Social Movements, Public Opinion and Pressure Groups
What this domain tests
This section asks you to distinguish social movements, public opinion and pressure groups, and to connect them to democratic participation. Karnataka-specific movements are fair game.
Core rules
- A social movement is a sustained, organised collective effort to change or resist social and political conditions. It uses protest, litigation, awareness campaigns and sometimes electoral pressure.
- Major Indian movements: the national freedom movement; Chipko (1973, Uttarakhand) against tree felling; Appiko (1983, Uttara Kannada, Karnataka), led by Pandurang Hegde, which mirrored Chipko in the Western Ghats; Narmada Bachao Andolan (Medha Patkar); farmers' movements such as the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha; Dalit and women's movements; the anti-corruption movement of 2011.
- Public opinion is the aggregate of citizens' views on public issues. Agencies that shape it include family, school, media, political parties, religious bodies, pressure groups and social media. In a democracy it informs policy and holds governments accountable.
- Pressure groups are organised interests that seek to influence policy without contesting elections. Examples: FICCI and ASSOCHAM (business), AITUC, INTUC and CITU (trade unions), farmers' associations, the Indian Medical Association, the Bar Council of India, and caste or religious organisations.
- Methods include lobbying, petitions, strikes, demonstrations, litigation and media campaigns.
Worked example
Why is the Chipko movement described as an environmental and women's movement? Reasoning: it began in 1973 in Uttarakhand when villagers, especially women, hugged trees to prevent contractors from felling them. It linked forest rights, livelihood and ecological stability, and used non-violent civil disobedience. Its pressure contributed to the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. Answer: it combined environmental protection with local community and gender participation.
Traps
Pressure groups do not contest elections; political parties do. Public opinion is not the same as unanimity. Do not place Appiko in Uttarakhand - it is Karnataka's Western Ghats. Social movements are not necessarily violent or anti-democratic.