Socio-Religious Reform Movement

Socio-Religious Reform Movement

Raja Ram Mohan Roy in 1828 wrote, "I regret to say that the present system of the religion adhered to by the Hindus is not well calculated to promote their political interest."

Source: Unacademy

Max Weber observed, "Hinduism had become a compound of magic, animism, superstition, abominable rites like animal sacrifice and physical torture had replaced the worship of the God."

In this context, Socio-Religious reform movement was started in the 19th and 20th century. These Social reformers can be classified into two broad categories -

1. Reformist (who wants to reform the religion)
2. Revivalist (who wants to revive the old religion)

★  Reformist 

• They wanted to reform the particular aspects of the religion and society rather than complete abolition of the system.
• The spirit of the reform was inspired from the western education and ideas like reason, human dignity, justice, liberty and rationality, etc.
• They wanted to interrogate all those traditional practices which if practiced they do not stand the scrutiny on the lines of reason, rationality, human dignity, etc.
• They wanted top-down legalistic approach of the reform, i.e., to reform using legal machinery (by pursuing government to make laws).
• They enjoyed narrow social base.
• Some of the example of reformist movements are - Brahmo Samaj, Prarthana Samaj, Aligarh Movement, etc.

★  Revivalist 

• They wanted to revive the old and orthodox practices which they believed were pure and diluted during medieval ages and British period.
• They rejected the British notion of civilizing mission and argued that rationality is not the preserve of the West. It is firmly there in the Indian texts like Vedas and Upanishads.
• They talked about the glorious past which was undermined during the British period and medieval age. 
• They wanted to promote Cultural Nationalism to preserve the unique identity of the region.
• They wanted a change from within and were highly anti-imperialistic and wanted to throw the British rule from India.
• They had a large number of followers, i.e., they enjoyed a wide social base.
• Some of the examples of Revivalist movements are - Arya Samaj, Deoband Movement, etc.

Difference between the Socio-Religious Movement of 19th Century and that of 20th Century

★  19th Century Social Reform 

• Most of the social reformers were upper caste men (like Raja Ram Mohan Roy) who argued for the improvement in the condition of women and backward classes.
• They acted as the agents of social change for backward people.
• The agenda of the social reform was limited to upliftment of women, abolition of child marriage, widow remarriage, removal of untouchability, etc.
• They enjoyed a narrow social base as compared to that enjoyed by the reformers of 20th Century.

★  20th Century Social Reform 

• Most of the social reformers were from backward classes or marginalised section of the society (like Dr. B.R. Ambedkar).
• Both the agents of the social change and the subjects were from the backward section of the society.
• The agenda of the reform was quite wider which talked about equal political, social and economic rights to women and backward classes as compared to upper class men.
• They also wanted the Right to vote, Right to property, Access to public facilities, roads, temples, etc.
• They also promoted intercaste marriages.

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Note - This is my Vision IAS Notes (Vision IAS Class Notes) and Ashutosh Pandey Sir's Public Administration Class notes. I've also added some of the information on my own. 

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