India

Indian Administrative Structure

Basics Over 1 Billion people Opening to the world economically since 1991 Importance of the US-Indian-Chinese relationship in the future

Paradox One Largest democracy in the World But… –Economic inequality –Social inequality (due to lingering Hindu caste system)

Paradox Two Religion: 80% Hindu But… a national ideology of separation of church and state… But the Bharatiya Janata and “Hindu nationalism” or Hindutva

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh The first Sikh PM From Congress Party

Leader of Congress Party Sonja Gandhi Roman Catholic Born in Italy

Three Presidents of India First “Untouchable” Pres. First Muslim Pres.First Woman Pres

Paradox Three East Asian Model: Authoritarian and capitalist India: Democratic with a socialist economy (until 1991 when economic reforms began)

Paradox Four: The Economy High Tech and massive poverty Bangalore India’s Silicon Valley Slums of any city

Paradox Five: Diversity 80% Hindu, but… 22 Official languages nowlanguages Over 140 million Muslims (the nation in the world with the third largest Muslim population)

Paradox Six: National vs. Regional Parties Two major national parties: –Congress Party –BJP –Also, minor party: Communist Party Marxist 2009: 35 regional parties in Parliament Lok Sabha Party-wise

Political Culture 1.Geography 2.Agrarian economy 3.Population 4.Religion 1.Hindu: 81% 2.Muslim: 13% 3.Christian 2.3% 4.Sikh: 1.9%

Hindu Caste System 1.Priests – Brahmins 2.Warriors – Kahtriyas 3.Landowners/merchants – Vaishyas 4.Small Farmers – Sudras Outcastes, sub-castes, backward tribes, and “Untouchables” or Dalits or Harijans Bhimrao Ambedkar

Mauryan Dynasty, BC

Gupta Dynasty, AD

Mughal Dynasty,

British Colonialism

Amritsar Massacre, April 1919 Eduard Thony painting

Indian National Congress Jawaharlal Nehru and Mohandas Gandhi

Gandhi’s Impact on the INC Extremists vs. moderates Ending factional struggle Mass movement Non-violence –Gandhi’s writingsGandhi’s writings Independence Now

Muslim League Mohammed Ali Jinnah

Independence and partition

Kashmir UNMOGIP

Government Structure Indian Constitution President Parliament –Rajya SabhaRajya Sabha –Lok SabhaLok Sabha Prime Minister

Parliamentary Process for PM PM and House serve full term Party wins majority HousePM dies or General electsresigns election PM of Lower House No party winsNo Confidence fails majoritymotion passes Parties negotiatePM dissolves to form coalitionHouse (50% of seats, plus one)

The Process (in theory) PM and House serve full term Party wins majority HousePM dies or General electsresigns election PM of Lower House

Coalition Formation and Choosing PM PM and House serve full term Party wins majority HousePM dies or General electsresigns election PM of Lower House No party wins majority Parties negotiate to form coalition (50% of seats, plus one)

No Confidence Motion PM and House serve full term Party wins majority HousePM dies or General electsresigns election PM of Lower House No party winsNo Confidence fails majoritymotion passes Parties negotiate to form coalition (50% of seats, plus one)

PM Dissolves Lower House PM and House serve full term Party wins majority HousePM dies or General electsresigns election PM of Lower House No party winsNo Confidence fails majoritymotion passes Parties negotiatePM dissolves to form coalitionHouse (50% of seats, plus one)

1996 Election Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 160 Congress Party 136 National Front 110 National Front forms government

Nehru Dynasty Jawaharlal Nehru Indira GandhiRajiv Gandhi

Congress Party Manmohan Singh Sonja Gandhi Rahul Gandhi PM President General Secretary of the Party(one of nine)

Congress’ Ideology Secularism Socialist economics Economic Reform 1991-presentEconomic Reform Manifesto for 2009 electionsManifesto

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)(BJP) Hindutva (Hindu Nationalism)Hindutva RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)RSS

Others Leftist parties –Communist Party of India (Marxist)Communist Party of India (Marxist) Regional parties –AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhigam) regional party of Tamil Nadu stateAIADMK –Janata Dal (Secular) (Karnataka, Kerala)Janata Dal (Secular) –Telugu Desam Party (Andrha Pradesh)Telugu Desam Party –Samajwadi Party (Uttar Pradesh)Samajwadi Caste-based Parties –Bahujan Samaj PartyBahujan Samaj Party