One of the foremost tasks of the rural sociologist is to define the rural people and distinguish them from the urban population. Various approaches have been put forward for that purpose by eminent thinkers. The classification adopted by government Census Departments in various countries is, however, generally accepted as the most convenient. However, item classification may vary from one country to another.
Composition of Rural-Urban Population: Ratios
One of the important steps after the identification of the rural populations is to determine the ratio of rural and urban populations. In many countries, this ratio in a great measure points out the level of living of the people as a whole as it reveals the relative ‘proportion of industry and agriculture and hence the total wealth of the people. The ration, further, considerably influences the apportionment of social amenities with the country.’ It thereby works as a guide for evolving a correct program for social progress. One of the great mistakes writes A.R.Desai, committed by a number of reformers and social engineers is to transplant mechanically the techniques adopted for reform in a country inhabited by a small agrarian population and with a vast area of land to a country inhabited by an overwhelmingly agrarian population and with scarce land resources. The effort to introduce steps adopted to improve the farm sector of the U.S. which is overwhelmingly industrial to predominantly agrarian backward countries of Asia is an instance of such an error. Even within the same country, a detailed study of the ratios of rural and urban populations in different regions is essential because these differences considerably alter the nature of problems relating to those regions. The problems vary from state to state in India as the problems of Gujarat and those Bihar are different because there is a difference in the proportion of the ‘rural-urban population’ of these two states. Similar situations arise when we extend our study to other states.
The Density of Rural People
The density of people varies from state to state in India. “Sociologists after adequate investigation have reached the conclusion that the average density beyond a particular limit indicates an undesirable overconcentration of the people in that area. This is because the density of the population affects production and distribution and also generates various social reactions which greatly influence the total life of a society. The density of the population further affects the level the standard of living of the people. A systematic study of the density of the population in different regions and districts in India and also of the proportion of various groups belonging to diverse castes, religions, and vocations which comprise the population, will unfold the variegated picture of the complex social life of the Indian people with all its multiple tensions, antagonisms as well as mutual adjustments among these groups.
Birth and Death Rate-Mortality Factor
Another important aspect of the study of the demography of the rural sector is the study of birth rates, death rates, rates of suicides, specific bodily diseases, and other matters. This study reveals ‘the quantitative and qualitative growth or decline of the rural people. Further, when this study is correlated to that of the social, economic, and religious life processes of various social groups, it provides intelligent and correct criteria for evaluating the norms of those groups.
General Health and Longevity
Besides a study of the ‘death and survival rates’ existing among the rural people, there are also other techniques to determine their vitality such as a study of their ‘general health and longevity.’ Further, ‘estimates of mortality prevailing among separate groups such as infants, females, and old people; upper, lower and middle social strata, and land laborers, farmers, artisans, and other social categories, will give a detailed picture of the vitality of various section of the rural people.’
Age and Sex groups
Age and sex groups are other important aspect of the life of a population that requires a close sty in their distribution. The analysis of the age group gives us a correct understanding of the proportion of the people who belong to the productive age group and those who are to be looked after by society. The greater number of children and the aged over the working class people would considerably influence their economic and social life. In the same way, the analysis of the ‘sex composition is also important because it is generally recognized by sociologists that “sex mores, social codes, social ritual, and social institutions are all likely to be affected where extremely unbalanced sex rations are found”
There are still other aspects of the rural population such as ‘Caster, race nationality and religious composition” and thus has a great social significance. “it gives rise to a rich, complex, diversity of social life and varied patterns of culture. More often it breeds animosities, antagonisms, and conflicts. We know how in India in recent years the multi-religious composition of the Indian people endangered ghastly communal Hindu-Muslim riots. We know how both nationality conflicts are steadily corroding the body politic of India. A very particular type of social grouping is found in caste grouping. A student of Indian society who fails to study closely and carefully this variety of social grouping will miss the very essence of that society.
There is an urgent need to adopt a systematic, coordinated, and internal stated study of the rural people from various angles to achieve social progress.
Reference
Rural sociology by Dr. G. Das
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