Give a description of the New Farmers’ Movements that started in India in the 1970s.(Answer in 250 words)
Yes, social media had a significant influence on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in India. Here's how: Increased Political Engagement: Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp became crucial tools for political parties, candidates, and their supporters to engage with voters, especialRead more
Yes, social media had a significant influence on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in India. Here’s how:
- Increased Political Engagement:
- Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp became crucial tools for political parties, candidates, and their supporters to engage with voters, especially younger demographics.
- Parties and candidates used these platforms to share their manifestos, campaign promises, and rally support through targeted messaging and advertising.
- Viral Content and Misinformation:
- The rapid spread of viral content, including memes, videos, and news articles (both factual and fake), played a significant role in shaping public discourse and perceptions during the election.
- Efforts to counter misinformation and fact-check online claims became essential, but the sheer volume of content made it challenging to control the spread of false narratives.
- Mobilization and Coordination:
- Social media platforms enabled political parties and their supporters to rapidly organize events, rallies, and volunteer efforts, fostering a sense of community and enhancing their ability to mobilize voters.
- Platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram facilitated the formation of grassroots-level groups that coordinated campaign activities and information sharing.
- Voter Targeting and Micro-Targeting:
- Parties and candidates leveraged data analytics and targeted advertising on social media to identify and engage with specific voter segments, tailoring their messages to appeal to the interests and concerns of these groups.
- This data-driven approach allowed for more personalized and effective campaign strategies.
- Influencer Marketing:
- Parties and candidates collaborated with social media influencers, celebrities, and opinion leaders to amplify their messages and reach a wider audience, particularly among younger and more tech-savvy voters.
- These partnerships helped to build a stronger emotional connection with the electorate.
- Rapid Response and Real-Time Engagement:
- Social media enabled political parties and candidates to respond quickly to evolving events and address emerging issues, often in real-time, shaping the narrative and public discourse.
- This allowed them to stay relevant and engage with voters more effectively throughout the campaign.
While social media’s influence on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was significant, it also raised concerns about the potential for the spread of misinformation, the impact of targeted advertising, and the need for stronger regulations and digital literacy initiatives to ensure a more informed and transparent political process.
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WHEN- 1970s and 80s WHERE- Different parts of India, most dominant uprisings in Punjab and Tamil Nadu WHY- prices, taxation, and related issues [non repayment of loans, lower the prices for agricultural inputs and essentials like water and electricity, introduce crop insurance, taxation, higher outpRead more
WHEN- 1970s and 80s
WHERE- Different parts of India, most dominant uprisings in Punjab and Tamil Nadu
WHY- prices, taxation, and related issues [non repayment of loans, lower the prices for agricultural inputs and essentials like water and electricity, introduce crop insurance, taxation, higher output prices, etc.]
WHAT- The movement was-
1. Regionally organised
2. Non party [farmers united together without any political influence]
3. Involved farmers and not peasants [peasants- grow plants for self consumption; farmers- involved in market, grow for self consumption well as selling]
4. Were strongly anti-state and anti-urban– basic ideology of the movement
HOW- lakhs of farmers came together and used novel methods of agitation were like:
1. road and railways blocking- dharnas, rasta roko
2. refusing politicians and bureaucrats’ entry in their villages- gavband
3. boycott of mandis by refusing to sell farm produce especially onion, cotton and tobacco or refusing to sell at low prices- increased output prices due to demand
4. marches and rallies
5. refusal in paying taxes and bill arrears
BROADENED AGENDA- The movements progressed and broadened its agenda to environmental and women issues, becoming one of the ‘new social movements.’
INTERESTING FACT- The movement was led by numerous dominant caste, upper class farmers for the land taxes, interests, and land related laws affected them significantly too. For small farmers, they were already in a turmoil with the non affordable changes introduced in he green revolution, and the revenue laws posed even more threat to their livelihood. Sociologists question if this was an advanced form of the older peasants movement.
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