Political Awareness as a Factor in Accessibility of Health Services-A Case Study of Rural Kerala and West Bengal

of Health Services A Case Study of Rural Kerala and West Bengal Moni Nag This paper assesses ana produces evidence in support of the hypothesis that an important factor that contributed to the easier accessibilify to and better utilisation of health facilities in rural Kerala compared to rural West Bengal was a higher degree of political awareness in rural Kerala at least up to the end of 1970s. A historical analysis of the caste organisations, peasant movements, and educational structure in the two states provides an under- standing of the difference in political awareness of the rural poor between the two states. The paper argues that the Indian political parties and trade unions should take a more active role by mobilising the masses not only around economic issues but also around social issues, e g, health, education "and women's rights.