Socio-Economic Basis of Indian Politics

Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction to social structure. 2. Structure of Indian economy. 3. Agrarian structure in economy. 4. Growth of modern industries. 5. Development of currency finance and banking. 6. Political system and policies. 7. Caste and modern perspectives. 8. Caste and politics. 9. Status of women. Bibliography.

"The basis of Indian society was a sort of realistic idealism. The practice of life was made to agree with its philosophy, there was no partition wall in the Indian mind between the secular and the spiritual, which were peculiarly blended into a harmonious whole. In his relation to the rest of society, the individual, according to the Indian scheme, lays stress upon his duties-his dharma by which he is to secure his own advancement, and thus may be distinguished from the European, who emphasized his rights. The most salient feature of Indian social tradition is its long and unbroken continuity. India has received peoples from outside for thousands of years, but this age long contact of varied cultures has never resulted in a conflict so severe that one culture attained survival by the complete annihilation of the others." (jacket)