As you might discover when you try to classify a social movement in terms of this typology, most movements have a mix of redemptive, reformist and revolutionary elements. Or the orientation of a social movement may shift over time such that it starts off with, say, revolutionary objectives and becomes reformist. A movement may start from a phase of mass mobilisation and collective protest to become more institutionalised. Social scientists who study the life cycles of social movements call this a move towards ‘social movement organisations’. How a social movement is perceived and classified is always a matter of interpretation. It differs from one section to another. For instance, what was a ‘mutiny’ or ‘rebellion’ for British colonial rulers in 1857 was ‘the first war of Independence’ for Indian nationalists.
Statement I: A mutiny challenges the legitimacy of British rule.
Statement II: A struggle for independence challenges the very legitimacy of British rule.
Choose the correct answer:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Statement I is incorrect but Statement II is correct
Statement I: A mutiny challenges the legitimacy of British rule. — Incorrect. A mutiny is an act of defiance against an authority that is taken as legitimate, here British rule. It disobeys that authority but does not question its right to rule.
Statement II: A struggle for independence challenges the very legitimacy of British rule. — Correct. A struggle for independence goes further. It challenges the very legitimacy of British rule, which is why Indian nationalists called 1857 the first war of Independence.
NCERT (2026-27): “Reformist, Redemptive, Revolutionary … |