Question
What do you understand by Counter movements?

Answer

  • Social movements seek to bring in social change whereas counter movements sometimes arise in defence of status quo.
  • There are many instances of such counter movements.
  • When Raja Rammohun Roy campaigned against sati and formed the Brahmo Samaj, defenders of sati formed Dharma Sabha and petitioned the British not to legislate against sati.
  • When reformers demanded education for girls, many protested that this would be disastrous for society.
  • When reformers campaigned for widow remarriage, they were socially boycotted.
  • When the so called 'lower caste' children enrolled in schools, some so called upper caste' children were withdrawn from the schools by their families.
  • Peasant movements have often been brutally suppressed.
  • More recently the social movements of erstwhile excluded groups like the Dalits have often invoked retaliatory action.
  • Likewise proposals for extending reservation in educational institutions have led to counter movements opposing them.

Need a full question paper?

Generate a complete, print-ready paper with questions like this in minutes — across 16+ boards, with answer keys.

Start Generating Free