Social change is change in society and society is a network of social relationships. Therefore, social change is a change in social relations. Social relations are social processes, social patterns and social interactions. These include the activities and mutual relations of the various parts of society. Thus, this term is used to describe variations in any aspect of social processes, social patterns, social interaction, or social organization.

Characteristics of social change
The following listed points are the characteristics of social change:
it’s social
It’s universal
serves as the law of nature
is continuous
not attached to any value judgment
it is neither moral nor immoral
is limited by time factors
speed, tempo speed, and extent of change are not uniform
Definitive predictions of social change are impossible.
shows chain reaction sequences
occurs due to multiple factors
may be considered as modifications or replacements
can be small or large scale
can be peaceful or violent

In explaining this concept, sociologists from time to time used words and expressions like evolution, growth, progress, development, revolution, etc. discarding one in preference to the other.

Evolutionary changes: These are changes that occur slowly over a long period of time.
Revolutionary changes: These are changes that happen quickly in a short period of time.
Progress: These are the development towards an improved or more advanced condition.
Growth: This serves as the process of increasing size.
Development: It is an event that constitutes a new stage in a changing situation.

Classification of Social Change
Classification: It can be classified based on its nature and this understanding of evolutionary social change and revolutionary social change.
Classification based on sources and causes: It can be classified based on the source and causes through the environment, technology, economy, politics and culture.

Factors Affecting Social Change

The following factors are the main characteristics that affect it:

Natural factors: Under natural factors, we can have the following factors like floods, earthquakes, droughts and famines.
Geographic Factors: Physical environment, natural resources, weather and temperature also affect you under geographic factors.
Biological factors – The structure, selection and hereditary qualities of generations.
Demographic Factors: We can have the demographic factors like population, birth rate, death rate, poverty, unemployment, diseases, sex ratio, dowry system.
Political factors – These are countries that are fighting for independence. For example, India fighting for independence.
Socio-economic factors: These are factors such as agriculture, industries, feudalism, capitalism, urbanization.
Cultural factors -these are beliefs, ideas, values, customs, conventions, institutions
scientific technology
educational factors
Other factors

Social order
Social change must be contrasted with social order. It has a tendency to resist and regulate change. It refers to the maintenance and active reproduction of a particular pattern of social relations and of values ​​and norms. Social order can be achieved in two ways.
when people are willing to comply with rules and regulations
when people are forced to follow rules and regulations. Every society uses a happy combination of these two methods to maintain social order.

Domination, authority and law
Domination: This can be defined as a process of having influence over someone.
Authority – this serves as the power or right to give orders, make decisions and enforce obedience.
Law: The system of rules that a particular country or community recognizes as regulating the actions of its members and which it can enforce through the imposition of sanctions.

Social Order, Social Changes in villages, towns, cities
The social order has the following influence on the towns through the following characteristics
The towns arose as part of the great changes in the social structure.
change from nomadic to sedentary life
investment in land and technological innovations in agriculture created the possibility of producing surpluses
advanced divisions of labor created the need for occupational specialization

The effects of the social order in the town.
There will be a significant proportion of its population involved in agricultural production.
low population density compared to cities and towns

The effects of social order in cities
This causes most of the people to engage in non-agricultural activities.
population density. That is the number of people per unit in, for example, square km is higher than towns

Social order and social changes in rural areas
When there is social order, there will be a social change in rural areas with the following characteristics:
the towns are small
more personalized relationship
the village follows a traditional pattern of life
slows down social change

Main changes
Modern means of communication have reduced the distance between peoples
the cultural lag between towns and cities has been reduced
social and agrarian reforms generate changes
change in status, roles and rights of lower class people