Sunday, November 25, 2007

DEMOCRACY AND DIVERSITY

In this chapter we are going to study that language and regions are not the only features that give a distinct identity to the people, but people also identify themselves with gender, caste, tribe, physical appearance, religion etc. We will study how democracy responds to social divisions, differences and inequalities.

DIFFERENCES, SIMILARITIES, DIVISIONS-
In the case of Belgium we noted that people who live in different regions speak different language. In Srilanka, we noted linguistic as well as religious differences. Thus social diversity can take different forms in different societies.

ORIGIN OF SOCIAL DIFFERENCES-
1. Social differences are based on accident if birth. As we don’t choose to belong to our community. We belong to it simply because we were born into it. People around us are male or female, tall and short, have different kinds of complexions, or have different physical abilities.
2. Some of our differences are based on our choices. Like some people do not believe in God or any religion. Some people choose to follow a religion other than one in which they were born. Most of us choose what to study what occupation to take up and which games to take part in.All this leads to formation of such groups that are based on our choices.
EVERY SOCIAL DIFFERENCES DOES NOT LEAD TO SOCIAL DIVISIONS-
1. Social differences divide similar people from one another, but they also unite very different people.
2. People belonging to different social groups share differences and similarities cutting across the boundary of their groups.

IT IS FAIRLY COMMON FOR THE PEOPLE-
1. Belonging to the same religion to feel that they do not belong to the same community, because teir caste and sect is very different.
2. It is also possible for people from different religions to have the same caste and feel close to each other.
3. Rich and poor persons from the same family do not keep close relations with each other for they feel they are very different.
Thus we all have more than one identity and can belong to more than one social group.


OVERLAPPING AND CROSSCUTTING DIFFERENCES-

1. Social differences take place when some social difference overlaps with other differences. The difference between the blacks and whites becomes a social division in the U.S because the black tend to be poor, homeless and discriminated against. The other example is of Dalits who are also tend to be poor and landless They often face discrimination and injustices. This kind of situation produce social divisions, when one kind of social difference becomes more important then the other.
2. If social differences crosscut one another, it is difficult to put one group against the other. It means that groups that share a common interest on one issue are likely to be in different sides on a different issues. For example there are two countries—Northern Ireland and Netherlands. Both are Christians but divided between Catholics and Protestants. In Northern Ireland, class and religion overlaps with each other. In Netherlands, class and religion tend to cut across each other.
Catholics and Protestants are about equally likely to be rich or poor. The result is that Catholics and Protestants have conflicts in Northern Ireland, while they do not do so in Netherlands. Overlapping social differences create possibilities of deep social divisions and tensions.
3. Social division of one kind or another exists in most countries. India is a vast country with many communities and Belgium is a small country with many differences. Even the countries like Germany and Sweden that were once very homogeneous. But they are also going through rapid changes with migrants in their countries. They bring with them different culture and tends to form a different social community.In this way most of the countries are multicultural.