Rajni Kothari - Politics In India [hot]

Power is not concentrated at the centre. It is segmented – different groups control different arenas (e.g., caste associations control local bodies, Congress controls national policy). This fragmentation prevents tyranny. Part IV: Change and Continuity Ch. 9 – The Crisis of Succession After Nehru’s death (1964) and Shastri’s brief tenure, the transition to Indira Gandhi tested the system. Kothari argues the system absorbed the shock because institutionalised factions allowed renegotiation of power.

Argues that the freedom struggle created a unified elite, a common political culture, and institutional habits (debate, negotiation) that carried into post-1947 politics. Part II: The Institutional Structure Ch. 3 – The Congress System The core chapter. Congress is not a disciplined party but a coalition of factions, castes, and regional bosses . It maintains dominance by being internally democratic (factional fights allowed) and ideologically vague – a “rainbow coalition” before the term existed. rajni kothari politics in india

Political stability comes from elites (political, bureaucratic, business, landowning) bargaining behind the scenes. Mass participation is real but mediated through elite-led organisations. Power is not concentrated at the centre

Opposition parties are weak but not irrelevant. They serve as pressure valves – raising issues Congress ignores, but they operate within the Congress-defined framework. True alternation in power does not occur. Part IV: Change and Continuity Ch