Growth of Sociology in India
Sociologists in India in the pre-Independence period
The early sociologists in India in the pre-Independence period are B. N. Seal, G. S. Ghurye, B. K. Sarkar, Radhakamal Mukherjee, D. P. Mukerji, and K. P. Chattopadhyay.
Sociology is the scientific study of human social life, groups, and societies. No sociology was a distinct discipline before the advent of the 19th century. As a distinct discipline, it emerged about the middle of the 19th century when European social observers began to use scientific methods to test their ideas. It looks like three factors led to the development of sociology.
The three major factors which influenced the emergence of sociology as a sphere of study began in the late eighteenth century with the French Revolution, the period known as the Enlightenment, and the industrial revolution.
The French revolution (1789-1799) lasted for ten years and was the first modern and ideological revolution of its kind. It had a significant impact on society because it changed its structure. It managed to eliminate the social distinctions between people and the feudal society. The power shifted away from the Church and came into the hands of the people. This was the first time people were seen as citizens. In addition, the clerical hierarchy that had existed until then gave up its rights and property. These changes had a historical, political, and social impact on entire Europe and not just France. Plato and Aristotle had become exterminally manifest in the social and historical world as a consequence of the revolution in France.
The Industrial Revolution began in England from the 18th to 19th centuries (1765-1850) and brought several changes in societies, shaping them into the form they are today. The major shift in technological, socioeconomic, and cultural conditions began in Britain and spread throughout the world.
Technology brought significant workplace changes, leading to great improvement and efficiency. It also improved transportation and hence trade and commerce between countries. Machines were now helping people in production, thereby improving time efficiency, production volume, and the conditions under which people worked. It became the symbols of the new society, and humanity could be seen to be all working into this machine. Markets expanded even more since scarce goods and raw materials in one country could be supplied from another.
The Enlightenment was a significant contributing factor to the emergence of sociology in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The Enlightenment is considered the source of critical ideas, such as the centrality of freedom, democracy, and reason as primary values of society. The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement consisting of many philosophers. The most popular figures of this new framework were Charles Montesquieu, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Voltaire. They managed to challenge the traditional and existing conceptions of the world.
The thinkers of Enlightenment aimed to teach people to stop blindly listening and following the Church’s opinions and decisions and start thinking on their own. Challenge what they hear and develop their critical judgment. People were now advised to try and solve their problems independently rather than wait for God to provide a solution for them. This new way of thinking was a significant factor in economic growth.
The French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, and the Enlightenment were the three major factors contributing to the emergence of sociology in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. People’s lives became much more accessible and better during this historical period. All these changes helped people become more open-minded and created their life with more choices. This important turning point in history led to a technological and economic boom. It also resulted in people learning to live in societies.
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ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIOLOGY IN INDIA: A CRITICAL INQUIRY by Dr. Ravinder Singh ~ Link
Development of Sociology in India: An Overview- M. N. Srinivas ~ Link
Rise and Development of Sociology in India Prof. Jhaverbhai Patel, Dr. Subhashchandra Pandar ~ Link
The development of sociology and social anthropology by M. N. Srinivas and M. N. Panini ~ Link
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