How would you classify social movements?

Classification of social movements:

(a) Social movements have been classified on the basis of numerous criteria.

1. Nature of change intended, 2. organisational mode and strategy, 3. nature of demands and 4. groups and collectivities involved, are four major criteria used for this purpose (i.e., the classification of social movement).

(b) Rao’s classification: Among the Indian sociologists M.S.A. Rao’s classification of movements is widely accepted. Rao classifies social movements into three types:

(1) Reformist Movements, (2) Transfor-matory Movements, and (3) Revolutionary Movement.

1. Reformist Movements: Reformist movements may be identified with partial changes in the value system and consequential changes in the quality of relationship.

2. Transformatory Movement: This type of movement aims at middle level structural changes in the traditional distribution of power.

3. Revolutionary Movements: Revolutionary Social Movements lead to radical changes in the totality of social and cultural systems.

(c) Classification done by Parth N. Mukherji:

(i) Parth N. Mukherji has put a classification of social movements based on nature and extent of changes that these movements intend to bring about in social systems.

(ii) Based on the criteria of change, he classifies three types of social movements.

1. Social movement,

2. Revolutionary movement, and

3. Quasi-movement.

1. Social Movement: Any collective mobilisation for action directed explicity towards an alteration or transformation of the structure of a system can be properly, understood as a social movement.

2. Revolutionary Movement: When the collective mobilisation aims at affecting widerange of and far-reaching changes in the major institutional systems comprising the entire society, we can rightly term it as a revolutionary movement.

3. Quasi-Movement: Collective mobilisation, aimed at social changes or within a particular social system, is a quasi-movement.

(d) Classification suggested by T. K. Oommen:

(i) The typology of T. K. Oommen is based on the process of movement crystallisation, the life cycle and the phases of social movements. For him the movements are :

1. Charismatic, 2. Ideological and 3. Organisational.

(ii) T. K. Oommen adopts another criteria for classification of social movements. He refers to this classification of movements on the basis of:

1. locality, 2. language, 3. issues, 4. social categories and 5. sects.