Industrialization

SOC103: SYBA, ST.
Xavier’s College, Mapusa
Industrialization
It refers to the emergence of machine production, based on the use of inanimate

power resources like steam or electricity. In most standard western textbook of
sociology we learn that in even the most advanced of traditional civilizations,
most people were engaged in working on the land. The relatively low level of
technological development did not permit more than a small minority to be
freed from the chores of agricultural production. By contrast, a prime feature of
industrial societies today is that a large majority of the employed population
work in factories, offices or shops rather than agriculture. Over 90 per cent of
people in the industrialized societies live in towns and cities, where most jobs
are to be found and new job opportunities are created. Not surprisingly,
therefore, we usually associate urbanization with industrialization. They often
do occur together but not always so. For instance in Britain, the first society to
undergo industrialization, was also the earliest to move from being rural to a
predominantly urban country.
Industrialisation is the process of Social and economic changes

whereby a society is
transformed from a pre-industrial society into an industrial one. Industrialisation
connotes a
shift from an agrarian economy leading to the rise of manufacturing industries.
It was industrial revolution in England and some other European countries
which laid down
the foundation of Industrialisation.
According to Ms Gore, “industrialization refers to a process where in
production of goods
with the use of hand tools are replaced by the production with the use of power
driven
machines”. This brings corresponding changes in the technologies of
agriculture, transport
and communication and also changes in the organization of trade and finance.
According to the concise Oxford Dictionary of Sociology, the term
industrialism and
industrialization denote a transition in the methods of production
which creates vast
increase in the wealth creating capacity of modern societies as compared to
traditional
system
connotes a
SOC103: SYBA, ST. Xavier’s College, Mapusa

which laid down
production of goods
driven
industrialism and
which creates vast
traditional
system
connotes a
which laid down
production of goods
driven
industrialism and
which creates vast
traditional
system

connotes a
which laid down
production of goods
driven
industrialism and
which creates vast
traditional
system
Many of the great works of sociology were written at a time when
industrialization was new and machinery was assuming great importance.
Thinkers like Karl Marx, Max Weber and Emile Durkheim associated a number
of social features with industry, such as urbanization, the loss of face-to-face
relationships that were found in rural areas where people worked on their own
farms or for a landlord they knew and their substitution by anonymous
professional relationships in modern factories and workplaces. Industrialization
involves a detailed division of labour. People often do not see the end result of
their work because they are producing only one small part of a product. The
work is often repetitive and exhausting. Yet, even this is better than having no
work at all i.e., being unemployed Marx called this situation alienation, when
people do not enjoy work, and see it as something they have to do only in order
to survive, and even that survival depends on whether the technology has room
for any human labour.
1. Industrialization leads to greater equality, at least in some spheres. For

example, caste distinctions do not matter any more on trains, buses or in
cyber cafes. On the other hand older forms of discrimination may persist
even in new factory or workplace settings. And even as social inequalities
are reducing; economic or income inequality is growing in the world
Often social inequality and income inequality overlap, for example, in the
domination of upper caste men in well-paying professions like medicine,
law or journalism. Women often get paid less than men for similar work.
2. While the early sociologists saw industrialization as both positive and

negative, by the mid 20th century, under the influence of modernization
theory, industrialization came to be seen as inevitable and
positive. Modernization theory argues that societies are at different stages
on the road to modernization, but they are all heading in the same
direction. Modern society, for these theorists, is represented by the West.
Evolution of Modern Industry in India
1. The presence of industries in India can be traced back to the Mauryan

period and Mughal rule. Where there were large number of ‘karkhanas’
and artisan based industries.
2. But Britisher’s tariff policy and economic ruin of handicrafts led to de-
industrialisation and reverse migration to villages, which continued for a
long time.
3. In the wake of revolt of 1857, increased need of communication networks
was felt and hence railways as an industry was given an impetus.
Simultaneously the growth of Plantation industry-coffee and tea was
witnessed.
4. The naval blockade by Germany during First World War also forced
Britishers for the industrialization in India for routine administrative
purposes. Hence the period after first world war saw diversification of
Indian Industries in the field of paper industry, sugar, matchmaking, iron,
coal, metallurgical industry etc.
5. After 1947, India embarked on the journey of nation-building. Due to
long gestation period and requirement of capital state-led industrialization
was pursued This model is also known as Nehru-Mahalanobis model. It
was felt that a trickle down effect would be achieved Capital intensive
industries would be in public sector, would bring private industries in the
FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer goods) Sector.
6. But due to inefficiencies of public sector, dystunction of bureaucracy and
high inflation in the wake of wars fought by India, very low growth rate
was achieved and eventually in 1991, Mahalanobis model was dropped
when India liberalized its economy.
7. Post-liberalization, Indian industry, especially tertiary sector, has

performed in excellence that promoted MNCs to grow in number and
size.
 In India the impact of British industrialization led to
deindustrialization in some sectors. And decline of old urban
centres.Just as manufacturing boomed in Britain, traditional
exports of cotton and silk manufactures from India declined in the
face of Manchester competition. This period also saw further
decline of cities such as Surat and Masulipatnam while Bombay
and Madras grew. When the British took over Indian states, towns
like Thanjavur, Dhaka and Murshidabad lost their courts and
therefore, some of their artisans and court entry. From the end of
the 19th century, with the installation of mechanized factory
industries, some towns became much more heavily populated.
 The experience of industrialization in India is in many ways similar
to the western model and in many ways different Comparative
analysis of different countries suggests that there is no standard
model of industrial capitalism. Let us start with one point of
difference, relating to what kind of work people are doing. In
developed countries, the majority of people are in the services
sector, followed by industry and less than10% are in agriculture
(ILO figures). In India, in 1999-2000, nearly 60% were employed
in the primary sector (agriculture and mining),17% in the
secondary sector (manufacturing, construction and utilities), and
23% in the tertiary sector (trade, transport, financial services etc.)
However, if we look at the contribution of these sectors to
economic growth, the share of agriculture has declined sharply, and
services contribute approximately half. This is a very serious
situation because it means that the sector where the maximum
people are employed is not able to generate much income for them.
Industrialization in the Early Years of Indian Independence.
1. The first modern industries in India were cotton, jute, coal mines and
railways. At independence, the government took over the ‘commanding
heights of the economy/ This involved defence, transport and
communication, power, mining and other projects, which only
government had the power to do, and which was necessary for private
industry to flourish.
2. In India’s mixed economy policy, some sectors were reserved for
government, while others were open to the private sector. But within that,
the government tried to ensure, through it’s licensing policy, that

industries were spread over different regions.
3. Before independence, industries were located mainly in the port cities
like Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta. But since then, we see that places
like Baroda, Coimbatore, Bangalore, Pune, Faridabad and Rajkot have
become important industrial centres. The government also tried to
encourage the small-scale sector through special incentives and
assistance. Many items like paper and wood products, stationery glass
and ceramics were reserved for the small-scale sector in1991; large-scale
industry employed only 28 per cent of the total workforce engaged in
manufacture, while the small-scale and traditional industry employed 72
per cent.
Globalization, Liberalization privatisation and Change in Indian Industry
1. Since the 1990s, however, the government has followed a policy of

liberalization. Private companies, especially foreign firms, are
encouraged to invest in sectors earlier reserved for the government,
including telecom, civil aviation, power etc. Licenses are no longer
required to open industries. Foreign products are now easily available in
Indian shops.
2. As a result of liberalization, many Indian companies have been bought
over by multinationals. At the same time some Indian companies are
becoming multinational companies. An instance of the first is when. Parle
drinks were bought by Coca Cola. Parle’s annual turnover was Rs. 250
crores, while Coca Cola’s advertising budget was Rs. 400 crores. This
level of advertising has naturally increased the consumption of coke
across India replacing many traditional drinks. The next major area of
liberalization may be in retaiL
3. The government is trying to sell its share in several public sector
companies, a process which is known as disinvestment Many government
workers are scared that after disinvestment, they will lose their jobs. In
Modern Foods, which was set up by the government to make healthy
bread available at cheap prices, and which was the first company to be
privatized 60% of the workers were forced to retire in the first five years.
4. More and more companies are reducing the number of permanent
employees and outsourcing their work to smaller companies or even to
homes. For multinational companies, this outsourcing is done across the
globe, with developing countries like India providing cheap labour.
Because small companies have to compete for orders from the big
companies, they keep wages low and working conditions are often poor.
It is more difficult for trade unions to organize in smaller firms. Almost

all companies, even government ones, now practice some form of
outsourcing and contracting. But the trend is especially visible in the
private sector.
To summarize, India is still largely an agricultural country. The service i.e.
sector-shops, banks, the IT industry, hotels and other services are employing
more people and the urban middle class is growing, along with urban middle
class values like those we see in television serials and films. But we also see
that very few people in India have access to secure jobs, with even the small
number in regular salaried employment becoming more insecure due to the rise
in contract labour. So far, employment by the government was a major avenue
for increasing the well-being of the population but now even that is coming
down. Some economists debate this, but liberalization and privatization
worldwide appear to be associated with rising income inequality.
At the same time as secure employment in large industry is declining the

government is embarking on a policy of land acquisition for industry. These
industries do not necessarily provide employment to the people of the
surrounding are as, but they cause major pollution. Many farmers ,especially
Adivasis, who constitute approximately 40% of those displaced are protesting at
the low rates of compensation and the fact that they will be forced to become
casual labour living and working on the footpaths of India’s big cities.
Socio cultural implications of industrialization in India

Industrialization got under way in India in the last quarter of the nineteenth and
first half of the twentieth century. Cities grew around the new industries. Before
industrialization, we had :
1. Agrarian less-monetized economy,

2. A level of technology where the domestic unit was also the unit of
economic exchange,
3. A non-differentiation of occupations between father and son and between
brothers and brothers, and
4. A value system where authority of the elders and the sanctity of tradition
were both supported as against the criterion of ‘rationality’.
But Industrialization has brought about economic and socio-cultural changes in
our society :
1. The economic field it has resulted in specialization in work, occupational

mobility, monetization of economy, and a breakdown of link between
kinship and occupational structures;
2. In the social field it has resulted in the migration of people from rural to
urban areas, spread of education, and a strong centralized political
structure; and
3. In the cultural field it has brought secularization of beliefs and faiths
Effects of industrialization on family organization :
1. Firstly, family which was a principle unit of production has been

transformed into a consumption unit. Instead of all family members
working together in an integrated economic enterprise, a few male
members go out of the home to earn the family’s living.This has affected
not only the traditional structure of the joint family but also the relations
among its members.
2. Secondly, factory employment has freed young adults from direct
dependence upon their families. As their wages have made them
financially independent, the authority of the head of the household has
weakened further. In the city, in many cases, along with men, their wives
also have started working and earning. This has affected intra-family
relations to some extent
3. Finally, children have ceased to be economic assets and have become
liabilities. Although in a few cases, the use and abuse of child labour has
also increased law does not permit children to work.At the same time,
educational requirements have increased, lengthening dependence upon
parental support. Accommodation in the cities is expensive and child-care
is demanding.Thus, work and home have become separated due to
industrialization.
Some sociologists have, however, recently challenged the theory of emergence
of nuclear families due to industrialization. This challenge is based on the
results of empirical studies and the documentation of the variety of family
systems in different parts of the world Studies by scholars like M.S.A Rao, M.S.
Gore and Milton singer have shown that jointness is more preferred and
prevalent in business communities, and many nuclear families maintain
widespread kin ties. Several recent researchers in the industrialized West have
also emphasized the supportive role, of kin and their function of acting as a
buffer between the family and the impersonal wider world Social historians too
have shown that the nuclear family was prevalent as a cultural norm in Europe
and the United States even before industrialization. However, it has to be noted
that the supportive role of the kin does not have the compulsory character which
is found in the family obligations of the Indian nuclear family. The youngsters
in nuclear family still willingly follow the normal responsibility towards the
primary kin (such as parents and siblings), solidarity of the close kin, and some
sense of unity of the family, even though living in separate households. (Dube)
1. While the population movement from the rural to the urban areas has led
to decline in authoritarian power, growth of secularism has developed a
value system which emphasizes individual initiative and
responsibility. Individual now functions without any restrictive familial
controls. Formerly, when man worked in the family and all family
members helped him in his work, there was more intimacy among the
family members but now since he works in the industry away from the
family, the intimacy in relations has been adversely affected
2. The effect of industrialization on the pattern of family relationship is also
evident from the decline in self-sufficiency of the family, and attitudinal
changes toward family. Industrialization has, thus contributed markedly
to the creation of a new social and psychological setting in which the
survival of the early joint family with its authoritarian organization has
become very difficult.
The social profile of communities under the impact of industrialization is
indicative of many dimensions of linkages and interactions among segments of
region, culture, social categories and communities. It is reflected in migration of
people from one region to another which has contributed to increase of
bilingualism. The Census of India, 1991 placed bilingualism to about 15 per
cent, which in reality has been estimated to be as high as 60 per cent in survey
of communities. Interaction and commonality among
cultural regions too, is reflected in shared cultural traits, which is also true for
large number of communities across regions and territories. Such cultural traits
belong not only to rituals and institutional practices but also to technologies of
occupation, skills and division of labour. Most communities have also moved
away from their traditional occupations and show keen awareness of
developmental programmes sponsored by the government.

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SOC103: SYBA, ST.

Xavier’s College, Mapusa

It refers to the emergence of machine production, based on the use of inanimate

Industrialisation is the process of Social and economic changes

shift from an agrarian economy leading to the rise of manufacturing industries.

transformed from a pre-industrial society into an industrial one. Industrialisation

1. Industrialization leads to greater equality, at least in some spheres. For

2. While the early sociologists saw industrialization as both positive and

Evolution of Modern Industry in India

1. The presence of industries in India can be traced back to the Mauryan

7. Post-liberalization, Indian industry, especially tertiary sector, has

Industrialization in the Early Years of Indian Independence.

the government tried to ensure, through it’s licensing policy, that

Globalization, Liberalization privatisation and Change in Indian Industry

1. Since the 1990s, however, the government has followed a policy of

It is more difficult for trade unions to organize in smaller firms. Almost

At the same time as secure employment in large industry is declining the

Socio cultural implications of industrialization in India

1. Agrarian less-monetized economy,

1. The economic field it has resulted in specialization in work, occupational

1. Firstly, family which was a principle unit of production has been

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