Tradition is an act of encompassing the entire social system of Indian society prior to the beginning of modernization, based on the principles of hierarchy, holism, continuity and transcendence (Singh, 2016). The ancient Indian social structure has remained impervious to major elements of modernization until the advent of the British rule in India. The contact with the West brought historical changes in culture and social structure of India. But as the basic direction of this contact was inclined to modernization, the process also reinforced a variety of traditional institutions. The traditional system of Indian administration was basically caste based and family was the self-sufficient unit. This position was replaced by rationality and individualism in economy and society.
The Process of Modernization
Modern cultural institutions and forms of social structure were introduced after the establishment of British rule in India. The Western tradition at that time had undergone fundamental transformations due to the impact of Industrial Revolution. Indian society appeared to them as consisting of discrete plural traditions of castes, sub-castes and tribal population exhibiting a unique diversity with a systematic binding. The significance of the British contribution to modernization lies in the creation of networks within communities which were modern and pan-Indian. This led to the modernization of transport and communications, transformation of economic systems, etc.
The effects of modernizing sub-culture or Little tradition of Westernization were felt in parts of Bengal, Madras and Bombay during the 17th century. There was the emergence of a class of interpreters, trader-cum-middlemen who slowly took to westernization and there also began sects emphasizing assimilation of Western cultural norms and western modes of learning propagated by Brahmo Samaj, Prarthana Samaj etc. These movements also challenged the obscurantism of traditional beliefs of casteism, education, status of women, etc. This situation gradually led to the institution of modernizing Great tradition towards the middle of the nineteenth century. The components of this system were expansion of Western form of education, urbanization and industrialization, spread of new means of communication and transport and social reforms. Along with these norms structural modernization paved the way for rational bureaucratic systems of administration and judiciary, army, industrial bureaucracy, new classes of business elites and entrepreneurs. This also led to the growth of political elites and nationalist leadership during the middle of the nineteenth century. All of these transformations took place under the umbrella of colonialism in India.
Transformation in the Modernization Process
Following India’s Independence the modernization process has undergone a basic transformation. Today modernization is seen as an integral part of development for all levels of cultural and structural systems of the Indian society. The Constitution of India declares India as a democratic nation where the citizens enjoy universal adult suffrage while electing their representatives. A federal parliamentary form of political structure has been adopted for the social organization of administration. Introduction of land reforms and elective village panchayats has led to a life of social security and democratic participation in the electoral process of the villagers. But with all the achievements of modernization there are instances of structural and cultural breakdown in the society.