In his "Weapons of the Weak", James Scott analysed the lives of peasants and labourers in Malaysia. Protest against injustice took the form of small acts such as being deliberately slow. These kinds of acts have been defined as _____________.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Everyday acts of resistance
Option (1) Revolutionary Movement — Incorrect. A revolutionary social movement attempts to radically transform social relations, often by capturing state power, as the Bolshevik revolution in Russia did. Being deliberately slow at work is a small, quiet act, not an attempt to overturn the system.
Option (2) Collective Action — Incorrect. Collective action needs a group that consciously sees itself as oppressed, with an organisation, leadership and a clear ideology. The peasants and labourers Scott studied could not challenge their exploitation through such open mobilisation, so they protested through small acts of their own.
Option (3) Everyday acts of resistance — Correct. People may know very well how they are exploited and still be unable to challenge it through overt political mobilisation and protest. In Malaysia, protest against injustice took the form of small acts such as being deliberately slow, and such acts are called everyday acts of resistance.
Option (4) Counter Movements — Incorrect. A counter movement arises in defence of the status quo, against a movement for change; the Dharma Sabha, formed by the defenders of sati against Raja Rammohun Roy’s campaign, is an example. The slow work of exploited labourers resists the existing order instead of defending it.
Note: The passage on James Scott’s ‘Weapons of the Weak’ and everyday acts of resistance, in section 8.2 ‘Sociology and Social Movements’ of the chapter ‘Social Movements’, was there in the pre-rationalised NCERT, which NTA followed in 2023. This portion has been deleted from the NCERT book (2025-26), though the chapter is still there.
NCERT (2025-26): “8.1 Features of a Social Movement … A social movement requires sustained collective action over time. Such action is often directed against the state and takes the form of demanding changes in state policy or practice. Spontaneous, disorganised protest cannot be called a social movement either. Collective action must be marked by some degree of organisation. This organisation may include a leadership and a structure that defines how members relate to each other, make decisions and carry them out. Those participating in a social movement also have shared objectives and ideologies.…” “8.1 Features of a Social Movement … While social movements seek to bring in social change, 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.…” “8.3 Types of Social Movements … Revolutionary social movements attempt to radically transform social relations, often by capturing state power. The Bolshevik revolution in Russia that deposed the Tsar to create a communist state and the Naxalite movement in India that seeks to remove oppressive landlords and state officials can be described as revolutionary movements.…” NCERT (Pre-rationalised): “8.2 Sociology and Social Movements … Social conflict does not automatically lead to collective action. For such action to take place, a group must consciously think or identify themselves as oppressed beings. There has to be an organisation, leadership, and a clear ideology. Often, however, social protest does not follow on these lines. People may have a clear idea of how they are exploited, but they are often unable to challenge this through overt political mobilisation and protest. In his book Weapons of the Weak, James Scott analysed the lives of peasants and labourers in Malaysia. Protest against injustice took the form of small acts such as being deliberately slow. These kinds of acts have been defined as everyday acts of resistance.…” |