Subrata K. Mitra - Böcker

India's Ministry of Home Affairs, with its striking durability, and ability to adapt to the transition from colonial rule to post-colonial governance, is a remarkable example of institutional resilience. Home's special expertise in governance by stealth - maximum order with the use of minimum force - was instrumental for the department to acquire a secure niche within the colonial structure. Following the end of colonial rule in 1947, the Home Department, still ensconced in the majestic North Block of Delhi, mutated into the Home Ministry of the Indian Republic. How a colonial institution whose key task was to hold Indian nationalism at bay became the architect of the post-colonial state and nation, is one of the main questions to which I respond in this book. Home's multiple roles as the keeper of public order, mentor to public services and the invisible sinews of the state that holds the noisy democracy and assertive regions together to explain its exalted status in India's governance and politics. My analysis, based on declassified files of the Ministry of Home Affairs, correspondences, biographies and interviews, explores the multiple roles of the Ministry, with its penchant for governance by stealth as my focus

India no longer gets an easy ride as the world's largest democracy. Spectacular terrorist attacks on its Parliament and places of worship, communal riots of unprecedented ferocity, lingering separatist insurgency and violent caste conflict in impoverished regions have combined to cause a closer appraisal of India's capacity to sustain the rule of law.This book shows how governance is high when people follow the rules of transaction, derived from binding custom, legislation, administrative practices and the constitution. The key question that underpins this analysis is why do some people, sometimes, follow rules and not others? This study responds to this central question by looking at analytical narratives of political order in six Indian regional States, surveys of social and political attitudes and extended interviews with political leaders, administrators and police officers. It shows how, by drawing on the logic of human ingenuity, driven by self interest rather than mechanical adherence to tradition and ideology, these regional elites can design institutions and promote security, welfare and identity which enhance governance.

Comprising the states of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives, South Asia has gained considerable international visibility over the past decade. Nuclear proliferation, the rapid evolution of India as a major global economic player, the emergence of new markets, cross-border terrorism, and issues of climate change and the environment are prominent among the factors that have contributed to the growing importance of the region. This has led to a commensurate growth of interest in the modern politics of South Asia, and a vast expansion of in scholarly work.This new five-volume collection from Routledge brings together the best and most influential research to make sense of this ever-expanding corpus. And while each of the five volumes has been carefully designed by the collection’s editor to be self-contained, they are also helpfully linked to one another through a general introduction (which places the assembled materials in their intellectual and historical context), cross-referencing, a general index, and an annotated bibliography of further readings.Each of the five volumes is organized around the following themes: History, Political Theory and Institutions; Society, Religion, Political Culture, and Movements; Political Economy (in two parts: volumes 3 and 4); and International Relations to provide a readily accessible and comprehensive research and pedagogic resource which will be especially welcomed by scholars, students, policy-makers, and anyone else with a serious interest in the politics of this fascinating region.

India no longer gets an easy ride as the world's largest democracy. Spectacular terrorist attacks on its Parliament and places of worship, communal riots of unprecedented ferocity, lingering separatist insurgency and violent caste conflict in impoverished regions have combined to cause a closer appraisal of India's capacity to sustain the rule of law.This book shows how governance is high when people follow the rules of transaction, derived from binding custom, legislation, administrative practices and the constitution. The key question that underpins this analysis is why do some people, sometimes, follow rules and not others? This study responds to this central question by looking at analytical narratives of political order in six Indian regional States, surveys of social and political attitudes and extended interviews with political leaders, administrators and police officers. It shows how, by drawing on the logic of human ingenuity, driven by self interest rather than mechanical adherence to tradition and ideology, these regional elites can design institutions and promote security, welfare and identity which enhance governance.

This book, first published in 1992, examines the attitudes of local elites – the hinge between Indian state and rural society – towards protest and participation in development, illuminating arguments about the nature of the state as well as the development process. It looks at the role of local elites in India both as the representatives of the state and of the rest of rural society, and explains their importance in the country’s development. The book deals with the elites’ contribution to the credibility of the state and examines the strategies through which they manipulate the allocation of resources and influence the pace and direction of social change. It contrasts the rural elites in two areas, one more economically advanced than the other. The elites in the first area were shown to be capable of combining institutional participation with radical protest, whilst in the other they tended to rely on state channels to achieve reform. The author concludes that despite the different settings, both groups were informed, active and responsive to political conditions. This contrasts with the conventional view that local elites of the dominant castes oppress the lower ones by obstructing reforms, for reasons of self-interest.

This book, first published in 1992, examines the attitudes of local elites – the hinge between Indian state and rural society – towards protest and participation in development, illuminating arguments about the nature of the state as well as the development process. It looks at the role of local elites in India both as the representatives of the state and of the rest of rural society, and explains their importance in the country’s development. The book deals with the elites’ contribution to the credibility of the state and examines the strategies through which they manipulate the allocation of resources and influence the pace and direction of social change. It contrasts the rural elites in two areas, one more economically advanced than the other. The elites in the first area were shown to be capable of combining institutional participation with radical protest, whilst in the other they tended to rely on state channels to achieve reform. The author concludes that despite the different settings, both groups were informed, active and responsive to political conditions. This contrasts with the conventional view that local elites of the dominant castes oppress the lower ones by obstructing reforms, for reasons of self-interest.

This book presents a comprehensive overview of India’s electoral democracy and political system. It provides an in-depth analysis of the 2019 parliamentary elections to explore three crucial facts of India’s political life: the legitimacy of political competition as the only basis of power; elections as the only legitimate basis of political competition; and political parties as the only legitimate agency to conduct political competition. The book argues that the vitality and resilience of India’s electoral democracy remain high owing to large mass participation in elections that are competitive and relatively free and fair.The volume includes key theoretical, empirical, and comparative perspectives on parties and elections from experts, and covers all major political parties of India, along with the performance of many representative regional parties. It discusses themes such as elections and party competition in India; ideology, interest, religion, and gender as they affect social mobilisation and political transaction; economic and politial change, and multiparty democracy; the dynamics of the Muslim vote; fluctuating electoral fortunes; and electoral campaigns and role of social media.This book will be an essential read for scholars and researchers of political science, political sociology, election studies, Indian politics, South Asian politics, and South Asian studies. It will also interest those in politics, public policy and governance, civil society organisations, media and journalism, and the general reader.

This book presents a comprehensive overview of India’s electoral democracy and political system. It provides an in-depth analysis of the 2019 parliamentary elections to explore three crucial facts of India’s political life: the legitimacy of political competition as the only basis of power; elections as the only legitimate basis of political competition; and political parties as the only legitimate agency to conduct political competition. The book argues that the vitality and resilience of India’s electoral democracy remain high owing to large mass participation in elections that are competitive and relatively free and fair.The volume includes key theoretical, empirical, and comparative perspectives on parties and elections from experts, and covers all major political parties of India, along with the performance of many representative regional parties. It discusses themes such as elections and party competition in India; ideology, interest, religion, and gender as they affect social mobilisation and political transaction; economic and politial change, and multiparty democracy; the dynamics of the Muslim vote; fluctuating electoral fortunes; and electoral campaigns and role of social media.This book will be an essential read for scholars and researchers of political science, political sociology, election studies, Indian politics, South Asian politics, and South Asian studies. It will also interest those in politics, public policy and governance, civil society organisations, media and journalism, and the general reader.

This third edition of Politics in India provides a timely counter‑narrative to pessimistic prognoses about the future of Indian democracy. It focuses on the resilience of India’s democratic political system and its strategic reorientation in response to electoral mandates emerging from the country’s vigorously competitive elections.In a comprehensive analysis of the country’s democratic processes, Mitra brings together political theory and historical perspective in order to provide a comparative analysis and interpretation of issues that have occupied the Indian state since Independence from British colonial rule in 1947. Based on the rationality of the Indian voter and the strategic acumen of the political leaders, this is the first comprehensive explanation of how India has achieved a seamless transition from colonial rule to a robust and resilient democracy. Mitra explains how India has sought to balance development with social justice, consent with force, and pursue strategic autonomy in the global arena. As a result, the book demonstrates that, despite occasional breakdown of orderly rule, the political process consistently restores dynamic equilibrium of the system. The chapters, cross‑referenced, can be read both as stand‑alone essays on specific themes, as well as parts of a single narrative.Supplemented with tables, boxes, illustrations, and comprehensive notes on further reading, the new edition will continue to be an essential reading for students and researchers in Indian and South Asian studies, introduction to political science and world politics, development studies, sociology, comparative politics, and political theory. General readers interested in how the world’s most populous democracy functions on a day‑to‑day basis may find the volume a useful introduction to Indian politics.

This third edition of Politics in India provides a timely counter‑narrative to pessimistic prognoses about the future of Indian democracy. It focuses on the resilience of India’s democratic political system and its strategic reorientation in response to electoral mandates emerging from the country’s vigorously competitive elections.In a comprehensive analysis of the country’s democratic processes, Mitra brings together political theory and historical perspective in order to provide a comparative analysis and interpretation of issues that have occupied the Indian state since Independence from British colonial rule in 1947. Based on the rationality of the Indian voter and the strategic acumen of the political leaders, this is the first comprehensive explanation of how India has achieved a seamless transition from colonial rule to a robust and resilient democracy. Mitra explains how India has sought to balance development with social justice, consent with force, and pursue strategic autonomy in the global arena. As a result, the book demonstrates that, despite occasional breakdown of orderly rule, the political process consistently restores dynamic equilibrium of the system. The chapters, cross‑referenced, can be read both as stand‑alone essays on specific themes, as well as parts of a single narrative.Supplemented with tables, boxes, illustrations, and comprehensive notes on further reading, the new edition will continue to be an essential reading for students and researchers in Indian and South Asian studies, introduction to political science and world politics, development studies, sociology, comparative politics, and political theory. General readers interested in how the world’s most populous democracy functions on a day‑to‑day basis may find the volume a useful introduction to Indian politics.

The second edition of this textbook brings together general political theory and the comparative method to interpret socio-political phenomena and issues that have occupied the Indian state and society since 1947. It considers the progress that India has made in some of the most challenging aspects of post-colonial politics such as governance, democracy, economic growth, welfare, and citizenship. Looking at the changed global role of India, its standing in the G-20 and BRICS, as well as the implications of the 2014 Indian general elections for state and society, this updated edition also includes sections on the changing socio-political status of women in India, corruption and terrorism. The author raises several key questions relevant to Indian politics, including: • Why has India succeeded in making a relatively peaceful transition from colonial rule to a resilient, multi-party democracy in contrast to its South Asian neighbours? • How has the interaction of modern politics and traditional society contributed to the resilience of post-colonial democracy? • How did India’s economy moribund—for several decades following Independence—make a breakthrough into rapid growth and can India sustain it? • And finally, why have collective identity and nationhood emerged as the core issues for India in the twenty-first century and with what implications for Indian democracy? The textbook goes beyond India by asking about the implications of the Indian case for the general and comparative theory of the post-colonial state. The factors which might have caused failures in democracy and governance are analysed and incorporated as variables into a model of democratic governance. In addition to pedagogical features such as text boxes, a set of further readings is provided to guide readers who wish to go beyond the remit of this text. The book will be essential reading for undergraduate students and researchers in South Asian and Asian studies, political science, development studies, sociology, comparative politics and political theory.

The second edition of this textbook brings together general political theory and the comparative method to interpret socio-political phenomena and issues that have occupied the Indian state and society since 1947. It considers the progress that India has made in some of the most challenging aspects of post-colonial politics such as governance, democracy, economic growth, welfare, and citizenship. Looking at the changed global role of India, its standing in the G-20 and BRICS, as well as the implications of the 2014 Indian general elections for state and society, this updated edition also includes sections on the changing socio-political status of women in India, corruption and terrorism. The author raises several key questions relevant to Indian politics, including: • Why has India succeeded in making a relatively peaceful transition from colonial rule to a resilient, multi-party democracy in contrast to its South Asian neighbours? • How has the interaction of modern politics and traditional society contributed to the resilience of post-colonial democracy? • How did India’s economy moribund—for several decades following Independence—make a breakthrough into rapid growth and can India sustain it? • And finally, why have collective identity and nationhood emerged as the core issues for India in the twenty-first century and with what implications for Indian democracy? The textbook goes beyond India by asking about the implications of the Indian case for the general and comparative theory of the post-colonial state. The factors which might have caused failures in democracy and governance are analysed and incorporated as variables into a model of democratic governance. In addition to pedagogical features such as text boxes, a set of further readings is provided to guide readers who wish to go beyond the remit of this text. The book will be essential reading for undergraduate students and researchers in South Asian and Asian studies, political science, development studies, sociology, comparative politics and political theory.

Thanks to its emerging markets, nuclearization and the internet revolution, South Asia is increasingly at the forefront of current affairs. This invaluable reference source seeks to make the region accessible to business travellers as well as to the general reader. The range of subjects to be covered includes major political processes and events of South Asia (elections and electoral politics, political slang, political parties, diplomacy and territorial divisions), domestic and foreign policy, key personalities, political and economic institutions, sub-national groupings and units (regions, cities, provinces and rural entities), ethnicity and identity, and legal systems (laws and court cases).Key features:* Terms, which are frequently misunderstood in the political and economic processes of South Asia, are explained clearly and succinctly* More than 1,000 entries, covering the key debates, issues, concepts and institutions.Entries include:Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Caste System, Corruption, dalits, Electoral System, Federalism, Hindu-Muslim relation, India-US Relation, Kashmir, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Nuclearization, Privatization, Reserve Bank of India, Sikh, Untouchability, Urbanization, Atal Behari Vajpayee.Countries covered in this volume include: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The book addresses the very topical subject of citizen making. By delving into a range of sources - among them survey questions, historical documents, political theory, architectural design, and public policy - the book provides a unique analysis of when and why citizenship has taken root in India. Each chapter highlights the constant innovation of citizenship that has occurred in India's legal, political, social, economic and aesthetic arrangements as well as providing the basis for comparative analysis across South Asian cases and the European Union.

On the basis of the distinction between organizational and individual deviance, it could be shown across national boundaries that the unwritten rules of the organization make a decisive contribution in explaining organizational wrongdoing, as well as their containment.