India has long passed the conventional tests of a stable, functioning democracy, namely, frequent passing of power to alternative political formations, complete and unchallenged civilian control over the military, and massive popular participation in electoral politics.
Beneath the veneer of conventional parliamentary democracy in India is a political-electoral order increasingly based on money and muscle. The primary aim of most elected representatives is to gain control over public institutions in order to enrich themselves. In many states a further degradation of the political order is happening through the outright criminalisation of politics. The move away from non violent protest movements to mobilizations that lead to considerable violence, often intended, is persceptible. In some ways there is an increased reliance of politicians on social identities of caste and religion to Garner votes. Most importantly, the ability of poor people to benefit from the political process, even to achieve a measure of dignity and self respect, is still limited.
In the early years after independence, upper castes dominated as candidates and voters (often bringing their lower caste dependents along with them). The backward and lower castes now are well represented by persons from their own groups and dominate state governments in many of the Indian states.
The drive to garner benefits of all sorts available from state agencies on the part of caste groups, and the increased capture of State power by leaders from castes newly incorporated into the political process, has been central to the politicization of the Indian population. There is a high degree of cohesive voting on the part of particular caste groups for persons from their own cast as they feel that that alone can be relied on to accommodate their needs and demands.
Acknowldegement : Excerpted from the Routledge Handbook of South Asian Politics.
Beneath the veneer of conventional parliamentary democracy in India is a political-electoral order increasingly based on money and muscle. The primary aim of most elected representatives is to gain control over public institutions in order to enrich themselves. In many states a further degradation of the political order is happening through the outright criminalisation of politics. The move away from non violent protest movements to mobilizations that lead to considerable violence, often intended, is persceptible. In some ways there is an increased reliance of politicians on social identities of caste and religion to Garner votes. Most importantly, the ability of poor people to benefit from the political process, even to achieve a measure of dignity and self respect, is still limited.
In the early years after independence, upper castes dominated as candidates and voters (often bringing their lower caste dependents along with them). The backward and lower castes now are well represented by persons from their own groups and dominate state governments in many of the Indian states.
The drive to garner benefits of all sorts available from state agencies on the part of caste groups, and the increased capture of State power by leaders from castes newly incorporated into the political process, has been central to the politicization of the Indian population. There is a high degree of cohesive voting on the part of particular caste groups for persons from their own cast as they feel that that alone can be relied on to accommodate their needs and demands.
Acknowldegement : Excerpted from the Routledge Handbook of South Asian Politics.
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