What is the central concern of new social movements?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 1

The correct answer is Option (1) → quality of life issues like having a clean environment.

Option (1) quality of life issues like having a clean environment. — Correct. Some argued that in the affluent West, with its welfare state, class-based exploitation and inequality were no longer the central concerns. So the ‘new’ social movements were not about changing the distribution of power in society but about quality-of-life issues such as having a clean environment.

Option (2) changing distribution of power among people. — Incorrect. This was the goal of the old social movements, which saw the reorganisation of power relations as their central aim. The new movements are described as not being about this.

Option (3) role of political parties. — Incorrect. The old social movements worked within the frame of political parties: the Indian National Congress led the national movement and the Communist Party of China led the Chinese Revolution. A central role for political parties marks the old movements, not the new.

Option (4) addressing issues of class-based exploitation. — Incorrect. Class-based action led by trade unions and workers’ parties belongs to the old movements; the new ones rose where class-based exploitation was no longer seen as the central concern.

NCERT (2025-26): “8.3 Types of Social Movements … The old social movements clearly saw reorganisation of power relations as a central goal. The old social movements functioned within the frame of political parties. The Indian National Congress led the Indian National Movement. The Communist … Party of China led the Chinese Revolution. Today some believe that ‘old’ class-based political action led by trade unions and workers’ parties is on the decline. Others argued that in the affluent West with its welfare state, issues of class-based exploitation and inequality were no longer central concerns. So the ‘new’ social movements were not about changing the distribution of power in society but about quality-of-life issues such as having a clean environment. In the old social movements, the role of political parties was central.…”