By- Saurabh Singh

OverviewIn this chapter we apply the ideas of social difference to the practice of democratic system in India.

We look at three kinds of social differences that can take the form of social divisions and inequalities.

These are social differences based on gender, religion and caste.

Gender And PoliticsThis is a form of hierarchical social

division seen everywhere, but is rarely recognized in the study of politics.

The gender divisions tends to be understood as natural and unchangeable.

Not based on biology but on social expectations and stereotypes.

What disadvantages do women face?

Literacy Rate - 54% for women.76% for men showing disparity.

Smaller proportion of girls go for higher studies.

Preferential treatment meted out to boy`s education rather than for girls.

Proportion of women among highly paid and valued job is small.

Equal wages Act provides equal wages but discrimination continues in sports, cinema, factories and fields.

What disadvantages do women face?Preference to have sons and abortion of girl child.Sex selective abortions have led to decline in child

sex ratio.Various types of harassment, exploitation and

violence. Urban areas too have become unsafe for women.Proportion of women has been very low in

legislature.In the government, cabinets are largely all-male

even when a woman becomes the Chief Minister or the Prime minister.

Solutions to these problemsTo make it legally binding to have a

fair proportion of women in elected bodies.

Reservation of 1/3 seats in local bodies.

10 lakh elected representatives in rural and urban local bodies.

Demand for 1/3 seats in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.

Religion and PoliticsGandhiji believed that politics must

be guided by ethics drawn from religion.

Human rights groups demanding the Government to take special steps to protect religious minorities.

Women`s movements want Government to change family laws to make it equitable.

CommunalismTo place ones community above

everything including the nation.When does it begin?When religion is seen as the basis of

the nation.When does it become acute? When religion is expressed in politics

in exclusive and partisan terms.When one religion and its followers

are pitted against the other.

What factors promote communalism?Beliefs of one religion are presented as

superior to those of other religions.When demands of one religious group

are formed in opposition to another.When state power is used to establish

domination of one religious group over the rest.

What is Communal Politics? It is based on the idea that religion is the principal basis of social

community.

What Do Communalists Think?

Followers of one religion must belong to one community.

Their fundamental interests are same.

People who follow different religions cannot belong to the same social community.

Communalism can take different forms in politics :

It involves religious prejudices, stereotypes of religious communities and belief in the superiority of one`s religion over other religions.

Communal mind leads to a quest for Political dominance of one’s own religious communities.

If it is a Majority community – Majoritarian Dominance.

If it is a Minority community – It form a separate political unit.

Political mobilisation – using symbols, religious leader`s emotional appeal and plain fear in order to bring the followers of one religion together in political arena.

Sometimes takes its most ugly form of communal violence, riots and massacre. India and Pakistan suffered some of the worst communal riots at the time of Partition.

Secular state1) There is no official religion for India.

Constitution does not offer special status to any religion.

2) Constitution provides to all freedom to profess, practice and propagate any religion.

3) Constitution prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion.

4) State will intervene in matters of religion to ensure equality within religious communities. It bans untouchability.

Caste And PoliticsHereditary occupational division

sanctioned by rituals.Members of the same caste group

formed similar occupation, married within the caste and did not eat with members from other caste groups.

Efforts Taken to Check Casteism…Political leaders and social reformers like Jotiba

Phule,Gandhiji, Ambedkar and Periyar Ramaswami Naicker have done a lot to check casteism.

Socio economic changes have brought in a check.Large scale urbanisation.Literacy and education.Occupational mobility.Weakening of the position of landlords.Constitution prohibited caste based

discrimination.

Caste in Politics Why is there a disproportionately large presence of Upper Caste among Urban Middle Class ?

Groups that did not have access to education were prohibited from acquiring it have lagged behind.

Elections are all about caste and nothing else

No parliamentary constituency has a clear majority of one single caste. Every candidate /party must win the confidence of more than one caste and community to win elections.

No party wins the votes of all voters of a caste /community.

Many political parties may put up candidates from same caste.

Ruling party /sitting MP losing election could not have happened if all castes and communities were frozen in political preferences.

Caste can take various forms in politics:During the choice of candidates before an

election , care is taken that the composition of electorate and nomination of candidates from different castes so as to muster support to win elections.

During formation of Governments, political parties take care that representatives of different castes and tribes find a place in it.

To make appeals to caste sentiment to muster support.

Universal adult franchise - one person one vote.

Politics in Caste1)Caste group becomes big by

including neighbouring castes.2)Party enters into a coalition with

other castes.3)Rise of backward caste and

forward caste group.

Effects of Exclusive Attention to Caste:Is negative.Politics based on caste identity alone is not healthy.

Diverts attention from poverty, development and corruption.

Leads to tension, conflict and even violence.

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