ISSN (Print) - 0012-9976 | ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

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Occupational Mobility and Political Development-Some Preliminary Findings

In spite of the crucial importance of occupational mobility not only as an indicator of social change but also as a transmitting agent of new attitudes and behaviour, it is a neglected field of study in India. This paper attempts to make a beginning by focusing on the relationship between occupational mobility and political attitudes. This involves, first, identifying the social sectors that are prone to be occupa- tionally mobile and, second, examining whether or not there are significant differences in political attitudes and behaviour between the occupationally mobile and the non-mobile.

Inter-Generational Occupational Mobility

The extent of out-mobility of the sons of fathers from white-collar, professional and business occupations is higher than those from skilled and unskilled workers. Among agriculturists, the out-mobility of sons of agricultural labourers is relatively higher than that of the sons of owner or tenant cultivators.

The extent of in-mobility into business and owner cultivation is the least. Irrespective of social origins, sons find it relatively easier to move into non-agricultural occupations than into agricultural occupations.

The system does not offer equal occupational opportunities to sons of all origins.

[The author wishes to thank D L Sheth, Ramashray Roy and Ashis Nandy for their comments on an earlier draft of this paper.]

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