About the Books

Book I : Historical Background

Book II :Philosophy of Indian Constitution

Book III :Institutional Framework

Book IV :Federalism in India

Book V :Party System and Election in India

Book VI :Social and Political Movements

Book VII :Context of Indian State

Book I

Introduction

The post-Independence India has seen participation of all sections of the society in political processes of the country to varying extent. It has been possible due to the contribution of various classes in the Indian national Movement, which led to the achievement of Independence of India. The new classes which emerged during the colonial period provide a background to the politics of the post-Independence period. This block consists of the four units.

Unit 1 discusses the consequences of colonialism on India. The main point made in this unit is that the conditions of the Indians were much better before the arrival of the British. The colonial rule worsened them.

Unit 2 discusses the responses of various segments of Indian society, i.e., peasantry, tribals, middle classes, social reformers to the colonial rule.

Unit 3 is concerned about the national movements, its different phases, ideologies and leaders.

Unit 4 deals with the rise of the new classes in India during colonial period, i.e., zamindars, tenants, peasant-proprietors, capitalist class, modern working class and modern intelligentsia. It also discusses the factors of their rise along with other issues.

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Book II

Introduction

The Constitution of India is a document which aims to establish India as a "Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic". It is based on a philosophy which aims to set up democracy in India, enabling every citizen and the community their overall development. It aims to contribute towards the growth and development of India. This block deals with the philosophy of the Indian Constitution. It has four units.

The unit 5 deals with the processes, factors and people relating to the framing of Indian Constitution.

The Unit 6 is concerned with the salient features of our Constitution. It also provides a background to the framing of the Constitution.

The Unit 7 is about the outlook and philosophy of our Constitution; ideas and dreams of the leaders of the Indian National Movement, and the way in which they were articulated.

The Unit 8 deals with meaning of citizenship, relationship between the citizen and the state, and between citizen and the community.

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Book III

Introduction

The making, execution and implementation of laws as well as their interpretation and application are important functions of any government. In modern democracies, these functions broadly correspond to legislative, executive and juridical functions performed by the three vital organs of the government, the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. The form of the government, however, may differ depending on the manner in which these organs are structured and related to each other.

The constitution of India provides for a parliamentary form of government based on the Westminster model. Although transplanted, parliamentary institutions have taken deep root in India. They have gained legitimacy and widespread acceptance by the people across the ideological spectrum and throughout the country. Their meaning and operations have been adapted to the Indian environment.

This block consisting of five units. After examining the essential features of a parliamentary government and the adaptation of parliamentary institutions in India (in Unit 9), this block deals with the three important organs of the government, the legislature (Unit 10), the executive (Unit 11) and the judiciary (Unit 12). Though bureaucracy is a part of the executive, often described as the permanent executive, we thought it is necessary to examine it in some detail (in Unit 13).

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Book IV

Introduction

This block consists of five units on federalism in India: The people's sovereignty in Indian polity is shared between three units - centre, state and local level structures. With the passage of the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments the Panchayati Raj Institutions and municipalities have been recognised as the third layer of federalism. Besides, there are federal units with unique status. In the light of the changing social, cultural, political and economic processes, the relationships among various units of federalism are affected. This in turn affects the federal process.

This block will make you aware of the nature of relationships among various units of the federal structures; the constitutional provisions on federalism, and the factors which affect federalism in India.

Unit 14 explains the nature of federalism in India; the models on which it is based: and why India follows a particular type of federal structure.

Unit 15 is concerned with special provisions for regions like North-East India, Jammu and Kashmir, etc. It explains the reasons for the need for the introduction of such provisions, different from those meant for other regions of the country.

Unit 16 deals with the issues of conflict and cooperation between centre- and the states.

Unit 17 discusses the processes, reasons and factors related to the autonomy of the regions, and movement in India and the changing criteria for the reorganisation of the states in India.

Unit 18 is about what has come to be known as the third layer of federalism; it is the local unit of federalism. In the villages it is the Panchayati Raj Institutions and in the cities, it is municipalities.

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Book V

Introduction

This block consists of five units on the party system and elections in India. Political parties and elections are an integral part of democracy. While the political parties articulate the interests of the people, the elections provide opportunity to the people to choose their representatives from a large number of the parties or the independent candidates.

Unit 19 deals with the party system in India. It explains the nature and characteristics of the party system. It will acquaint the students with the socio-economic and political factors which affect the party system in India.

Unit 20 deals with national and regional political parties, their meanings, ideologies, social bases and organisational structures.

Unit 21 discusses the significance of the elections, election system, election procedure and the role of elections in the social change.

Unit 22 grapples with the influence of the caste and class on politics, and that of the politics on caste and class.

Unit 23 explains the meaning of coalition, different forms of coalitions and nature and emergence of coalition governments in India.

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Book VI

Introduction

This block deals with the social and political movements of the deprived sections of society in India. They are women, Dalits, tribals, workers and peasants. We shall also study environmental movement, which though led by middle class social activists, affects all sections of society.

Usually the scholars use the "social" and "political" movements interchangeably. Social movement is a collective action of the people. The sociologists assume that social movements also include those movements which aim to bring about some political change. There are different forms of collective actions but all of them cannot be called movements. Some are spontaneous. Immediate reaction of a group of the people to a particular event does not necessarily form social movement. Mob action in rioting is collective action but not movement. Similarly - action which is a part of institutional functioning like voting in election is also not movement. Social movement is a collective deliberate action. It is collective action for 'Protesting, against 'Policy(S) or action of the state or/and dominent classes. It may be assertion for rights, identity or against injustice. Sometimes collective action also aims at demanding solution of certain problems faced by the people. Social movement has some formal or informal organisation, objective, ideology -well formulated or vague-, leadership and programmes for mobilisation of the participants and pressurise the political authority.

Social movements of different types are evident in all societies as formal legal institutions are not capable to resolve all problems of the people. Through movements people express not only their grievances but also their aspirations. In that sense social movement is a form of people's politics. The term 'social - movement' gained currency in European languages in the early nineteenth century. This was the period of social upheaval. The political leaders and authors who used the term were concerned with the emancipation of exploited and underprivileged classes. They wanted social transformation. Therefore, social movement has implicit objective for social change.

Unit 24 deals with the women's movement; historical background of the women's movement, issues confronting women's movement in India, and the role of women in politics.

Unit 25 is concerned with the dalit movement; meaning of dalit movement, issues involved in it, various forms, phases and dalit organisations.

Unit 26 is about the tribal movements; issues related to the tribal movement in India, and the reasons and the consequences of the tribal movements.

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Unit 27 deals with the environment movements; issues and problems, role of the state, judiciary and the NGOs.

Unit 28 is concerned with the movements of the workers and peasants in India; their demands, problems and leadership, and patterns of mobilisation in the their collective action.

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Book VII

Introduction

This last blo.ck of the course on Government and Politics in India, titled context of Indian State is to' bring to' your notice some of the problems that have emerged in the context of the task of socio-economic transformation through democratic political processes. Both the trends which have emerged as a result of interaction between socio-economic and political processes and aberration that have emerged in the adopted political system have been analysed. The block consists of four units.

The first unit, i.e., Unit 29 on Globalisation and Liberalisation introduces you to' the phenomenon of globalisation, which is taking place in the present day world. In the context of various aspects of globalisation it describes how Indian economy and the role of State have come as a result of that It also analyses the effects of Globalisation on various sectors and sections of polity and society.

The Unit 30 is a description of secularism and challenges it is facing from the forces of communalism, Starting with an analysis of definition of secularism and it significance it identifies the challenges this basic value of Indian political system is facing. After locating the causes and mechanisms of the challenges particularly communalism, the unit ends with suggestions to' formulate a strategy to' deal with the problem.

The third unit in the block that is Unit 31 is on Democracy in Search of Equality. Concern here is to' identity the policies and strategies adopted in India, for attaining social justice for the deprived, marginalised and vulnerable groups of society including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Classes and Women, The unit brings to' your attention the status of these groups in terms of their expectations arising out of constitutional provisions. This also successes and failures of the policies formulated and implemented for that.

The Unit 32 is the last unit in the block. It is on Crime, Repression and Terror in Indian Politics. It highlights the serious aberrations that have emerged in the system; these are the phenomena of criminalisation of politics and its consequences for future of democracy It also brings out increasing reliance of State and Ruling Classes on use of Coercion and Repression. The unit also takes acco.unt of the newly emerged phenomenon of terrorism and analysis its various facets.

It is hoped that by going through this block you will be in a better position to understand and analyse the prevailing political processes in India and contribute in its reformation and corrections as a concerned citizen of this largest democracy of the world.

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