Maharashtra Board Class 6 Civics Chapter 1 Our Life in Society PDF Download

1. Our Life in Society

In the fifth standard, you have learnt about the evolution of man. It tells us that our present social life has taken shape through a process of evolution over thousands of years. Man has moved from a nomadic stage to a settled social life.

1.1 Why Did Man Feel The Need For Society?

A stable and secure community life is necessary for the development of the individual as well as society. In the nomadic stage, man did not have this stability and security. When man realized that living in a group provides security, people came together to develop an organized way of life. This was one of the main motivations for the creation of society. Living in society, man felt the need for rules to help with the smooth functioning of day-to-day matters. It gave rise to conventions, traditions, ethics and values, rules and laws. Man's life in society became more organized and stable.

Teacher's Note

In India, when we live in joint families, we follow rules and traditions that help everyone live together peacefully. This is just like how early man created rules for his group.

Exam Trick

Remember: Man needed society for security and rules. Just like you follow school rules to keep the school organized, early man made rules to keep society organized.

Points to Remember

Man moved from nomadic to settled life because it gave security.
Rules and traditions help society run smoothly.
Society helped organize man's daily life.
Laws and ethics developed in society.
Security was the main reason people came together.

1.2 The Social Nature of Man

Man is social by nature. We all basically like to live with one another, in each other's company and with people around us. Living with people not only makes us happy, it is also our need.

We have many needs. Food, shelter, clothing are our physical needs. Once these are satisfied, man gets a sense of stability, but that is not enough. We also have some emotional and psychological needs. For example, to feel secure is an emotional need. When we are happy, we wish to share our happiness with others. Similarly, when we are sad, we wish to have somebody with us. We like the companionship of our family members, relatives and friends! These feelings reflect our social nature.

Teacher's Note

When you score good marks, you want to tell your parents and friends about it. This shows our need to share happiness with others, which is part of our social nature.

Exam Trick

Remember: Social nature = we need to live with others. Just like you feel sad when alone and happy with friends, man is social by nature.

Points to Remember

Man likes to live with others in his company.
We have physical needs like food and shelter.
We also have emotional needs like security and appreciation.
We want to share happiness and sadness with others.
Family, relatives and friends are important to us.

1.3 Our Development

Every person is born with some qualities and capabilities. But they are dormant. They develop in a society. We use language to communicate with one another, but we cannot do so at birth. We learn language gradually. Our first language is the one that is spoken at home. If our neighbours speak different languages, we pick up those too. Schools also provide opportunities to learn different languages.

We also have the capacity to think independently. For example, when all the students in a class are given the same topic for an essay, why is it that no two essays are the same? It is because the thought process in each is different. Society helps in the development of our emotional capabilities and the power to think. It also provides the opportunity for expressing our thoughts and feelings.

The development of our artistic and other talents also takes place in society. Singers, musicians, artists, scientists, adventurers, social workers can all develop their qualities further because of the backing and encouragement of society. This encouragement is very important.

Teacher's Note

In India, many children learn music and dance from their grandparents and teachers in society. Society gives them the chance to develop these talents further.

Exam Trick

Remember: Society helps our development. Like a seed needs soil to grow into a plant, our talents need society's encouragement to grow.

Points to Remember

We are born with qualities but they are dormant.
We learn language from home and school.
We learn to think independently in society.
Artists, musicians and scientists need society's support.
Encouragement from society helps us develop our talents.

1.4 What Is Meant By Society?

Society includes all people - men, women, grown-ups, old people, young children. Our families are a part of the society. Society also includes different groups, institutions and organizations. The inter-relationships and inter-actions between the people, their dependence on one another and sharing also form a part of the society. Society is not simply a mob or crowd of people. A society is formed when people come together to achieve certain common objectives.

You know that food, clothes, shelter, education and health are our basic needs. Due to the labour and skills of people in the society, a variety of articles are produced. Education and health-related services and facilities allow us to live with dignity. All this is made available in a society. A variety of industries and occupations help to fulfil our needs. For example, we need books for studying; and paper for books. That is why occupations like manufacturing paper, printing, book binding, etc. also develop. Many people contribute to this process. Thus, the variety of occupations in the society help us in fulfilling our needs. This also leads to the development of our skills and capabilities. Our basic needs are fulfilled in society. We depend on each other for our emotional needs such as security, appreciation, praise and support etc. Thus, our life in society is interdependent.

Teacher's Note

In your school, teachers, cleaners, cooks and office staff all work together to provide you with education. This is an example of how society works.

Exam Trick

Remember: Society = people with common goals. A classroom is like a small society where everyone works together for learning.

Points to Remember

Society includes men, women, children and old people.
Families and organizations are part of society.
People depend on each other for their needs.
Many occupations help fulfill our needs.
Society is formed when people have common goals.

In order to fulfil needs like food, clothing, shelter and security, the society has to create a permanent system. Without such a system, the day-to-day affairs of the society cannot be carried on. A system is essential for the continued existence of the society. For example, agriculture is essential to fulfil the need for food. Various institutions must be created to perform all the functions related to agriculture. Therefore, a vast system needs to be created which includes factories to manufacture tools and equipment used for farming, banks to provide loans to the farmers, a market for the goods produced, etc. The existence of many such systems makes a society stable.

In the next chapter, we shall learn about the diversity in the Indian society.

Do You Know?

All human beings are equal by birth. They have the same status as human beings. According to the Constitution of India, all are equal before the law. The Constitution guarantees the equality of opportunities. We can each make progress using our education, capabilities and skills.

Teacher's Note

In India, the Constitution protects everyone equally. A poor child and a rich child have the same right to education and opportunity.

Exam Trick

Remember: All humans are equal by birth. The Indian Constitution says everyone has equal rights and equal opportunity to succeed.

Points to Remember

All humans are equal by birth.
The Constitution of India gives everyone equal status.
Everyone is equal before the law.
Constitution guarantees equality of opportunities.
We can progress using our education and skills.

Exercise

1. Fill in the blanks.

(1) Man felt the need for .............. for the day to day affairs of society to run smoothly.

(2) ................ helps the development of people's talents.

(3) We all have some emotional and some ............ needs, too.

2. Answer in one sentence.

(1) Which are our basic needs?

(2) Whose company do we like?

(3) What opportunities does society provide us with?

3. What do you think? Answer in two or three sentences.

(1) How is a society formed?

(2) Why is it necessary to set up a permanent system in society?

(3) What makes life in society more stable and organized?

(4) If there were no social institutions, what difficulties would we have faced?

4. What would you do in the following situations?

(1) Your friend has forgotten to bring something they need in school.

(2) You meet a blind or otherwise handicapped person on the way.

Activities

(1) Meet a skilled tradesman who makes farmers' tools. Make a list of all those who help the farmer in his work.

(2) Visit a nearby bank and find out the different purposes for which the bank lends money.

(3) Make a list of man's basic needs and some additional needs.

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