Traditional communities, modernisation and moral behaviour

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to ascertain impact of modernisation on moral behaviour in village communities in North India.

Design/methodology/approach

Both qualitative and empirical analysis is done to evaluate a set of ideas related to the main objective. The empirical analysis is based on primary data.

Findings

Limitations of primary data notwithstanding, results suggest that in-group, inter-group and generalised trust are not exclusive. The empirical results also suggest that significant sources of inter-group trust are trust in neighbours, trust in village council, development/modernisation and education. And sources of generalised trust seem to be inter-group trust, trust in village council, development and education.

Research limitations/implications

The study pertains to village communities in Indian Punjab embedded in region’s evolved syncretic culture. Researchers need to take into account historical specificities while designing studies for other areas.

Originality/value

The paper finds that majority of individuals in the evolved, heterogenous communities are inclusive and subscribe to moran values that persist with modernisation. But core values may become dormant in a situation of social disequilibrium. Inclusive development and spread of education in a conducive local institutional framework seem to restore them.

Citation

Dhesi, A.S. (2015), "Traditional communities, modernisation and moral behaviour", International Journal of Social Economics, Vol. 42 No. 12, pp. 1155-1167. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSE-12-2013-0274