Atul Kohli is an Associate Professor at the Woodrow Wilson School of International Affairs, Princeton University. He is the author of The State and Poverty in India: The Politics of Reform (CUP, 1987).

'The implications of Kohli's insightful analysis of the political dilemmas of development in the world's largest democracy extend well beyond the borders of India. This book is essential reading for anyone trying to understand state-society relations in the Third World.' Peter Evans, University of California, Berkeley

• List of tables and figures; Preface and acknowledgements; Part I. Introduction: 1. An overview of the study; 2. Some conceptual and theoretical considerations; Part II. The Growing Problems of Governing the Periphery: Politics in the Districts: Introduction: the districts; 3. Kheda, Gujarat; 4. Guntur, Andhra Pradesh; 5. Belgaun, Karnataka; 6. Calcutta, West Bengal; 7. Madurai, Tamil Nadu; Conclusion: the districts; Part III. Order and Breakdown in the States: Introduction: the states; 8. Breakdown in a 'backward' state: Bihar; 9. Growing turmoil in an 'advanced' state: Gujarat; 10. From breakdown to order: West Bengal; Conclusion: the states; Part IV. Centralization and Powerlessness at the Center: Introduction: the center; 11. Managing the economy: halfhearted liberalization; 12. Managing the troubled political institutions: the Congress party and relations with Punjab; Conclusion: the center; Part V. Final Inferences: 13. Political change in a democratic developing country; Bibliography; Index.

Atul Kohli is an Associate Professor at the Woodrow Wilson School of International Affairs, Princeton University. He is the author of The State and Poverty in India: The Politics of Reform (CUP, 1987).

'The implications of Kohli's insightful analysis of the political dilemmas of development in the world's largest democracy extend well beyond the borders of India. This book is essential reading for anyone trying to understand state-society relations in the Third World.' Peter Evans, University of California, Berkeley

• List of tables and figures; Preface and acknowledgements; Part I. Introduction: 1. An overview of the study; 2. Some conceptual and theoretical considerations; Part II. The Growing Problems of Governing the Periphery: Politics in the Districts: Introduction: the districts; 3. Kheda, Gujarat; 4. Guntur, Andhra Pradesh; 5. Belgaun, Karnataka; 6. Calcutta, West Bengal; 7. Madurai, Tamil Nadu; Conclusion: the districts; Part III. Order and Breakdown in the States: Introduction: the states; 8. Breakdown in a 'backward' state: Bihar; 9. Growing turmoil in an 'advanced' state: Gujarat; 10. From breakdown to order: West Bengal; Conclusion: the states; Part IV. Centralization and Powerlessness at the Center: Introduction: the center; 11. Managing the economy: halfhearted liberalization; 12. Managing the troubled political institutions: the Congress party and relations with Punjab; Conclusion: the center; Part V. Final Inferences: 13. Political change in a democratic developing country; Bibliography; Index.

Atul Kohli is an Associate Professor at the Woodrow Wilson School of International Affairs, Princeton University. He is the author of The State and Poverty in India: The Politics of Reform (CUP, 1987).

'The implications of Kohli's insightful analysis of the political dilemmas of development in the world's largest democracy extend well beyond the borders of India. This book is essential reading for anyone trying to understand state-society relations in the Third World.' Peter Evans, University of California, Berkeley

• List of tables and figures; Preface and acknowledgements; Part I. Introduction: 1. An overview of the study; 2. Some conceptual and theoretical considerations; Part II. The Growing Problems of Governing the Periphery: Politics in the Districts: Introduction: the districts; 3. Kheda, Gujarat; 4. Guntur, Andhra Pradesh; 5. Belgaun, Karnataka; 6. Calcutta, West Bengal; 7. Madurai, Tamil Nadu; Conclusion: the districts; Part III. Order and Breakdown in the States: Introduction: the states; 8. Breakdown in a 'backward' state: Bihar; 9. Growing turmoil in an 'advanced' state: Gujarat; 10. From breakdown to order: West Bengal; Conclusion: the states; Part IV. Centralization and Powerlessness at the Center: Introduction: the center; 11. Managing the economy: halfhearted liberalization; 12. Managing the troubled political institutions: the Congress party and relations with Punjab; Conclusion: the center; Part V. Final Inferences: 13. Political change in a democratic developing country; Bibliography; Index.