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The emergence of backward castes/classes as political entities has occurred both in the colonial and postcolonial contexts. The colonial state often distributed patronage on the basis of caste. It made sense, therefore, for people to stay within their caste for social and political identity in institutional life. It also influenced similarly placed caste groups to unite themselves and to form what has been termed a ‘horizontal stretch’. Caste thus began to lose its ritual content and become more and more secularized for political mobilization.

Historical Background

  1. The term ‘Backward Classes’ has been in use in different parts of the country since the late 19th Century. It began to be used more widely in Madras presidency since1872, in the princely state of Mysore since 1918, and in Bombay presidency since1925. From the1920s a number of organizations united around the issue of caste sprang up in different parts of the country. These included the United Provinces Hindu Backward Classes League, All India Backward Classes Federation, and All India Backward Classes League. In 1954,88 organizations were counted working for the Backward Classes.
  2. The increasing visibility of both Dalits and other backward classes has led to a feeling among sections of the upper caste that they are being given special treatment The government, they feel does not pay any heed to them because they are numerically not significant enough. As sociologists we need to recognize that such a ‘feeling’ does exist and then we need to scrutinize to what extent such an impression is grounded on empirical facts. We also need to ask why earlier generations from the so called ‘upper castes” did not think of “caste” as a living reality of modern India.
  3. By and large, when compared to the situation prevailing before independence, the condition of all social groups, including the lowest caste and tribes, has improved today. But by how much has it improved? It is true that in the early part of the 21st century, the variety of occupations and professions among all caste groups is much wider than it was in the past However, this does not change the massive social reality that the overwhelming majority of those in the ‘highest’ or most preferred occupations are from the upper castes, while the vast majority of those in the menial and despised occupations belong to the lowest castes.

Backward class movements

Backward class movements emerged among depressed castes and deprived sections of society in different parts of India with the spread of the national movement The difference between the religious and the caste movement is that while the former attacked evils of Hinduism, the latter exhorted its followers to seek solutions to their problems within the framework of Hinduism, i.e., without rejecting their religion.

Nature of Backward Class Movement :

  1. Protests against discrimination of various kinds,
  2. To gain self-respect, honour and status,
  3. Status mobility movements,
  4. Caste unity movements, and
  5. Caste welfare movements.

The status mobility movements can be further sub-classified as :

  1. Adaptive movements,
  2. Movements oriented towords cultural revolts, and
  3. Counter-cultural movements.

The backward castes suffered from relative deprivation in the fields of religion, education, economics and politics. They accepted their lot till certain external influences provided favourable conditions to create an awakening among them.