Can Every Political Struggle Result In A Social Awakening? A Discussion On India's Democratic Order
The Discussion Map charts important debates from the pages of EPW.
How strong is India’s democratic order?
Bernard D’Mello’s 2013 article “'The Near and the Far': Why Is India’s Liberal–Political Democracy Rotten?” argues that a caste-ridden society coupled with underdeveloped capitalism has inhibited progressive modernisation.
C P Bhambri responds to D’Mello’s claims, arguing that D’Mello has mis-characterised the Indian state as “caste-ridden Brahmanical-Hindu communal,” and has also ignored the struggles of the working class. D’Mello replies to Bhambri, contending that Bhambri ignored key arguments made in his article.
A few other works that are broadly related to this discussion:
- Thirty Years after the Emergency, Sumanta Banerjee, 2007
- Caste in Itself, Caste and Class, or Caste in Class, Ramkrishna Mukherjee, 1999
- Indian Peasant Uprisings, Kathleen Gough, 1974
Ed: To contribute to a more comprehensive discussion map, please share links to other relevant articles in the comments section or write to us at edit@epw.in with the subject line—"Capitalism and Democracy."
[Curated by Bhanu Kalra (bhanu17kalra@gmail.com) and Kieran Lobo (kieran@epw.in)]
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