India’s Democracy: An Analysis of Changing State-Society Relations

366 Pages·1988·20.444 MB·English

by  Atul Kohli

Written under the auspices of
the Center of International Studies,
Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University
A list of other Center of International Studies
publications appears at the back of the book.
India's Democracy
India's
Democracy
An Analysis of Changing
State-Society Relations
Edited by Atul Kohli
CONTRIBUTORS
Pranab Bardhan · Paul R. Brass
Stephen P. Cohen · Jyotirindra Das Gupta
Francine R. Frankel · Henry C. Hart
James Manor · Ghanshyam Shah
Foreword by John P. Lewis
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY
Copyright © 1988 by Princeton University Press
Epilogue © 1990 by Princeton University Press
Published by Princeton University Press, 41 William Street,
Princeton, New Jersey 08540
In the United Kingdom: Princeton University Press, Oxford
All Rights Reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data will be
found on the last printed page of this book
ISBN 0-691-07760-6
ISBN 0-691-02333-6 (pbk.)
Publication of this book has been aided by a grant from the
Center of International Studies, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University
First Princeton Paperback printing, with epilogue, 1990
This book has been composed in Linotron Sabon
Clothbound editions of Princeton University Press books
are printed on acid-free paper, and binding materials are
chosen for strength and durability. Paperbacks, although satisfactory
for personal collections, are not usually suitable for library rebinding
Printed in the United States of America by Princeton University Press,
Princeton, New Jersey
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 32
CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Vl
PREFACE TO THE I 99Ο EDITION Vli
PREFACE IX
LIST OF INVITED PARTICIPANTS AT THE "INDIA'S
DEMOCRACY" CONFERENCE Xl
FOREWORD · JOHN P. LEWIS XlU
INTRODUCTION · Interpreting India's Democracy: A State-
Society Framework -ATULKOHLI 3
ONE · Political Leadership in India: Dimensions and Limits
• HENRY C. HART 18
TWO · Parties and the Party System · JAMES MANOR 62
THREE · The Military and Indian Democracy
• STEPHEN P. COHEN 99
FOUR · Ethnicity, Democracy and Development in India: Assam
in a General Perspective · JYOTIRINDRA DAS GUPTA 144
FIVE · The Punjab Crisis and the Unity of India
• PAUL R. BRASS 169
six · Dominant Proprietary Classes and India's Democracy
• PRANAB BARDHAN 214
SEVEN · Middle Classes and Castes in India's Politics: Prospects
for Political Accommodation · FRANCINER. FRANKEL 225
EIGHT · Grass-Roots Mobilization in Indian Politics
• GHANSHYAM SHAH 262
CONCLUSION · State-Society Relations in India's Changing
Democracy · ATUL KOHLI 305
EPILOGUE · India's Democracy under Rajiv Gandhi,
1985-1989 · ATUL KOHLI 319
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS 335
LIST OF CIS PUBLICATIONS 337
INDEX 343
TABLES AND FIGURES
TABLE i. Indian Army Deployments in Aid-to-Civil, 1973-1984 125
TABLE z. Incidents of Unrest within Peacekeeping Forces,
1978-1984 127
FIGURE i. Military Generations in India 104
FIGURE z. Wars of the Indian Military: Type and Duration 109
PREFACE TO THE 1990 EDITION
A number of important political changes have taken place in India since
the first edition of this volume went to press in mid-1986 and was pub
lished in early 1988. In the ninth general election held in late 1989, India's
premier political organization, the Congress party, lost power for only
the second time in the last forty years, and in early 1990 India is being
governed for the first time by a minority government. Other significant
developments included the stalled efforts of Rajiv Gandhi, India's Prime
Minister from 1984 to 1989, to liberalize India's economy, rebuild the
Congress party, and find a solution to the ethnic strife in the Punjab. New
political problems have also arisen from the reassertion of religious and
communal conflicts. These and other major developments are interpreted
within the general framework of this volume in an epilogue written es
pecially for this new edition.

PREFACE
This volume analyzes state-society relations in India's democracy. The is
sues discussed concern the changing nature of India's political institutions
and the role of organized social groups in Indian politics. The central
theme of the volume is: How have India's democratic institutions altered
while accommodating new demands for political participation and while
solving serious socio-economic problems?
The papers brought together here are all original scholarly contribu
tions commissioned for this volume. They were first presented and dis
cussed at a conference on "India's Democracy" held at the Woodrow Wil
son School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, on
March 14 through 16, 1985. A list of the invited conference participants
follows.
The conference at Princeton University was organized in connection
with the Festival of India celebrations in the United States during 1985-
1986. The ad hoc organizing committee consisted of four faculty members
of the Woodrow Wilson School: Robert Goheen, Atul Kohli, John Lewis,
and Donald Stokes. The Ford Foundation, through the auspices of the
American Institute of Indian Studies, provided part of the funding for the
conference. The Woodrow Wilson School covered the remaining costs.
Travel costs of a few participants from India were borne by the govern
ment of India.
The support of a number of individuals was crucial throughout this
project. The conference and, therefore, this volume would not have been
possible without the full support of Donald Stokes, dean of the Woodrow
Wilson School. Robert Goheen, former United States ambassador to India
and now a senior fellow at the Woodrow Wilson School, consistently
helped solve the numerous problems that any such large organizational ef
fort creates. The support of John Lewis, professor of economics and inter
national affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School, was indispensable; from
the very early decisions of how to secure funding and whom to invite, to
the production of this volume, he was always available for both scholarly
and collegial advice. I owe him a special thanks. Finally, Henry Bienen,
director of the Center of International Studies, Princeton University, de
serves thanks. A grant from the Center via Johnson and Higgins has facil
itated the publication of this volume.
The help of several other individuals was crucial to the completion of
this project. Jayashree Balchander and Caren McGuiness helped organize