- ホーム
- > 洋書
- > 英文書
- > Politics / International Relations
Full Description
This volume examines how Indian democracy has survived the challenges posed by widespread illiteracy, poverty, secessionism and communalism—problems that have felled the fledgling democratic institutions of so many post-colonial societies. The contributors locate the reason for the resilience of Indian democracy in its history—that it was the product of a gradual evolution and not of a sudden imposition from above.
The essays in the volume, however, show that despite having stood the test of time, Indian democracy is not a democracy in any substantive sense. The economic policies of successive governments since 1985 have been basically anti-people; rampant casteism, communalism, and the use of money and muscle power have infiltrated the body politic. Mass mobilization has been powered by hate, making it a feature more typical of a nascent neo-fascist state than of a democracy. The `substantialization of democracy'—proper representation and people's participation in decision making—still remains a distant ideal.
Contents
Introduction - Rajendra Vora and Suhas Palshikar
PART ONE: REAPPROPRIATING MEANINGS
Issues before Indian Democracy: An Overview - Rajni Kothari
The Crisis of Political Authority - D L Sheth
What Is Happening inside Indian Democracy? - Javeed Alam
Theorising Indian Democracy - Manoranjan Mohanty
Whose Democracy Are We Talking About? Hegemony and Democracy in India - Suhas Palshikar
Understanding Indian Politics: Are We Asking the Right Questions? - Jayant Lele
The Ethical Insufficiency of Egoism and Altruism: India in Transition - Rajeev Bhargava
PART TWO: PRACTICES: EXPANDING SPACES
Understanding Indian Secularism: Learning from Its Recent Critics - Thomas Pantham
New Dalit Politics - Gopal Guru
Decline of Caste Majoritarianism in Indian Politics - Rajendra Vora
Rise of the BJP and Decline of the Congress: An Appraisal - V B Singh
Predicament of the Left - Sandeep Pendse
Increasing Fluidity in Electoral Contest: Is This Mere Anti-Incumbency? - Sanjay Kumar
Social Movements in Crisis? - Rajeshwari Deshpande
Struggle against Damsor Struggle for Water? Environmental Movements and the State - Gail Omvedt
Index
