Understanding Rural Community: Key Features and Values
· Caste System: Rural societies are bound by tradition. Therefore, the hold of caste system is more visible in the rural society of India.
· Rural Economy and Occupation – The rural community is marked by a predominant type of occupation, namely agriculture. Agriculture is associated with various crafts such as pottery, basket making, spinning, weaving, carpentry, smoothing, brick making, shoe making, tanning, leather-hiding, laundry, barbering, construction and repair of houses, oil grinding, toy making etc.
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Dominance of Primary Relationships: A village community is often considered as a primary group. Hence the rural community is characterised by primary relationships. Face-to-face relationships exist between the people. Every person knows every other and hence everyone is interested in everyone’s welfare.
· Rural Political Life: The rural people are politically aware and active. Reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions and at the grassroots level has brought awareness and activism in their political life.
· Importance of Family: The rural community is built around the institution of the family. The rural family is very cohesive. It lives together, eats together and works together as a unit.
· Role of Neighbour: A ‘Neighbourhood’ is a community in miniature. It is similar to a community, but it is a smaller area in which relationships are primary, or more or less intimate.