SOCIAL MOBILITY AND ELITE FORMATION IN RURAL SOCIETY OF BANGLADESH

This article examines the processes of social mobility and elite formation in the rural society of Bangladesh. It challenges the static view of rural society, arguing that it is a dynamic environment with significant, albeit constrained, patterns of social mobility. The study analyzes the traditional sources of elite status, such as land ownership and lineage, and examines how these are being reshaped by new factors. The research explores the new pathways to upward social mobility and elite status, including access to education, engagement in non-farm economic activities, and connections to transnational migration and remittance flows. The paper also provides a critical analysis of the nature of the "new" rural elite, assessing whether it represents a genuine transformation or merely a reconfiguration of existing power structures. The analysis concludes that while new avenues for mobility have opened up, the overall structure of rural society remains highly stratified, with significant barriers to upward movement for the landless and the poor.

The structure of rural society in Bangladesh is not static but is in a constant process of change and reconfiguration. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the dynamics of social mobility and elite formation in this context. The study begins by outlining the traditional agrarian class structure, which was primarily based on the distribution of land ownership. The core of the article is an examination of the new channels for upward social mobility that have emerged and gained importance in recent decades. A key channel identified is education, which has provided a pathway for individuals from modest backgrounds to enter salaried employment in the government or the private sector. Another crucial driver of mobility is the growth of the rural non-farm economy, including trade, transport, and small-scale manufacturing. The paper also gives significant attention to the transformative impact of international labor migration and remittances, which have enabled many rural households to dramatically improve their economic status and social standing. The second part of the analysis focuses on the nature of the "new" rural elite that has emerged through these processes. It explores the concept of the "circulation of elites" and questions whether these new wealthy groups represent a fundamental challenge to the old landed elite or are simply being co-opted into the existing power structure. The findings suggest a complex picture of both change and continuity, where new sources of wealth are reshaping rural society, but deep-seated structural inequalities remain a powerful constraint on social mobility for the majority.