Essay on Rural Factionalism in India, its meaning, characteristics and

causes!
Rural India is conventionally synonymous with social solidarity. The Indian
villages are known as well-knit social units. People living in villages
irrespective of their caste and vocation contribute to the unity of the village
through peaceful co-existence and mutual support. They take pride in the
image of their village. Of late unity of the village has been threatened by
factionalism.

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Peace of the village has been affected by various small groups called
factions. Ruralites no longer look forward to the leadership of a single
individual called the headman of village. The headman is no longer the
centre of power and authority in the village. Factional leaders are enjoying
dominating positions and the headman is relegated to the background.
Eventually the pattern of leadership has changed in the villages. There is
growing dissention among factions. Competition for power among factions
has led to intolerance, intrigues and violence. Peace of the village is fast
deteriorating.
This changing scenario has been a matter of deep concern for the social
thinkers and much deliberation is being made in this direction by the
sociologists.

Meaning and Structure of Faction:

A faction is a small group formed on the basis of political ideology, caste
power, clash of personality in order to serve political, social and economic
interests of a small minority. Sociologists are of the view that factionalism
raises its ugly head in the rural communities on account of natural rivalry
and conflict or clash of personality.
In his book Leadership and Groups in a South Indian Village, H.S. Dhillon
has rightly observed that rivalry and opposition to some groups is a general
feature of a faction and a faction usually comes into existence on account
of mutual rivalry and conflict or clash of personalities. In some villages the
faction is known as Dhar which means a human body.
The family is a miniature form of a faction. Structurally, the faction is an
organisation that centres around a single individual or a group of families
with a common interest. For example, peasant families owning vast landed

property in a village may combine themselves into a faction. Similarly

families with small holdings may organise themselves into a faction.
The third faction in a village may consist of the families who have no land
and earn their livelihood as labourers. It may so happen that people
belonging to one caste or supporting one political party or following one
religious ideology organise themselves into a faction to fulfill the mutual
interests of its members. In villages families and persons also form factions
on the basis of dependence on each other in addition to some common
interest.
However, there are some families in the village who are self-dependent.
They neither seek others help nor do they care for anyone in the village.
These families remain neutral or indifferent.
They are keen on maintaining their independent identity. Thus a village is
divided into factions depending on the relationship among the families,
which may be either of (i) animosity and hostility, or (ii) friendly cooperation,
or (iii) indifference.
A faction is further subdivided into smaller factions when a few members of
a faction group together and try to have their independent status. They defy
the authority of the leader of their faction and form a faction of their own.
Each difference in the faction leads to further subdivision of the faction. If
all the factions in a village cooperate with each other, the village can
achieve prosperity.

Characteristic features of Faction:

Faction has several essential features. These features explain the nature
and function of the faction. Some of them are discussed below:

1. A well organised unit:

A faction is a well-knit unit. The strength of the faction lies in its unity and
loyalty of its members. All the members pledge their loyalty to the faction
and subordinate their individual interests to the faction.
2. Common interest:
Faction is organised on the basis of certain aims, objectives, aspirations
and considerations common to all its members. In the villages caste
solidarity is one of the major common interests. In addition to it, religious,
social, economic and political considerations determine the formation and
existence of the faction.
3. Homogeneity:
A homogeneous group is necessary to form a faction. People sharing one
religious faith or the same social status or economic aspiration or political
ideology constitutes a faction. As long as the members share
homogeneous interest the faction continues to exist. In other words
heterogeneous elements can never group together into a faction.
4. Self-sufficiency:
Faction is self-sufficient. As size of the faction determines its efficient
functioning, it should be neither too small nor too large. It should be large
enough to be able to meet the needs of its members, organise social or
religious functions independently and maintain its independent identity.
5. Economic viability:
The faction is economically independent. It does not depend on any
external source for financial assistance. Members contribute generously or
arrange funds to make their faction economically viable, otherwise the

economic, wellbeing of the members cannot be safeguarded and the

faction might disintegrate.
Oscar Lewis, an eminent sociologist, points out that the faction has three
essential features (i) it is a well-knit unit, (ii) it is large enough to have
self-sufficiency, and (iii) it is economically viable. But in addition to these
three features homogeneity and common goal are also necessary for the
formation and smooth functioning of the faction.

Causes of formation of the Faction:

There are several causes responsible for the formation of a faction in the
village. These causes are based on needs of the people. They can be
grouped under four categories, such as social, economic, political and
psychological depending on the fulfillment of the needs of the ruralites.
1. Social causes:
Social causes are related to caste feuds, family disputes and sexual
offences. Rural societies can never be ridden of these socially disturbing
factors.
(i) Casteism:
Casteism is an important cause of factionalism in rural India. The feeling of
caste superiority is a natural phenomenon in the villages. Even top caste
Brahmins are divided into sections, each claiming superiority over the
others.
People belonging to higher castes always try not only to exploit lower caste
people but also dominate over them. People belonging to lower castes
organise themselves into factions to protect themselves from exploitation,
discrimination and oppression.

Feeling of caste rivalry is also another cause of rural factionalism. Intercaste rivalry as well as rivalry among various sections of the same caste
leads to formation of factions.
(ii) Family Feuds:
Families claiming themselves superior in status enter into quarrels and
skirmishes with other families. These families form a faction to exert their
influence and their victims also form factions to safeguard their interests.
(iii) Sexual offences:
Sexual offences like sexual harassment, violation of womens modesty or
adultery by dominant groups lead to disputes among sections of people in
the villages. This results in the formation of factions.
2. Economic causes:
Economic well-being of a particular group of the village leads to the
formation of a faction. Since people need the help of other people for the
fulfillment or their financial needs they are bound to form a small group.
Each member of the faction tries to help the other at the time of monetary
crisis caused by a sudden death or natural calamity or insolvency and even
weddings. Hence economic security is one of the primary causes behind
the formation of the faction.
3. Political causes:
Villages constitute an important source of political strength in India. So
political parties try to woo the ruralites into their fold. Political parties
interfere in village politics. As a result elections to Gram Panchayats are
ridden with party politics and divide the rural society into different factions.
Factionalism in rural India is, for the most part, determined by casteism.
People belonging to different castes try to gain political leverage for their

own castes at the time of election. Therefore they organise themselves into
factions. Even people of one caste are divided into various factions for
narrow political gains.
4. Psychological causes:
Psychological factors like fear for loneliness and ego satisfaction are
responsible for formation of factions. People afraid of being isolated try to
associate themselves with a group. They have the psychological
satisfaction that they are not alone and there is a group to support him at
the time of crisis.
Secondly, people enjoying power or honours have an ego that they are
superior to others. If their ego is injured they become vindictive. Since no
one can alone dominate over others for long, such people form a coterie or
small faction.
Oscar Lewis, a celebrated Sociologist, has made a significant study of the
faction in Indian villages. On the basis of his study he has mentioned the
following causes of factionalism.
(i) Quarrels and disputes over inheritance of property.
(ii) Family feuds over adoption of a male child for succession.
(iii) Disputes over the land and irrigation rights.
(iv) Disputes and feuds caused by sexual offences.
(v) Murders
(vi) Rivalries among various castes.
Inter-Factional Relationship:

Factions in rural India are not independent of each other. They have to
maintain a certain kind of relationship with other factions to protect the
interest of their own faction. There is always the problem of relationship
among factions. The relationship is either friendly or hostile or indifferent.
Interfactional relationship is of three types. They are as follows:
(i) Friendship and cooperation
(ii) Enmity and rivalry
(iii) Indifference
(i) Friendship and Cooperation:
Different factions of a village may adopt the principle of peaceful
coexistence based on democratic values of live and let live. They may
have friendly relationship with one another to avoid clash of interests, and
they cooperate with one another to protect their own interest. This friendly
cooperation may be of two types, such as, (i) temporary cooperation, and
(ii) permanent cooperation.
During important festivals or on festive occasions the factions may bury
their differences for a temporary period of time. They may celebrate the
occasion with a spirit of friendship and brotherhood. They may even
organise a function jointly.
This kind of friendliness is short lived. Permanent cooperation among
factions is possible if their mutual interest does not clash. In this case the
factions help one another if they are in conflict with any faction from outside
the village.
(ii) Enmity and Rivalry:

Factions in a village are hostile to one another if there is clash of interests.

They are at daggers drawn with one another. They indulge in mudslinging
and character assassination out of animosity and jealousy. They are
intolerant of their rival factions and donot greet their rivals on festive
occasions like Holi, Id or Christmas and may even go to the extent of
settling their scores with them on these occasions.
(iii) Indifference:
The factions may be indifferent to one another. They do not bother about
their rival factions and ignore them. The leaders of these factions are selfcentred and egocentric. They always try to show off themselves and prove
the superiority of their faction.
Factors of Interfactional Relationship:
Relationship among various factions is determined by several factors.
These factors are as follows:
(i) Co-operation:
Cooperation among individual members of one faction with any other
member of another faction contributes to warm interfactional relationship.
(ii) Personal relationship of any member of a faction with a member of
another faction:
If any member of one faction enters into matrimony with a member of other
faction, friendship is ensured.
(iii) Lending or borrowing money between factions:
Economic dependence may force a faction to maintain cordial relationship
with other factions.
(iv) Common heritage:

If factions share a common ancestry, they maintain a working relationship

among themselves.
(v) Celebration:
Observance of social, religious and intellectual functions determines
interfactional relationship.
(vi) Factional leadership:
Factions are governed by their individual leaders. Hence interfactional
relationship is either cordial or bitter depending on the quality of leadership.
If the leader is good and considerate, benevolent and generous,
relationship with rival factions is good. On the other hand, if the leader is
mean, intolerant and selfish, interfactional relationship is bitter. An
understanding of the institution of factional leadership helps us in properly
understanding interfactional relationship.