Brahmin: Priest

Kshatriya: Warrior

Vaishya: merchants

Sudra: farmers

Dalit: untouchables

1857

sepoys: Indians trained by British soldiers

Rebellion b/c rifles greased with lard (cow = sacred)

Prime minster and cabinet

Responsible for managing day to day affairs of government

State’s most important political figure

Typically been the leader of the party with a majority in the lower house or the legislature

Chooses members of the parliament 

(state level emergency rule)

allows the central government to take over a state government and rule it directly

sever poverty

financial inequality

divides on religion

caste system

attempts to promulgate rules on how to live ones life (birth, death, marriage, eating, relationships)

caste system

dominent faith 80% of Indians

rulers started nation building efforts

unified India with message of peace and benevolence to all subjects of every ethnic group and social rank

Hindu v Muslim

Territory disputes

Impoverished peoples

National Identity

Well schooled intellects

Well functioning central state, civil service, and army

INC and Nehru

Federal Republic with reserved authority for states

Authorizes central government to suspend/limit freedoms during an emergency (twice: China conflict 1962 and Pakistan conflict 1971)

Authorizes presidential rule

Head of State

Symbolic, ceremonial roles

Appoints the PM

Single party dominent

Secularism

Social reform

Democratic socialist economic policy

State owned institutions = workers support

Respect private property and industry = support from middle class

East India Company: cultivated trade

Set up puppet Mughal governorships (nabobs)

Introduced concepts like private property, English, science, literature, and liberal political philosophy

Unified India by bringing in communication and transportation

1855 Indian National Congress (INC)

 1906 Muslim League

Gandhi

Jawaharlal Nehru 1st PM

1947 British partition created Pakistan for Muslims

Governed by INC for first 45 years

led by Nehru, his daughter and grandson

authoritarian

To increase popularity, she ran a populist campaign directed at the impoverished masses to abolish poverty

1975 she decided to declare martial law/emergency rule and suspend the constitution, which increased economic efficiency 

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 

INCs biggest competition

Hindu nationalist vision

One of the worlds longest

Establishes India as a federal republic reserving authority for states

The Center - National gov. in New Delhi

House of People and House of States

Underrepresented (1 representative: 2 million)

HP introduces bills to raise revenue

Constitutional court with judicial review

*limited interpretations because of extensive, comprehensive constitution

*limited b/c parliament ability to reverse decisions

Single-member district pluralities

Doesn't have 2 party system

Handles public policies

Rise of coalition government strengthened state powers

State borders reflect linguistic or ethnic-religious differences

Communist Left Front: successful because cooperation with bigger parties, support from locals

Radicals: Maoists, Naxalism, low castes, tribal natives

Growth since coalition government

Get 40% of the vote

Huge voter turnout (400/600 million voters)

Most conventional civil organizations not effective in influencing policy

Communal interests represent ethnic, religious, and caste groups

Media influences voters

Divides on language

Affirmative action for Dalits

Indians identify politics locally BUT also as Indians

Globalization = intensified national identity threatened and needs to be protected

a mercantilist hold requirement for licensing and approval to operate a business

Government weakened in 1991

Nehru policy of peaceful coexistance

September 11: opportunity to engage in global war in terror, deal with muslim insurgants