Social Problems
When a particular social phenomenon or condition disturbs
the social order and hinders the smooth working of social
institutions that come to be identified as a social problem. At
the initial phase, such conditions are neglected since they do
not have any serious adverse effects on the social system. But
gradually, they get accumulated and begin to affect normal
social life. Such a condition is recognized as a social problem.
Once a social problem takes roots and develops beyond the
bounds of tolerance, there arises resentment against it and
there is a demand for remedy in the interest of social
harmony. For example, the degradation of the soil in certain
regions of Punjab and Haryana is being caused by the
accepted methods of farming.
defination
Social issue, a state of affairs that negatively affects the personal or
social lives of individuals or the well-being of communities or larger
groups within a society and about which there is usually public
disagreement as to its nature, causes, or solution. The term social
issue is frequently used synonymously with social problem.
Early uses of the term social problem are found in the writings of 19th-
century intellectuals, including John Stuart Mill, the British philosopher
who coined the phrase. For decades, “the” social problem—defined
generally as that of resolving social conflict and creating a better society
—was a common subject of debate, scholarship, and journalism in
European and American literary culture. The idea of multiple social
problems arose toward the end of the 19th century, as sociologists, social
workers, and social reformers tended to frame their work in terms of the
narrative of studying and solving society’s problems.
Social Problems in Indian Context
Social problems in India have changed with different
historical phases. The major social problems in each of these
phases reflect the then existing social norms and values. The
major social problems in the early phase of the Indian
civilization were increasing rigidity of social hierarchy,
continuous conflicts between the Aryans and the Dasas,
emphasis on the observance of rituals, the sacrifice of animals
etc. With the advent of the Muslim rule in India, new social
problems like sati, purdah, the introduction of caste system
among the Muslims, etc. emerged. In the contemporary phase,
India is facing several social problems. We have the problems
of terrorism, violence, offences against women, children and
minorities, unemployment, poverty, drug addiction,
communalism, youth unrest, corruption, migration and
displacement, environmental degradation, population
explosion, prostitution, HIV/AIDS, etc. These problems are
the result of various factors that include economic, political,
legal, cultural as well as historical.
Definition of Social Problem
Social problems change with the passage of time. Let us
highlight some of the eminent thinkers who have put forth in
defining social problems but it is difficult to arrive at a
commonly accepted definition.
1. According to Fuller and Myers, a social problem is “a
condition which is defined by a considerable number of
persons as a deviation from some social norms which
they cherish”.
2. According to Merton and Nisbet define social problem
as “a way of behaviour that is regarded by a substantial
part of society as being in violation of one or more
generally accepted or approved norms”.
3. According to Carr, “a social problem exists whenever
we become conscious of a difficulty, a gap between our
preference and the reality”.
4. According to Goddard, “Poverty is insufficient supply
of those things which are requisite for an individual to
maintain himself and those dependent upon him in his
health and vigour”.
Nature of social problems
The social problem is connected to the majority of the
members of society. According to Bernad, the repressive and
tense condition consequent of social problems may be
involving three types of elements: (i) Tension factors which
challenge some values of society, (ii) Social values which are
being challenged and (iii) intense reaction of individuals and
groups to challenge.
The following characteristics exhibit the nature of social
problems:
(i) Disintegrative: Social problems, directly or
indirectly disintegrate the social system. Social problems
cause dissatisfaction, suffering and misery. It seriously
affects the values of the society. It is always disintegrating
and disorganizing. It is pathological. It is harmful for
society.
(ii) Multiple Causes: The social problems have no
single or simple cause. Each problem has a complex
history and is usually not due to one but to many causes.
War, poverty, unemployment or crimes do not offer a
single or simple explanation of their occurrence.
Sometimes one problem is so interwoven with other
problems that it cannot be solved apart from them.
(iii) Inter-Connected: Social problems are inter-
connected due to which these become serious. For
example, unemployment, poverty and crime are inter-
connected.
(iv) Many Remedies: Hence the solution of the
complex social problem requires various multi-sided
remedies.
(v) Relative Concept: Social problem is a relative
concept. What we call a social problem in our society may
not be a problem in other societies. Similarly, a social
problem today may not be a problem tomorrow.
(vi) Functional Value: Social problem, though
disintegrative, has functional value since its cure leads to
social problem and social development.
Significance of social problem
(i) Study of social problems is a part of the science
of sociology: Sociology is a social science which claims
to study the entire social phenomena. It is the only social
science which throws light on the different facets of social
life. Social problems constitute an inseparable part of
society or social life. It is therefore mandatory for
sociology to make a scientific study of social problems.
Thus, sociology follows its own ways and means of
studying social problems such as poverty, unemployment,
over-population, crime, juvenile delinquency, family
disorganization, corruption, illiteracy, communal riots,
terrorism, extremism, violence against women, and so on.
(ii) Study of social problems as the historical
responsibility of sociology: Study of social problems is
very much associated with the origin and emergence of
sociology. In fact, the serious social problem such as
poverty, unemployment, exploitation of labourers, women
and children, child labour, slums, uncontrolled migration
towards city, urban crowding, lack of basic amenities in
cities, increasing crime rate etc., that cropped up due to
the outbreak of Industrial Revolution, disturbed the minds
of social thinkers such as Auguste Comte, Herbert
Spencer, Karl Marx, and other. These thinkers later on
strongly advocated the need to establish a separate science
of society. Comte especially believed that such a science
would be able to find solutions to many of the social
problems of the day. Thus, historically also sociology has
an obligation to study social problems for which purpose
it was originally established.
(iii) Social pathology as a specialized branch to study
social problems: Sociology in its attempts to study social
problems systematically, scientifically, and in their
entirety established a new branch known as “Social
Pathology.” It was Ginsberg who strongly recommended
the need for establishing a separate branch of sociology
and called it “Social Pathology”. According to Durkheim,
the task of social pathology is to study the abnormal or
pathological conditions of society. Durkheim who
founded two other branches of sociology namely:
“sociology of crime” and “sociology of morals”,
expressed the view that the incidences of suicide are
nothing but the social consequences of the pathological
conditions of society.
(iv) Study of problems is absolutely necessary for
finding solutions: A pathological society is like an
individual with ill health. No doctor will administer
treatment without examining the disease of the patient.
This is equally true to society. Unless the social problems
are properly studied, their causes are traced out, their
nature is known, it is not possible to deal effectively with
them and to find befitting solutions to them. Thus, study
of social problems assumes importance in sociology.
Sociologists also consider it as their social responsibility
to study these problems and recommend appropriate
solutions for them.
(v) The very existence of social problems indicates
the internal deficiency of the society on the one hand,
and the failure of its social policies, on the other: Thus,
if a society is suffering from various social problems, on
that basis it can be said that it has some serious internal
deficiencies which need immediate correction or repair. In
the Indian context, the nation has been suffering from a
series of problems such as over population, poverty,
unemployment, illiteracy, violence against women,
corruption etc., This state of affairs reflect that many of
the socio-economic plans, programmes, and policies of
India have failed to bring about the expected results. It
also alerts the administration to find out the mistakes and
to take proper action to save the Indian society from a
social collapse.
(vi) Social problems indicate that cultural values are
changing and getting violated or eroded: Cultural
values normally decide or interpret what is good and what
is bad, what is desirable and what is undesirable, what is
sublime and what is ugly and so on. It is a sociological
fact of general observation that whenever cultural values
are continuously violated or eroded, social problems of
some kind or the other, will crop up. This is true in the
case of Indian society also.
(vii) Social problems demand quick relief, if progress
and development are to be achieved: Desire for progress
is found in all societies. If this desire is to be materialized,
the problems that are haunting the society are to be tackled
efficiently and immediately. Progress and development of
India become meaningful only when poverty,
unemployment, overpopulation, corruption, illiteracy and
other problems are contained and all the people are
provided with the basic necessities of life. Sociological
studies have been of great help to those planners and
administrators who are generally interested in the progress
and prosperity of India.
Causes of social problems
Social problems create disharmony and maladjustment but
still the problems exist. What are the main causes, which have
been posed by our sociologists. So far the problem has found
no solution and every attempt made in this regard has failed.
The main reason for this is that the sociologists cannot
pinpoint a single cause responsible for creating such a
problem. Let highlight some of the main causes of social
problems in India-
(i) Social change leads to social problems: All social
changes do not cause problems. Those social changes
which are ordinary in nature and do not cause any
problems of adjustments for the people to carry on with
their day-to-day activities rarely trigger social problems.
But when problems of adjustment are created by social
change, social problems may creep in.
For examples, attempts by the government to
introduce educational change through a new
educational policy which is basically defective, may
lead to problems such as student unrest and educated
unemployment. A sudden military revolt may push a
nation towards political instability and social
insecurity.
(ii) Cultural lag causing social problems: W. F.
Ogburn who introduced the concept of ‘cultural lag’ states
that changes are quick to take place in the material culture.
These, in turn, stimulate changes in the non-material
culture. But the non-material culture may be slow to
respond giving rise to a gap or a lag between the material
and non-material cultures. This lag is called the ‘cultural
lag’. This lag or cultural lag may lead to problems of
adjustment and also to social problems.
For example, the process of deforestation is taking
place faster to cater to the needs of the growing paper
industry, house construction,, making furniture, etc.
(material culture). But the art of conservation of forest
(non-material culture) does not keep pace with these
industrial developments. The result is the problem of
the environmental population.
(iii) Natural disasters: Nature has been bountiful to
man no doubt. But man often becomes a victim of its
wrath. Floods, famines, cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, tsunami, outburst of contagious diseases, etc.
represent the furious faces of nature. Almost every year,
lakhs of people in the world become the victims of these
extremes of nature. Man’s attempts to control nature and
its forces have not been complete and can never become
so. Somewhere at some time some people or the other will
have to pay a great price in the form of facing the wrath of
nature.
For example, Bhuj of Gujarat in 2000, and a terrific
cyclone that proved to be disastrous in Orissa in 1999,
the gigantic “Tsunami” waves of 26-12-2004 causing
the death of more than 2.5 lakh people and damaging
the property worth thousands of crores of rupees in
India, Srilanka, Maldives, Indonesia, Africa. The flood
havocs at Uttarakhand in 2013, and Jammu and
Kashmir in 2014, etc. Natural calamities like these not
only disturb the normal course of social life of the
people but also create serious social problems.
(iv) Political and social dangers: Nature is not the only
source causing danger to man’s life; man himself creates
conditions that often prove to be not only harmful but
even dangerous. Like political revolution, revolts,
communal riots, racial conflicts, terrorism, ethnic clashes,
mass movements, military rebellion, arson and loots,
bomb explosions, etc., disturb even the society which has
a well-established organization.
For example, the Godra incident at Gujarat that
triggered after the burning alive of 58 persons (Ram
Sevakas) in a railway compartment in the year 2002.
(v) Biological causes: Serious ups-and-downs in
populations, population explosion, great imbalance in the
composition of the population, the spread of diseases, lack
of supply of nutritious food and such other biological
factors disturb the social balance in the society.
(vi) Psychological causes: Man’s mental tendencies,
temperament, his own inherited qualities influence his
behaviour and activities. Sometimes, these aspects of man
may disturb him in making adjustments with the changing
times. Mental qualities such as instincts, imitation,
suggestibility, hatredness, prejudice, anger, jealousy,
competitiveness, aggressiveness, hysterical nature, etc., do
have their own positive and negative impact on human
behaviour and activities. These activities ultimately decide
how efficiently or inefficiently they face social challenges
or cope with the disturbing social conditions.
(vii) Technological inventions: Technology has its own
limitations. It has brought both good and bad results for
man. As Ogburn stated, technology widens the gap
between the material and non-material parts of culture.
Men are becoming more materialistic and less traditional.
Men are devoted more to quantity than to quality, to
measurement than to appreciation. Human beings by the
use of machines have become less human, more passive
and more mechanical. There has been a movement
towards individualism and hedonism (pleasure – seekers)
which has its own adverse effects on society.
For example, due to technological advancement cities
have given encouragement to social problems such as
slums, crimes, prostitution, environmental pollution,
gambling, drug addiction, etc.
(viii) Radical changes in social values: Social values
play a vital role in maintaining social equilibrium, but
these values themselves are subject to change. There is a
close affinity between social values and social
relationships. Hence, when social values change social
relationships also get changed. Younger generation is in a
better position to adjust itself with the changing values,
whereas the older generation finds it difficult to do so.
This situation often leads to a gap between the
generations. This ‘generation gap’ gives rise to clashes
and conflicts between the parents and children, students
and teachers, and the old and the new.
(ix) Laxity of social control: Social organization is
possible because of the successful functioning of social
control. But rigidity and failure on the part of the means of
social control to adjust themselves to the changing times
make them to become less effective. Thus, folkways,
mores, customs, religion, law, values and such other
means of social control have become weak. A reduction in
the effectiveness of the means of social control naturally
leads to an increase in the instances of crimes, violence,
exploitation, terrorism, cheating, sex crimes, etc.
Characteristics of social problems
Weinberg has mentioned six main characteristics of social
problems which may be briefly examined here.
(i) Social problems arise by being collectively defined
as objectionable by many members of the community.
Thus, adverse conditions not defined by the community as
reprehensible are not considered as social problems.
(ii) Social problems change when the concerned
behavioural patterns are interpreted differently.
(iii) Mass media like newspapers, television, radio,
magazines, movies, play an important role in creating
awareness about the scope and urgency of social
problems.
(iv) Social problems have to be viewed in the context of
society’s values and institutions.
(v) Social problems need to be analyzed in terms of the
influences upon them by group processes and social
relationships.
(vi) Since social problems vary historically,
contemporary social problems are the society’s concern,
that is, the problem of refugee settlement in India in 1947-
48 was different from the problem of settling refugees
from Assam in 1968, or the Tamils from Sri Lanka in
1988-89, or the Indians from Kuwait and Iraq in
September 1990.
Conclusion
With an introduction to the social problems and then attempts
to define what is a social problem. Based on it, the
characteristics of social problems have been deduced and
social problems in the Indian context have been examined.
Then an attempt has been made to classify social problems on
the basis of causative and systemic factors. Social problems
can be due to social, cultural, economic, political, legal, and
ecological factors. Systemic factors leading to social problems
can be due to social disorganization or due to the deviant
behaviour of the individual. We have also learnt about the
approaches to study social problems. Finally, some light has
been thrown on the societal response to the social problems.
