How is environment responsible for social change ?
1. Ecology, commonly known as environment has influence on social change. Sometimes, it sets limits to the social change or in some cases it may bring very quick and fast changes in society.
2. Under special ecological or environmental conditions, development in society occurs in a specific direction. Generally, a large city can grow up quickly in favourable evironmental conditions. Cities near the sea or river grow faster due to commercial activities which get geared up through the water routes.
3. Difficult environmental conditions of desert or arctic regions may slow the development of advance technology.
4. In short we can say that a society under suitable environmental conditions may grow and develop faster. But a society under unfavourable environmental conditions may remain backward.
5. Societies located in geographically isolated areas may have less social interactions with other communities. Therefore, social changes in those isolated societies are very slow and cultures are underdeveloped (bear in mind as far as culture here is concerned we are saying so from scientific and technological point of view).
6. Societies where communications by road, water transportation are poor are backward. Social change can take place very slowly or partially in such societies.
7. Example : (a) As for instance, we can talk about the location of Mumbai and Kolkata cities, Kolkata is located on the bank of the river Hoogli and Mumbai on the shores of Arabian Sea. Growth and development of these two cities greatly depend on the commercial activities through the water routes. Trade and Commerce have brought very rapid social changes in these cities.
(b) On the other side, geographically isolated regions of North-East states of India have remained backward, even today. Although road and air communication have brought some piece of social change in the region, it remains unimportant in bringing expected economic development and social change.
8. Natural disasters like drought, flood, cyclone, tidal waves can cause quick change in a society. People are compelled to move from one place to another and can develop contact with other people and other cultures. Such a migration has great impact on the social life of the people in bringing social change.
