Sociology  Ext. 101 ( Rural Sociology)

Dr. Yagya  Prasad  Giri

Lecture – 4.

Topic: Difference between rural and urban  society : Rural urban continuum

The rural world is different from the urban world in society . There is a valid distinction between village and city in terms of two different ethos of life, cultural patterns, socio-cultural groupings and modes of earning and livelihood.

However, there are also structural similarities between the two with regard to the patterns of caste, kinship, rules of marriages, observance of religious practices, migrations, educational institutions, employ­ment opportunities and administration are the other institutional sources of linkages between villages and cities. Thus, villages and towns cannot be seen simply as dichotomous entities. They are interlinked and yet distinct from each other.

The concept of rural-urban continuum is based on the assumption of rural-urban differences. According to G. V. Fuguitt, ‘If rural-urban sociology is to continue a specialized sub-field and has a meaningful conceptual basis, the need for a new orientation is evident.’

Professor Bertrand made the following observation: ‘Proponents of the continuum theory feel that rural-urban differences occur in a relative degree in a range extending between two polar extremes of rural and urban.’

The continuum theory lays emphasis on the rural-urban differences rather than on the rural-urban dichotomy. Irrespective of the course of evolution, distinction can be drawn between rural and urban way of life.

The difference between urban centers and rural areas may seem so obvious that the definitions should not be an issue. However, there can be major variations in the ways in which different nations define what is an urban center. The criteria used include popu­lation size and density, and the availability of services such as the secondary schools, hospitals and banks.

:However, the combination of criteria applied can vary greatly. Even the population thresholds used can be different: for many African nations, it is 5,000 inhabitants, while for most Latin American and European nations, it can be as low as 2,000 or 2,500, or even just a few hundred inhabitants.

This wide fluctuation in definitions has three important implications:

i. Official classifications should be treated with caution—for example, a large proportion of settlements classed as ‘rural’ in China and India would fall within the ‘urban’ category, if they used the criteria and population thresholds adopted by many other countries. Given the size of the population of these two countries, this would sig­nificantly increase the overall proportion of urban residents in Asia and in the world.

ii. International comparisons are difficult, as they may look at settlements which, despite being classed in the same category, may be very different in both population size and infrastructure. In addition, the reliability of data on urbanization trends within one nation can be compromised by changes in the definition of urban centers over time.

iii. Public investment in services and infrastructure tends to concentrate on the centers that are defined as urban. As a consequence, investment can bypass settlements not defined as urban even if these can, and often do, have an important ‘urban role in the development of the surrounding rural areas. Within national and regional urban systems, larger cities also tend to be favored with public investment over small- and intermediate-sized urban centers, including those with important roles in supporting agricultural production, processing and marketing.

Difference between Rural and Urban Life:

S.N.	Rural Life	Urban life
1	Environment: Close / direct contact with nature. Preliminaries influenced by natural environmental elements like rain, heat, drought, frost, sow etc. over which there is no control.	Greater isolation from nature. Predominance of manmade (artificial environment).
2	Occupation: Agricultural is the fundamental occupation. Majority of population is engaged in agriculture. Neighbors of Agriculturist are also agriculturist	No fundamental occupation. Most of people engaged in principally in manufacturing, mechanical pursuits, trade commerce, professions and other non-agricultural occupations.
3	Size of Community: Size of community is very small in size. Agriculturalism and size of community are negatively co-related.	Size of community is large in size. Urbanity and size of community are positively co-related.
4	Density of Population: Density of population is lower. Density and rurality are negatively co-related.	Size of community is large in size. Urbanity and size of community are positively co-related.
5	Homogeneity and heterogeneity of population: More homogenous in social, racial and psychological traits. Negative co0-relation with heterogeneity. (Most are agriculturists are directly connected with agriculture).	More heterogeneous than rural. Urbanity and heterogeneity are positively co-related (Different type of population is seen in cities, different places, religions, caste, class race, community, economic and cultural differences, occupations and behavioral pattern also different).
6	Social Differentiations: Low degree of social differentiation	High degree of social differentiation
7	Social Stratification:     More rigid Fewer economic, occupational, and sociopolitical classes. Less social stratification than urban.	Less rigid Urban community is much more strategic than the rural with having much more economic, occupational and social political classes.
8	Social Mobility: Mobility is less intensive. Territorial, occupational and other forms of social mobility of the population are less intensive. They follows same occupation, stay in the same village	Social mobility is more intensive. People change occupation and even leave places in search of new and better occupation
9	Social Interaction: Less numerous contacts. The area of interaction system is narrower. More professional, simple, face to face. Informal, sincere relations.	More numerous contacts. Area of interactions is wider, the relation are superficial and short-lived. The popular are more formal and showy.
10	Social Solidarity: Social solidarity or cohesiveness and unity are more stronger / greater than urban. Common traits, similarity of experiences, common aims and purposes, common customs and traditions are the basis of unity in village. Strong sense of belonging and unity.	Social solidarity is less stronger than rural, dissimilarities, division of labour, interdependence, specialization, impersonal, strictly formal relationships results comparatively less sense of belonging and unity.
11	Social Control: Social pressure by community is strong. Conformity of norms is more by informal social pressure.	Control is more by formal impersonal means of laws, prescribed rules and regulations.
12	Social Change: Rural social life is relatively static and stable.	Urban social life is under constant and rapid social change
13	Culture: Sacred (Religious) culture.	Secular (Non-religious) culture.
14	Leadership Pattern: Choice of leadership more on the basis of known personal qualities of individual, due to greater face to face contacts and more intimate knowledge of individual.	Choices of leadership is comparatively less on the basis of know personal qualities of individual
15	Group: Rural society is simple Unit-group society	Urban society is complex multi-group society.
16	Social Institutions: Most of the institutions are natural outgrowth of rural social life. Less enacted institutions.	Numerous enacted institutions.
17	Standard of Living: Home conveniences, public utilities, educational recreational religious, medical, communication and other facilities for living can be provided if supported by sufficient population base	In urban areas such conveniences and facilities are provided due to greater density of population
18	Standard of living is low.	Standard of living is high.