Anomic groups
Topic: Civil Society, Pressure Groups, NGOs and Self-help Groups · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Anomic groups are one of the four types of interest groups in the Almond-Powell typology (1966). They form suddenly around a grievance, which means a strong complaint. They are not organised and do not last long. They act through riots or sudden demonstrations, and they usually fade once the anger passes. They show that people who have no formal group can still put pressure on the government.
Example
Suppose a crowd gathers on its own after a sudden price hike or a police action and blocks a road in anger. That is an anomic group. Such direct action has legal limits. In Amit Sahni (2020, Shaheen Bagh), the Supreme Court held that public roads cannot be blocked indefinitely.
Don't confuse with
- Social movements: a movement is sustained action over a long time, like Chipko. Anomic action is spontaneous and short-lived.
- Non-associational groups: these are based on caste or kinship and express interests from time to time. They are not mainly sudden outbursts.