The Success Of India's Democracy

How has democracy taken root in India in the face of a low-income economy, widespread poverty, illiteracy, and immense ethnic diversity? Atul Kohli brings together some of the world's leading scholars of Indian politics to consider this intriguing anomaly. They do so by focusing not so much on socioeconomic factors, but rather on the ways in which power is distributed in India. Two processes have guided the negotiation of power conflicts. First, a delicate balance has been struck between the forces of centralization and decentralization and, second, the interests of the powerful in society have been served without fully excluding those on the margins. These and related themes are addressed by the editor in his introduction, which is followed by an essay on the historical origins of Indian democracy, and two further sections, one on the consolidation of democratic institutions, and the other on the forces which motivate or inhibit democratic growth. While the book offers a clear and coherent approach to the subject, individual authors have their particular take on the subject. It is this combination that will entice a wide variety of readers, from students on the one hand, as a guide to one of the world's largest democracies, to scholars on the other, who are looking for a new approach to this controversial and much-debated subject.