#1. The story of social change begins with the decline of the old world, where traditional ___________, who once held high economic and social status, began to fade away.
#2. In their place, a new, dynamic ___________ emerged, born from the capitalist economic systems introduced by the Colebrooke reforms.
#3. This new class found wealth in ventures like arrack production, ___________ mining, and owning coconut plantations.
#4. Another powerful pathway to this new status was through ___________, which created a class of educated professionals like lawyers, engineers, and civil servants.
#5. This rising middle class, known for adopting Western culture, would eventually take the lead in the 20th-century ___________ movements.
#6. As the middle class rose, a different social group was forged in the cities and on the plantations: the urban and estate ___________ class.
#7. In cities like Colombo and Galle, this new urban workforce found jobs in construction and loading/unloading goods, but they faced harsh conditions with low wages and no fixed ___________ hours.
#8. The massive demand for labor on coffee, tea, and rubber estates was largely met by bringing in laborers from ___________, who worked for very low wages.
#9. In response to their difficult conditions, workers began to organize and fight for their rights through the formation of ___________ unions.
#10. The struggle for workers’ rights was marked by several historic events, including the Printers’ Strike, the Carters’ Strike, and the Colombo ___________ Strike.
#11. Pioneering leaders emerged to champion the cause of labor, including the founder of the Ceylon Workers Congress, ___________.
#12. While some focused on urban workers, ___________ became a crucial leader who organized trade unions specifically for the Indian laborers on the estates.
#13. Political parties also joined the fight, with the Marxist-influenced ___________ playing a key role in organizing and leading labor struggles.
#14. Beyond class structures, a profound cultural shift was underway, driven by the spread of ___________ culture through missionary schools and European clubs.
#15. The adoption of Western lifestyles was visible in everyday life, as new styles of clothing, food, architecture, and even ___________ became popular.
#16. This wave of Westernization, however, was not unopposed; it sparked powerful Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic ___________ aimed at preserving indigenous culture.
#17. A leading figure in this cultural pushback was ___________, who tirelessly promoted indigenous culture and values against the tide of foreign influence.
#18. This period also transformed the role of women, with those in the middle-class gaining access to ___________ while women in the labor class began working on plantations.
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