Chapter 12: India

Chapter 12:India

Thinking About India

• The Basics– A nation of contrasts

• Backward or promising• Poverty and industrial power• Masses or illiterates and masses of scientists

and engineers• Home of pacifist Gandhi and nuclear

weapons


• The Basics– Size and Diversity

• Second most populous country• Three major language families with little in common

(14 principal languages in constitution)• All states and union territories include large minority

populations• Three major religious groups (third largest Muslim

population in the world)• Caste and class; ancient and modern social

divisions


• The Basics– Poverty

• Lowest per capita GNP of countries in this book

• Gap between India’s wealth and other countries is growing

• Health, health care, and diet of most people reflect poverty

• Urban blight and pollution reflect poverty as well


• Key Questions– What are India's political origins?

• Centuries of Mughal and British imperialism• Indirect rule and political activism under British rule

– How do people participate politically?• Inclusive Congress Party• Widespread legitimacy of new regime at independence

– How is India governed?• Stability of Congress governments• Party system splintered

– How has it coped with poverty and unemployment?

The Evolution of Indian Politics

• The Weight of History– 3,000 years of civilization– 1,000 BCE – 1500 BCE: regional Muslim

rulers controlled much of the sub-continent

– Mughal consolidated rule of India in mid-16th century


• British Colonialism– European trading companies gained control of

coastal areas– Commercial interests focused on profit not

political control– By the middle of the 19th century, political

control was necessary to preserve profits: Government of India Act

– Large-scale bureaucratic regime relying on Indian cooperation


• The Struggle for Independence– Indian elites began working for self-rule in late

19th century– Indian National Congress founded in 1885– Leadership of Mohandas K. Gandhi after WWI

united most independence seekers– Political leadership of Nehru paralleled

Gandhi’s charismatic leadership– Partition of Hindu-dominated India from

Muslim-dominated Pakistan at independence


– The New Republic• Strong, positive, widespread sense of

national identity (political integration)• Strong, popular, inclusive dominant

party (Congress)


• Centralization and Fragmentation– Indira Gandhi’s authoritarian leadership of

Congress and government– Congress Party split over policy and

leadership– Ethnic cleavages widened and became

violent– Rajiv Gandhi’s economic liberalization

policies


• Coalition Politics– Since 1989, coalitions have been

necessary to form governments– Negative coalitions have made weak

governments– Hindu fundamentalist and nationalist BJP

is now Congress’ largest rival, but no party is close to a majority

Political Culture

• Challenges to culture and country– Regional interests have challenged

national interests– RSS and BJP power seems intent on

injecting religion into government and politics

– Caste remains an inflammatory issue

Political Culture

• Support for the regime– Democratic politics have worked except

during Indira Gandhi’s government– Relatively high voting rates– Public opinion is supportive of regime

Political Culture

• The challenge of modernization– Growth of a middle class– Growth of technical industries and

outsourced jobs– Growing wealth of working and middle

classes– Medical technology and growing gender

imbalance of babies

Political Participation

• The End of the Congress System– Abandonment of inclusive politics and

adoption of personalized politics– Negative coalitions routed Congress

Party government in late 1970s


• The BJP– BJP arose from the disintegration of the

Congress System– Clash over the Ayodhya mosque site earned

BJP great support– Religious and nationalistic issues continue

to be raised– Pragmatic policy making by BJP

governments


• The Other Parties– 40 parties won legislative seats in 2004– Most are particularistic parties with local

power bases• The election of 2004

– BJP expected to win– Congress appealed to rural poor– Congress largest party in new government

coalition


• Interest groups– Extensive labor movement fragmented

by politics and economics– Large Chamber of Commerce

organization representing businesses– Religious, linguistic, and ethnic groups

are also powerful

The Indian State

• The Constitution– Long, detailed constitution– Created a secular republic, guaranteed

civil liberties, and prohibited discrimination

– Allowed prime minister emergency powers

The Indian State

• Parliament– Lower house made up of

representatives of single-member districts elected in plurality contests holds real power

– Upper house has little power– Cabinet initiates nearly all law making

The Indian State

• The Bureaucracy– Competitive civil service on British

model at the top– Lower levels are less competent and

more dependent on personal connections (as are those who deal with them)

The Indian State• Federalism

– State governments patterned on national one– Borders correspond with linguistic and ethnic

boundaries– State politics based on patron-client relations,

often caste based– Frequent national-state political conflicts and

national intervention in state government

Public Policy• Confronting Communal Violence

– As Indian national existence became less an issue, ethnic and religious conflicts grew

– Breakup of the Congress System gave more power to regional, linguistic, and religious groups

– Punjab• Sikh majority state on Pakistani border• Frequent conflicts with national government• Frequent conflicts with Hindu minorities in the

state

Public Policy

• Confronting Communal Violence– Kashmir

• Conflict and warfare between Pakistan and India since independence

• Muslim-Hindu warfare within the area– Gujarat

• Relatively rich Indian state• Hindu-Muslim violence and ethnic cleansing

Public Policy

• Stimulating the Economy– Import substitution, state planning and

ownership original Indian policies– Global pressures have motivated some

liberalization– Economic growth not even or shared widely

Public Policy

• Poverty– Population growth makes progress difficult– Gap between poor and others continues to

grow– Caste, class, and urban-rural cleavages

parallel inequalities

Public Policy

• The Nehruvrian Model and India’s Economic Woes

– Import substitution and government direction of development were ruling ideas until the mid 1980s

– India fairly self-sufficient by mid-‘80s– Lack of competition and prevalence of

corruption restricted future growth

Public Policy

• Liberalization– Gradual opening of economy to trade and

investment– IT industry is most visible growth area

Feedback

– Lively press published in many languages– Politics primary topic– Financial news growing most rapidly– State-dominated radio and television– Growth of cable and satellite networks

Conclusion: Democracy in India and the Third World

• Legitimacy of regime is important• Effective government also vital for future

– At most general level effectiveness supports system

– Grassroots level still dominated by patronage

– Poverty still a stumbling block to the system

Learning ObjectivesAfter mastering the concepts presented in this chapter, you will be able to:• Understand the key moments of the historical formation of India.• Discuss the role that the United Kingdom played in shaping and influencing Indian

history, politics and society. Assess the impact of colonialism on the formation of Indian state.

• Recognize the importance of complex ethnic society, linguistic and cast challenges in process of understanding of Indian politics and society. Define the following: Dalits, Jati, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, Bharmits, Sudra

• Discuss the convoluted evolution of Indian politics.• Comprehend the development of Nehru-Gandi political doctrinism and mixed

ideological spectrum of the liberated India. • Understand the evolution of Indian state in 20th century and define key elements of

revolutions and fights for independence in India. Briefly discuss the role of the following leaders: Jawaharlal Nehru, Mohandas Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi

Learning ObjectivesAfter mastering the concepts presented in this chapter, you will be able to:• Define Indian geography and current economic challenges.• Understand the process of political, economic and social developments of

India. • Discuss the elements of Indian state formation and functionality.• Define the after-Gandhi progress of Indian state and society.• Understand the specifications of Indian political culture and participation. • Define the role of political parties in Indian politics. Define and understand

the ideology if the following: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress

• Understand the challenges of democratization in India.• Comprehend the challenging process of the development of Indian market

economy.

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Chapter 12: India