is no change in status of caste in westernization.

Long Answer Type Questions:

Question 1.
What are the features of Sanskritisation?
Answer:
1. Sanskritization is a Universal Process. The process of Sanskritization was not only related with one caste or even caste system but this process exerted impact on whole of Indian society. This process existed in every part of the country and was an important process of Indian history. It is quite possible that it might have dominance in one age and not in another age but Sanskritization definitely took place. But without doubt we can say that this process is a universal process. This process exists even among tribes and sub tribes. Generally tribes live away from main stream and Hindu society and they are given even lower status than of lower castes. But tribals consider themselves superior than the Hindus. Some tribes have adopted the living style, eating habits, customs etc. of those Hindus which live nearby their areas. In this way not only middle and lower castes but tribal people are also adopting this process.

2. Positional change does happen in it but not the structural change. In Sanskritization, the people of lower castes adopt the living style of higher castes and change comes in their status. Their position changes within their own caste but it hardly changes the structure of caste system. Hierarchy of castes never changes but it remains as it is. In other words, we can say that in this process, people of lower caste can adopt the customs and living styles of their ideal caste but cannot become members of their ideal caste. It is so because caste is based on birth. One can adopt the living style of Brahmana but cannot become a Brahmana.

3. Imitation is a necessary element of Sanskritization. In the process, lower caste people observe the life of upper caste and then they try to follow that life style. In this Way imitation is a necessary element of Sanskritization. It means that lower caste people used to follow the ways of living, eating habits etc. of upper castes. This process even starts with imitation. It means lower caste people begin to imitate the customs of upper castes. Gradually, their status is uplifted in the society. In other words, change comes on caste basis and mobility is possible in caste system.

4. Sanskritization is a process of change in relative sense. In the process of Sanskritization, it has been observed that even upper caste people are imitating tribal people. This process has a local form as well. As compared to upper castes, many local differences have been found among cultures of Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and lower castes. In this way the Sanskritization of few subcastes of lower castes takes place according to local form.

5. Change in status of BrahmAnswer: This process not only brings change in status of lower castes but it also changes the status of upper castes. Brahmanas also started to change themselves according to . western culture. In ancient times, certain restrictions were there on upper castes like not to use meat and alcohol, not to use blade etc. But when they started to change themsglves according to western culture then their status also saw a number of changes.

6. Upward Mobility. In the process of Sanskritization, people of lower castes start to adopt the life style of upper castes. Gradually their social status moves upward and this is the main feature of Sanskritization. In this process, lower caste people or tribal people change themselves according to ideal caste’s ways of living. But even then, their status never reaches to the status of ideal caste. In this way this is an upward mobility.

7. Change in social status but not in caste. Social status of a person changes in this system but not the caste. It means that person can adopt the ways of living of other caste but cannot change his caste. Person has to remain in that caste, for whole of his life, in which he is born.

8. Sanskritization is a Group Mobility. The process of Sanskritization is not related with one person or a family but is related with a group of castes. Any tribe, lower caste or group tries to uplift its social status with the help of this process. Like any lower caste claims to be upper caste status and adopts the norms and values of upper caste. They even try to uplift their social status on the basis of their ideal caste.

9. Sanskritization is related with social mobility. Sanskritization is related to social mobility. Sanskritization gives birth to mobility. Mobility exists in almost all the societies i.e. in closed society like India and open society like America. As a result, sometimes person claims to achieve higher status as compared to his present status. They belong actually to other caste and write the name of other caste.

Question 2.
Explain the different sources of Sanskritization.
Answer:
According to M.N. Srinivas, there are certain sources of Sanskritization which are given below:

1. Development of means of Communication and Transport. Industrialisation started in India which led to the development of means of transport and communication. That’s why industries started to develop in different parts of the country. Development of industries led to the development of means of transport with which it became easy for people to move from one place to another. People came in contact with members of other castes and they began to travel with each other. In this way, mutual exchange started among different castes. This process led to emergence of process of assimilation. As people travelled with each other, it became very difficult to maintain caste system’s concept of purity and impurity.

In this way the process of Sanskritization was greatly affected by the development of means of transport. This process spread in whole of the country with means of transport. Now we never ask any shopkeeper as to which caste he belongs. With means of transport, people came out of their houses and began to make contacts with people of distant places. In this way these means played a very important role in spreading this process.

2. Urbanization. After 1947, industries developed very quickly in India because of which many cities Came into existence. People of different castes, religion, colour etc. live in cities and cities have more population. People living in urban area are hardly aware of the fact that who is their neighbour and to which caste he belongs. Under these circumstances, lower castes took maximum advantage. When they migrated to urban areas from rural areas then they started to claim themselves as of higher caste. They even adopted life style of upper caste people. Class system is of great importance in cities and person is respected not because of his caste but because of his social status. In this way the process of Sanskritization is very much influenced by the process of urbanisation.

3. Socio-religious Movements. Caste system was one of the important bases of Indian society. It was so strict that no one was allowed to go against the caste system. If any one was trying to do so then he was generally thrown out of the caste. Lower caste people were not allowed to uplift their social status as they were kept at lowest level of social hierarchy. Many socio-religious movements started against this system and it was opposed by many social reformers. Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Jytoiba Phooley etc. started many reform movements. All these movements wanted to weaken the caste system.

They tried a lot to uplift the lower caste people and women. Mahatma Gandhi tried a lot to uplift the lower caste people and to eradicate untouchability from the society. He even gave the name of ‘Harijan’ to lower Castes. Brahmo Samaj and Arya Samaj greatly opposed the caste system and discrimination on the basis of caste. They also tried to remove superiority of upper castes. These social reformers tried to awaken the people. Inter-caste marriages began to take place due to these movements. In this way caste system was weakened and process of Sanskritization was encouraged.

4. Western Education. Before the arrival of the British, Indian educational system was based on religion. But when British arrived in India, they first of all tried tostart their own educational system over here. They treated every one on equal terms. They opened many schools, colleges and arranged education for all the castes. Before them, religious education was given to pupils. But they started to provide western education which was based on science and reasoning. Before Britishers, women were not allowed to take education. But Britishers opened many schools and colleges for girls. Many schools were co-educational schools where both boys and girls used to take education with each other. In this way western education removed the caste discrimination. The process of Sanskritization was encouraged by this and transformation came in ancient Indian social values.

5. Different Occupations. One of the important features of caste system was that one had to adopt the occupation of his caste. His occupation was not based on his wish but was based on his caste. He was not allowed to change his occupation. But large industries were established over here after the arrival of the British. Production came out of the houses and went over to factories. It led to emergence of capitalist system and many new occupations were emerged. Division of labour and specialisation is generally given importance in factories. Now every one likes to adopt occupation of his choice. Person can take education of his choice and can adopt occupation according to his education. A number of new occupations came into being in society. This emergence of new occupations led to weakening up of caste system’s restriction of occupation and the process of Sanskritization was encouraged.

6. New Economic System. The British government played a very important role in transforming Indian society. Before the British, person was restricted to adopt his caste’s occupation. One was allowed to adopt the occupation of that caste in which he was born. But many new industries were established with the arrival of the British. Production began to take place on a large scale. The process of production at home came to an end with which people were forced to come out of their houses to adopt another occupation.

It led to increase in importance of money. Now person wants to earn more money and he adopts that occupation which gives him more money. These days person gets social status on the basis of his wealth. In this way status of person is confined to his wealth. Wealthy person gets more status and respect in the society. An individual now gets more opportunities to earn money. A number of changes came in his living style. In this new economic system, things like untouchability are of no importance. Difference of higher or lower class remains no more in society. New economic system gave stress to the process of Sanskritization and its influence increased in society.

7. New Legal System. When the British arrived in India, they started a new legal system over here and began to treat equally all IndiAnswer: In ancient times, different types of punishments were given for same type of committed crime. This system was changed by the British. This system completely came to end after 1947. New Constitution of India was implemented which gave encouragement to process of Sanskritization. Government tried to uplift the lower castes. They were given reservations in educational institutions and government jobs.

A number of laws were made with which the caste system was greatly affected. In 1955 ‘Untouchability Offence Act’ was passed and untouchability was declared illegal. In 1954 ‘Special Marriage Act’ was passed which gave legal sanction to inter-caste marriage. This Act also tried to eradicate the system of endogamy. In 1937, ‘Arya Marriage Validation Act’ was passed which gave permission to Arya Samajis to marry with each other. Our Constitution has prohibited every one from discriminating others on the basis of caste, colour, creed, age, birth etc. Lower caste people were given a number of facilities. In this way new legal system very much influenced the process of Sanskritisation.

8. Political Effect. After independence, new democratic values were developed in the country. That’s why every citizen of country received a number of political rights. Lower caste people received many opportunities to uplift their social status. People were politically motivated to remove caste based discrimination. Many political parties were formed to gain independence and people of all the castes jointly participated in freedom struggle. People collectively went to jails and lived with each other. These circumstances led to the weakening of caste based discriminations.

Now lower caste people have more importance from political point of view. As they are more in number, that’s why their political importance has been increased. Even few seats are reserved for them in Parliament. In this way, it became very easy for lower caste people to adopt living style of upper castes and the process of Sanskritization increased a lot.

9. Modern Education. In ancient times, religion based education was given to pupils. When the British arrived in India, they gave stress on western education and that’s why many schools, colleges were opened. After independence, even our Constitution says that instead of religious education, secular education must be given. The basic principle of new education is that all humans are equal. Only education can break the clutches of caste system. With education, person can gradually change his caste. Only after getting education, person can improve his caste and status in society. In this way modern education is also a source of Sanskritization.

10. Passion for Money. These days, humans have a lot of passion for money and they have become materialistic. Now every one likes to run behind money. When person becomes wealthy then he wants to uplift his social status and living style. He first of all changes his life style and then he even changes his caste. Gradually, he comes to be known by his changed caste. In this way the process of Sanskritization is also encouraged by the increased importance of wealth.