Read the passage carefully and answer the question. "There is ... a subtler domination exercised in the sphere of ideas by one culture on another, a domination all the more serious in the consequence, because it is not ordinarily felt... Slavery begins when one ceases to feel the evil and it deepens when the evil is accepted as a good. Cultural subjection is ordinarily of an unconscious character and it implies slavery from the very start. When I speak of cultural subjection, I do not mean the assimilation of an alien culture. That assimilation need not be an evil; it may be positively necessary for healthy progress and in any case it does not mean a lapse of freedom. There is cultural subjection only when one's traditional cast of ideas and sentiments is superseded without comparison or competition by a new cast representing an alien culture which possesses one like a ghost." In the light of the passage above, cultural subjection amounts to
(K.C. Bhattacharyya, Swaraj in Ideas, p.13)
The question asks to define cultural subjection based on the provided passage by K.C. Bhattacharyya.
Understanding Cultural Subjection Passage
The passage defines cultural subjection as a subtle, often unconscious domination where one culture's ideas replace another's. This process is described as:
- Domination that is "not ordinarily felt."
- A form of "slavery" beginning when one stops feeling the "evil" of subjugation.
- Occurring when traditional ideas are "superseded without comparison or competition" by foreign ideas.
- Distinct from assimilation, which can be healthy and doesn't imply a loss of freedom.
Analyzing the Options
Let's analyze the options in light of the passage:
Option A: An Uncritical Assimilation of Foreign Culture
The passage states cultural subjection involves traditional ideas being "superseded without comparison or competition by a new cast representing an alien culture." This lack of comparison or competition signifies an uncritical adoption or replacement process, aligning with this option.
Option B: Inability to Distinguish Good from Evil
Bhattacharyya writes, "Slavery begins when one ceases to feel the evil and it deepens when the evil is accepted as a good." This directly points to a failure in discerning right from wrong within the context of cultural subjugation, supporting this option.
Option C: An Uncritical Discarding of One's Tradition
The passage mentions one's "traditional cast of ideas and sentiments is superseded without comparison or competition." The phrase "without comparison or competition" implies that traditions are set aside without proper evaluation, meaning they are discarded uncritically. This supports the option.
Option D: A Complete Rejection of Foreign Ideas
Cultural subjection inherently involves the dominance of *foreign* ideas over traditional ones. Therefore, rejecting foreign ideas is contrary to the definition provided in the passage.
Conclusion on Cultural Subjection
Based on the analysis:
- Option A captures the uncritical nature of adopting foreign elements during subjection.
- Option B reflects the moral confusion described as part of the slavery associated with subjection.
- Option C highlights the passive and unexamined replacement of traditional thought systems.
Therefore, options A, B, and C accurately describe aspects of cultural subjection as presented in the passage.
Important Questions from Theories of Social Change
- Which one of the following is defined by M. N. Srinivas as “the changes brought about in Indian society and culture as a result of over 150 years of British rule"?
- Which of the following statement(s) is/are CORRECT?
- Select the option(s) that best describe(s) the term ‘gentrification.'
- As a sociological concept, ‘pizza effect' is NOT related to which of the following option(s)?
- The stable pattern of ‘modern men' formulated by Alex Inkeles does not include ______.
