Discuss the features of urbanization.
Characteristics of urbanization.
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Features of Urbanization:-
1. Characteristics of Urbanization given by Lewis Wirth :- Lewis Wirth mentioned some characteristics of urbanization. For example –
(i) Social relations in urban areas are short-lived. They develop short-term relationships with others , based on need.
(ii) Maintaining social relations with neighbours, participating in social groups – etc. are neglected in urban life.
(iii) Urban people interact with very few people. Human interaction is formal here.
(iv) In most cases there is no depth of interrelationships among urban dwellers.
(v) Individuals give priority to personal interests in urban life.
2. Characteristics of Urbanization given by Ruth Glass:- Ruth Glass has emphasized mobility, anonymity, individualism, formal relations, social segregation, transience, organic nature of social cohesion, etc. as some important characteristics of urbanization.
3. Characteristics of Urbanization given by K. Dewis :- K. Dewis mentions a total of 8 characteristics of urbanization. They are - (i) Social heterogeneity, (ii) Secondary institutions, (iii) Social mobility, (iv) Individualism, (v) Social tolerance, (vi) Secondary regulation, (vii) Voluntary institutions - etc.
4. Features of Urbanization given by Dube :- S.C. Dube mentions some features of urbanization in his book "Indian Society". They are –
(i) In the civil lifestyle the old social structure loosens and the social rules weaken.
(ii) Human relationships become formal in nature.
(iii) Self-interest prevails in relationships.
(iv) Traditional rituals and kinship obligations tend to decline.
(v) Caste and communal justice lose importance to economic interests and personal interests. As a result, a secular environment started.
(vi) Urbanization increases the diversity of the division of labour.
(vii) Voluntary organizations participate in various social service activities.
(viii) With urbanization, education, culture, entertainment, etc. expand and become institutionalized centers.
(ix) Modernization is one of the salient features of urbanization.
5. Mechanized life :- In urban life, personal relationships are formalized and the depth of relationship between them is very low. As a result, people continue to spend their lives in meaningless social relationships. Relationships are largely driven by self-interest. Economic activities, social activities - etc. can be observed in all areas of mechanization.
6. Behavioral and functional specialization :- Internal heterogeneity of large populations helps to develop specialization. Specialization creates versatile lifestyles. Multi-professional lifestyles, multi-faceted interests and life philosophies – this disparity is fostered. Due to the availability of this expertise various opportunities are created in front of people. Urban areas thus develop unique populations and diverse behaviors.
7. Anonymity and impersonality :- Individuals avoid familiarity in highly populated lifestyles. As a result the concept of mutual coexistence is absent. As a result, social responsibility decreases and individualism increases. People tend to be driven by self-centered interests. As a result of this impersonality, individuals become aspirational and ambitious and strive to fulfill those aspirations by availing the benefits of urbanization.
8. Cultural Change :- Traditional cultural traits change with the spread of urbanization process. People are more comfortable drifting with the current of modern consumerism rather than retaining and carrying traditional culture. Even the cultural trends of urban life are driven by individual interests. As a result traditional cultural life died.
9. Development of Modernity and Consumerism :- Development of modernity and consumerism accelerated with urbanization. People are eager to own the modern products of consumerism. Human life becomes machine-dependent and technology-dependent. As the use of technology makes people's lives easier on the one hand, on the other hand, multinational companies attract people to their products and turn people into slaves of products.
10. Process of Globalization and Urbanization :- The process of globalization is more prevalent in urban than in rural areas. As a result, people are more influenced by modern western ideas instead of traditional culture, nationalism etc. As a positive result of this, the ideals of universal humanity spread.
Finally, personal relationships, primary groups, and social proximity are not particularly prominent among urban-centered characteristics. Some artificially formed self-interested organizations make the path of the individual active but give the individual an artificial and competitive life. But even so, the importance of primary groups in civic life has not yet completely disappeared. Therefore, KM Kapadia, Ramakrishna Mukherjee - etc. have researched and shown that even though the rural people left the village for the cities, traditional customs, traditions, culture etc. still exist in the primary groups today.
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