Characteristics of Rural Community

CHARACTERISTICS OF RURAL COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS  Distinction between rural and urban  Three types of settlements based in size, density  City- population more than one lakh  Town-5000 or more  Villages- less than 5000  Village- unit of rural society  Main occupation-agriculture  Village- group of people living in a geographical area  Common occupation-agriculture anothe r  Do not live far away from one another  Share the grief and pleasure culture which binds them together together  Common culture

SPECIAL FEATURES OF VILLAGES(CHARACTERISTICS) 1.

AGRICULTURE  Majority depend on agriculture Main occupation  Fulfill food needs   Supply raw materials 2. JOINT JO INT FAMILY  Existence of joint family All members do cultivation  3. CASTE SYSTEM  It influences members  Rules, regulations of caste followed  Caste religious oriented  Main form of social stratification 4. JAJMANI SYSTEM  To fulfill needs n eeds of other castes Barbers fulfill needs of other castes  Jajmani related related to families   Land owning jajmani- upper castes  Service provider castes- middle and lower castes

5. SOCIAL S OCIAL STRATIFICATION STRATIFICATION  Traditional social stratification- caste system  Jajmani system-every caste connected with others 6. COMMUNITY SENTIMENT  Strong among members of village  Relationship- face to face intimate, personal 7. CONSERVATIVE Conservative outlook  Conservative  Strongly attached to customs  Change of occupation not possible  Social change, very slow 8. RIGIDITY OF SOCIAL CONTROL  Family, caste, exercise social control  Observation of informal rules obligatory

9. POVERTY AND ILLITERACY  Village people- poverty and illiteracy  They are poor with low income  Fragmentation of land, poor productivity  Opportunities of education, meagre 10. SIMPLICITY OF LIVING Prefer to live in simplicity  Prefer frugally, dress simply  They eat frugally,  God- fearing, tradition bound 11. SELF SUFFICIENCY  All essential needs satisfied in village  Each village- self contained  Communication broken barriers 12. LOCAL SELF EMPLOYMENT  Manage their own affairs through panchayats  Members have unity  Close neighborhood relations