Rural-Urban Contrast and Continuum

Sociology

Contrast

A rural society and a highly urbanized society present starkly different looks due to obvious reasons: A rural society is anchored to the middle stages of human evolution where as an urban society stands at the frontier of modern civilization. Their life style, dwellings, social interactions, means of living, their intermingling etc. are so widely divergent. Rural society is simple, easy-paced, un-competitive, and cohesive. On the contrary, an urban society is highly organized, sophisticated, competitive and a bit selfish. From a distance they look so much different.

Continuum

Despite the gulf of difference between the rural society and an urban society visible outwardly, it’s not possible to draw a strict line of demarcation between them. The rural society might appear primitive, but it’s the starting point for the journey of the humans towards urbanization. So, some of the basic traits of humans remain unchanged. The propensity to live in groups, mingle with one another on social occasions, demonstration of empathy etc. are common for both.

This apart, there is no urban society which is urbanized to the extreme and there is no rural society that is completely primitive. The cities have some things in common with villages and vice versa. Human beings in both rural and urban communities crave for togetherness, security, fellow-feeling, sympathy, and orderliness.

Rural societies are comparatively more tradition bound, tied closely to religion and culture and less open to radical ideas. Urban societies are open, receptive to change, adaptive to science and technology. Generally, they are more prosperous, and less prone to natural calamities. Education lies at the root of urbanized communities, where as in rural societies, education takes a back seat. Same is the story about industrialization and governance.