GS 1, Indian Society, TLP-UPSC Mains Answer Writing
In what ways has globalization contributed to the empowerment or disempowerment of marginalized communities in India? Examine.
वैश्वीकरण ने किस प्रकार से भारत में सीमांत समुदायों के सशक्तिकरण या अशक्तीकरण में योगदान दिया है? परीक्षण करें।
Approach
Candidates can start the answer giving idea of globalisation and then examine both side of arguments as per the demand of question.
Introduction
Globalization is a process of increasing interdependence, interconnectedness and integration of economies and societies to such an extent that an event in one part of the globe affects people in other parts of the world.
Body
Globalisation empowering the marginalized communities:
- With Secularisation of caste, rigid caste system is gradually giving way to relaxed norms. Inter-caste marriages, intermingling and socializing with marginalized castes is no longer regarded as a taboo.
- Globalisation as a new world economic order promises of more prosperity, progress and freedom for all for example, rise of Dalit capitalism also manifest this thought.
- Globalisation has helped in giving them voice through transmission of ideas from outside India. The increasing recognition outside has influenced their social movements in India. It is evident from NALSA judgement in which supreme court has realized the rights of transgenders.
- Globalisation has broadened the mindset of young people as people tend to avoid child marriages unlike the past. It has helped in intensifying the fight against child marriages, rise in widow remarriages.
- The basic tenets of Globalisation like openness, individualism, freedom etc., stand against the religious parochialism. It allows marginal communities to practice their religion and maintain gender neutrality.
- There is increasing level of work force participation by women. In the formal sector, setting up of various MNCs has helped in opening up of multiple economic pathways for women thus making them economically independent.
- Availability of study books and information on the internet due to Globalisation has increased tremendously which allows traditionally marginalized student to read on any topic of interest and pursue career in it.
Globalisation disempowering the marginalized communities:
- Globalization has increased the phenomena of cultural lag across India. Cultural lag is the idea that society has trouble keeping up with technological change. This results in a period of maladjustment and a failure to manage new risks.
- For example, with the advancement in medical technology, child sex ratio became adverse in India owing to sex selective methods.
- There is a rise in commodification and objectification of women due to rise in IT, social media tools which is influenced by the new value system.
- Globalisation has forced vulnerable castes towards informal sector doing menial jobs due to lack of requisite skills. For example, erstwhile untouchables have become manual scavengers.
- The pro-market stance of Globalisation has led to the widening of the gap between the privileged few and the large mass of the marginalized sections of the society including the SCs and Dalits.
- Lack of effective legal protection to the tribals and their involuntary displacements has eroded their sociocultural heritage in the form of language and culture.
- Due to Globalisation in agriculture, marginalized farmers are paying a heavy price for a better variety of imported seeds having resistance to diseases because of the patent rights imposed by WTO as highlighted by recent boll worm incident in case of cotton.
- Due to globalisation informal sector has led to contractualization of the labour which lacks affinity and turns exploitation of migrant labours, woman and different nomadic labourers.
Conclusion
Though it has helped in bringing a lot of benefit to Indian economy, it has also widened the gap between the rich and poor. There is need to imbibe Globalization judiciously by adopting the different facets incrementally so that social upheavals are winded off.
