We often assume that the rights we enjoy just happened to exist. It is important to recall the struggles of the past, which made these rights possible. We have seen social reform movements of the 19th century, which struggled against caste and gender discrimination. We have also seen a nationalist movement in India that brought us independence from colonial rule in 1947. Such nationalist movements were in existence in Asia, Africa, and the Americas that put an end to colonial rule. The socialist movements the world over, the civil rights movement in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s that fought for equal rights for Blacks, and the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa have all changed the world in fundamental ways. Social movements not only change societies; they also inspire other social movements.

“People in the Ezhava community in Kerala were led by Narayana Guru to change their social practices. In the 1960s there was the movement for the reorganization of Indian states on the basis of language.” Identify the nature of the movement.

Both 2 and 3

The correct answer is Option 4: Both 2 and 3

Redemptive movements are also known as transformatory movements.

There are different kinds of social movements. They can be classified as: (i) redemptive or transformatory; (ii) reformist; and (iii) revolutionary.

A redemptive social movement aims to bring about a change in the personal consciousness and actions of its individual members. For instance, people in the Ezhava community in Kerala were led by Narayana Guru to change their social practices.

Reformist social movements strive to change the existing social and political arrangements through gradual, incremental steps. The 1960s movement for the reorganisation of Indian states on the basis of language and the recent Right to Information campaign are examples of reformist 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.