Question

“How a social movement is perceived and classified is always a matter of interpretation. It differs from one section to another.” Illustrate with an example.

Answer 1

• For instance, what was a ‘mutiny’ or ‘rebellion’ for British colonial rulers in 1857 was ‘the first war of Independence’ for Indian nationalists. 
• A mutiny is an act of defiance against supposedly legitimate authority, i.e., the British rule. A struggle for independence is a challenge to the very legitimacy of British rule. This shows how people attach different meanings to social movements.