Factors of Social Change
a. Biological Factor
- Human population changes in number, composition, heredity, and quality affect society.
- Each generation is different from the previous one in ideas and behaviors.
- Demographic shifts like rural-to-urban migration and population density impact social structure.
- Changes in genetic traits and species extinction in the biological environment also influence societal change.
b. Natural/Physical Factor
- Natural disasters (floods, earthquakes, landslides, etc.) cause sudden social upheaval.
- These physical changes often lead to long-term transformations in settlement and community life.
c. Technological Factor
- New technologies alter institutions, customs, and social organization.
- Mechanization has transformed economies and devalued traditional social systems.
- According to Ogburn, technology changes society by changing the material environment, prompting social adaptation.
- Example: Replacement of horse-drawn transport by automobiles reshaped infrastructure and lifestyle.
d. Cultural Factor
- Culture changes through diffusion, invention, discovery, and borrowing.
- Culture both responds to change and generates it from within.
- Shifts in cultural values directly impact social institutions and behavior.
e. Social Factor
- Changes in customs and social practices (e.g., end of Sati, child marriage, widow remarriage) affect society.
- In Nepal, changes in caste system, family structure, marriage laws, and traditions lead to broader social transformation.
f. Political Factor
- Political changes (e.g., revolutions, regime shifts) bring about social restructuring.
- In Nepal, major changes were seen before and after 2007 B.S. and 2046 B.S., including the shift to multi-party democracy, which modified the social system.