Disintegration of tradition-bound forms of need satisfaction

By Prof Dr. Sohail Ansari

Conceived and worded by Prof DR Sohail Ansari (originality of concepts and originality of words).

He believes that there can never be a zero scope for improvement and appreciates criticism if it is not for the sake of criticism.

·         ‘The market-industrial society led to dissolution of the distinctive and relatively stable forms of need satisfaction created by traditional cultures. Industrialization uprooted great numbers of people from age-old rural settlements and relocated them in cities”(1).

Thus urbanization pulled individuals away from traditional leaderships The more the tradition-bound forms of need satisfaction disintegrated; the more traditional leadership disintegrated; and the more firmly political communication assumed the tasks of instructing individuals how to match their needs and wants with the available stock of leadership. Quite simply, individuals need guidance on what party to choose and how to assess them, and on innumerable other points before forming final judgment.

Evolution of political communication owes everything to weakening of traditional cultures. The gradual fading of traditional leadership gave gradual rise to the number of unfamiliar faces on political landscape. The ever-changing breed of unfamiliar faces necessitated furnishing of ‘political cues’ in better and better way.  

In the consumer society, political marketing and political advertising assumed the role once played by cultural traditions and became the privileged forum for the transmission of such political cues.

The need for political cues exists in the industrial societies because the definition of good life comes under constant assault by the avalanche of ever increasing and ever changing goods. As the standards of living/situation change quickly and continuously, the needs through which individual relate to leaders must also be in a state of permanent fluidity. This permanent fluidity accounts for the defeat of war-hero Winston Churchill in post war period and popularity of slogan ‘Man without vision’ for popular leader of cold war (Bush senior) once cold war was over.

When permanence is absent; judgments about the suitability of particular leader, so to speak, destabilized.

1          Curran, ‘Capitalism and Society’, London, Longman, 1988, P67