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Rural Leadership - Lecture notes 9
Sociology I (BL111)
Jamia Millia Islamia
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RURAL LEADERSHIP
INTRODUCTION
In this unit, we'll use our knowledge base to better understand some specific aspects of India's rural society. Here, we'll concentrate on rural leadership. We'll look at what leadership means in both general and specific Indian rural contexts. We will focus on the characteristics, determinants, and types of rural leadership in India in this regard. We will also discuss the meaning of rural power structure as part of the exercise on understanding rural leadership. This is due to the fact that leadership is a part of the power structure. The readers will be able to understand the importance and role of rural leadership in a rural society after completing this unit. Readers will also be able to comprehend the sociological significance of researching rural leadership.
MEANING OF LEADER AND LEADERSHIP
Any form of group life can be traced back to some form of leadership. It can be well- defined or amorphous in nature (without any structure). In Unit 2, you already learned about rural society. A rural society may have a variety of interest groups and factions that play an important role in the village's overall social life. While interest groups and factions may be informal, that is, without a well-defined structure, there may be well- defined structures, such as the Panchayati Raj Institutional (PRI) structures in India's villages, where leadership plays a significant role in village social life. Let us now look at the definitions of leader and leadership.
Meaning of Leader
A leader is someone who can persuade a group to achieve a specific goal. A leader is someone who leads, inspires, or governs others. In other words, he or she has a sizable following and has significant influence over that following. He or she has the ability to organise their behaviour in order to achieve their interests and objectives.
A leader is someone who rises to prominence among a group of people as a result of certain characteristics and/or circumstances. People respect, obey, and follow the leader because of these qualities and circumstances.
Meaning of Leadership
Leadership, according to D. Dash, is "a process of interaction among the persons of a group, large or small, that moves it in the direction of a high degree of acceptance of (1) shared values and goals (2) situations in which the members interact (3) the leader and one another." In the Dictionary of Sociology, H. Fairchild defines leadership as "the act of organising and directing the interests and activities of a group of persons, as associated in some projects or enterprise, by a person who develops cooperation by securing and maintaining their more or less voluntary approval of the ends and methods proposed and adopted in the association by a person who develops the cooperation through securing and maintaining their more or less voluntary approval of the ends and methods proposed and adopted in the association by a person who develops Leadership, according to Ordway Tead, is "the activity of persuading people to cooperate toward some goal that they come to find desirable." Thus, leadership encompasses the entire process of a leader's ascension, the power he wields over his followers, the ways he organises and directs the interests and activities of a group of people, and the means by which he gathers power and attempts to maintain his position. The following characteristics of leadership are highlighted in the above definitions. Leadership is the result of a collective action. A group is formed as a result of a specific situation and context. As a result, as the situation changes, so does leadership. It is an interactive process. While a leader and his followers are both individuals, leadership is a process. A continuous course of action involving many elements that interact with one another is referred to as a process.
This distinguishes rural leadership from other types of leadership. Because we already know that a rural society differs from an urban society in terms of nature, rural leadership will tend to have some distinct characteristics. These factors qualify it for treatment under the heading of rural leadership. By now, you should have a good understanding of the concept of leadership, and we can move on to learning about rural leadership. But before we get into rural leadership, it's important to understand what the term "rural power structure" means. This is due to the fact that leadership takes place within a power structure.
RURAL POWER STRUCTURE
The term "power structure" refers to all of the structural elements that are associated with power. Let's start with a basic understanding of structure and power in order to grasp the concept of power structure. Structure, as we've seen, encompasses all stable social relations and interactions. As a result, it encompasses socially acceptable behaviour and positions, as well as norms, rules, and institutions. Power entails the ability to do things and the ability to have an impact. It entails persuading others to do something they would not have done otherwise. It can be imposed on people or it can be accepted spontaneously and voluntarily by the followers. In other words, it is the ability to persuade others to follow one's wishes. Authority may or may not be used to back up power. Those in government have a lot of decision-making power. The power to set the agenda and thus limit what is discussed is known as non-decision making power. Ideological power is the ability to manipulate people's perceptions of what they want. Powerful groups can persuade people to believe what they want or consent to something that is not in their best interests. The norms and rules that govern power, as well as the groups and institutions in which power is concentrated, and how power is distributed in the society under consideration, are all part of the power structure. We will study structure in relation to
rural power structure in this unit by focusing on groups where a leader emerges and institutionalised positions where a leader emerges. We have both traditional and modern power structures in India. The Panchayati Raj system or Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) at the village, block, and district levels are examples of modern rural power structures. Officials such as Block Development Officers, Extension Officers, Goan Burhas, village level workers, and others who interact with rural residents on a regular basis. Apart from village-level power structures, there are elective structures at the Legislative Assembly and Parliament levels, where general elections are held on a regular basis. Village leaders, caste panchayats, tribal councils, youth dormitories, and assistance groups are examples of traditional rural power structures. Apart from these, factions, interest groups, and other structures can be found in both modern and traditional power structures, acting as formal and informal structures. Modern power structures in which leadership emerges include clubs, self-help groups, and so on.
CONCEPT OF RURAL LEADERSHIP
Meaning
We can now conceptualise rural leadership after having gone through the above. To summarise this section, we can say that leadership is a characteristic of a rural society. In terms of social relations, economy, educational status, demographic situation, health situation, and other factors, rural society differs significantly from urban society. Apart from these factors, a rural society's social structure is based on caste and/or tribal egalitarianism, peasantry and agrarian relations, religious emphasis, conservatism, traditions and customs, and thus many important statuses are assigned. These are some of the most fundamental and widespread aspects of Indian rural society. These factors shape the power structure and leadership of rural society's social structure and social relations.
qualifications, and their local development responsibilities. These are the official leadership structures in place. Leadership can be democratic or authoritarian depending on the criteria of inclusiveness and exclusivity in decision-making. Democratic This type of decision is made by a group of people who will ultimately be affected by the outcome. The decision-making process is aided by the leader(s). This is typical of Panchayat bodies, in which decisions are made collectively by Panchayat members with the approval of the rural electorates in the Gram Sabha. Major decisions are made in a general assembly (Gram Sabha), where all adult citizens have a right to speak. Decisions are typically made in this setting for the benefit of the general public. Decision-making in informal leadership can also be democratic. The village tribal council, for example, is a partly informal body in which the village elder makes decisions based on the agreement of the office bearers and the rural folk (traditionally the male members) in a general meeting. Authoritarian Individual decision-making without the involvement of others in the group characterises this type. By sheer force of wealth or muscle power, a person can sometimes rise to a position of power and rule over others with a small following. Such a leader is likely to be authoritarian, making all of his own decisions. A village would have a leader, usually a traditional position, prior to the functionalisation of the Panchayat institutions in the villages. He wielded power in a dictatorial manner. Those decisions had to be followed by the villagers. Landlords frequently rose to the position of village chief and imposed authoritarian rule on the rural populace. Traditional, rational-legal, and charismatic leadership can be classified based on the source of power. Max Weber was the one who came up with this classification. Traditional Traditional norms and customs are the source of power in this pattern. They aren't based on legal penalties. However, because these are customs, they have a strong social foundation. There are many different types of traditional leadership in India because it is a traditional society. Traditional leadership is also exemplified by the authoritarian leadership we just discussed. The caste system governs Hindu society in India. Each caste in several villages used to have a panchayat body (different from
the statutory Panchayat Raj Institution) that served as the caste panchayat, and some parts of India still do. It makes crucial decisions regarding the preservation of caste norms and solidarity. The tribal council is a traditional body in rural tribal communities. Traditional leadership can be democratic or authoritarian, and it can be formal, informal, or partially formal.
- – – – – – – – – – This power is founded on the rule of law. It is formal and founded on rational principles. Its structure, as well as its various important aspects, can be rationally amended and modified to meet the needs of the situation. However, the change must be made in a formal manner. A minimum standard has been established. The PRI is an example of a well-run legal organisation with strong leadership. Charismatic Some people are elevated to the position of leader as a result of personal characteristics, views, and actions that appeal to and attract people, resulting in followers. Charm and magnetism are traits associated with charisma. Jesus Christ and Mahatma Gandhi are two world leaders who exemplify charismatic leadership. People rise to the position of leader in rural India primarily because of their spirituality and wisdom. There are local leaders like this. Leadership can be ascribed or achieved depending on the nature of the source of power. Ascribed Ascension to leadership is categorised as ascribed leadership when it is based on ascribed qualities. Affiliation to a caste, a specific family, a clan, sex, age, and other factors become important considerations for leadership in rural India. For example, the tribal council's leader must be from a specific clan, be of male sex, and preferably be of legal age. Even in religion and rituals, only members of a specific caste, clan, or family are allowed to claim the position of leader. While these are examples of traditional leadership, even in formal, rational-legal leadership, ascribed status plays a significant role in ascending to the position of a leader. In India, caste plays a significant role in Panchayat elections. Achieved Achieved leadership refers to leadership that is based on qualities that can be acquired, such as educational qualifications, skill, wisdom, wealth, citizenship, and so on. Achieved qualities play a significant role in rational-legal leadership. However,
perspective of achieved and ascribed qualities, because, in the end, a person becomes a leader in a specific situation based on certain qualities: acquired or achieved. In leadership, situation and qualities interact. Different qualities elevate one to leadership in different situations. Both traditional and modern power structures exist in modern India, and they are intertwined. Both ascribed and achieved qualities/variables determine leadership in both of these structures. Caste: The majority of Indian villages are caste villages, which are usually multicaste villages. Certain castes ascend to the position of dominant caste in such villages. This caste plays a dominant role in the traditional power structure. Members of such castes become traditional leaders as a result. In a modern power structure like the PRI, the castes with the most members tend to elect their representatives as leaders. Caste has its centrality even in modern political institutions, with reservation for scheduled caste and scheduled tribe in Panchayat bodies. Sex: In traditional leadership, this is an important variable. Men folk participate in the public spheres of life in traditional societies, and thus play important roles in public decision-making and implementation processes. As a result, men come to occupy the position of leader in traditional power structures. Age: In traditional power structures, age is also a significant factor. Leaders are chosen from among senior men who possess the necessary qualifications. They should be well-versed in social customs and norms, as well as wise enough to lead the people. However, age as a variable has become less significant in modern times, both in informal leadership and in Panchayat institutions, as other variables (achieved qualities) have become more important. Kinship: Members of clans, lineages, and families with a higher status in the villages tend to become leaders, both in the formal and informal power structures, as well as in traditional and modern structures, due to their numerical strength, wealth, or reputation. Wealth: Almost always and everywhere, wealth has been an important variable of power. Landlords wielded power (authoritarian) over the villagers in previous rural
power structures. Villagers who were wealthy were valued in society. People either admired or despised them. Wealth has become a very important variable in today's democratic power structures. It is even more crucial at the higher tiers of Panchayat bodies, such as Zilla Parishads. Occupation: Some occupations put members in a better position than others. It varies from one region to the next. Rich peasants rule in some villages, while educated professionals rule in others. Again, bureaucrats are almost always in charge of administrative leadership, and certain professionals are in charge of developmental governance. In both traditional and modern power structures, education/wiseness and awareness has become a highly desirable quality. In modern elective as well as development- oriented leadership, it has grown in importance. Administrative ability is necessary because of the role of bureaucrats and professionals involved in developmental schemes. Oriented to service and development: Since Independence, rural development initiatives have grown in importance, and rural people have become aware of the benefits of the development process. As a result, people who are oriented toward service and development are more likely to become rural leaders. a) Political parties and affiliation are other important determinants. b) Social status and family c) Citizenship d) Regional affiliation e) Connections at key locations All of these variables interact, with the ascribed qualities interacting with the achieved qualities. These factors interact in a person's rise to leadership in formal and informal settings, as well as in traditional and modern structures. Thus, in traditional leadership, those belonging to a particular caste or family who are educated, have a development orientation, and have a lot of money may have a better chance of becoming a leader. In modern democratic leadership, the same variables may become important. With the changing structure of Indian society and villages, power structures are also changing. As a result, the leadership pattern is shifting. Let us now consider the characteristics of rural leadership in India in light of these changes.
Characteristics
The catalyst for change is the leader. They shape public opinion, organise collective energies through collective behaviour, influence organisational behaviour, and act as social change agents. Government leaders can play a more proactive role in social change by determining what values should be expressed in public policy and what values should be implemented. "By observing the actions of 'elites' (and leaders), one can obtain a synoptic view of the entire society's functioning." Karl Mannheim (Karl Mannheim) The Indian government has embarked on a massive programme of social and economic development. As a result, it is critical to comprehend the sociological process of leadership. These are some of the primary reasons why studying rural leadership is important for a sociology student.
LET US SUM UP
Traditional and modern power structures, both of which interact with one another, characterise India's rural power structure. Leadership emerges from this power structure. Based on an analysis of the types, characteristics, and determinants of rural leadership, we can deduce that India is moving towards modernization, and that it currently presents a modernity of its own making.
Rural Leadership - Lecture notes 9
Course: Sociology I (BL111)
University: Jamia Millia Islamia
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