Rajni kothari, preeminent political theorist and activist in the 1960s developed the idea of the congress system to explain the partys umbrella character that accommodated multiple interests within its fold. He was the first to foresee caste factor the hindu. The congress system, which he described as one involving the margin of dissent within itself and whose modus operandi was factionalism, turned into, in kothari s second phase, the authoritarian state under indira gan dhis tenure t. However, it was the 1980s that witnessed the breakdown of the. From the theoretical, historical, sociocultural, and comparative matrices of about the book. Politics in india in this pioneering study of india as a vibrant and politically sustainable polity, rajni kothari. The congress system in india asian survey university of. Rajni kothari has radically changed the contours of the discipline of political science. In india, the congress, which is the party of consensus, functions through an elaborate network of factions which provides the chief competitive mechanism of the indian system.
Rajni kothari s most popular book is the postdevelopment reader. Congress thereafter was forced to balance the interests of the national. The term congress system was coined by psc online book. In their preoccupation with fitting the fluidities of.
Latest general knowledge questions and answers current affairs,psc question bank,upsc,ssc solved. Thus, the congress, which functioned as broadbased nationalist movement before independence, transformed itself into the dominant political party of the nation. Rajni kothari has established that caste has been the major factor behind success of indias democracy. When other scholars have been critical of the role of caste in indian politics. According to rajni kothari, another careful student of the organization, the congress system was based upon factional alliances within the party and between these party factions and nonparty interest groups. Like our page on facebook for updates if you are preparing for ssc, nda, ssc, upsc for general knowledge and current affair. Scholars like rajni kothari 1970, lindzey gardner, miller 1950, key 1955, campbell 1960, and norman palmer 1976 have referred to caste as a voting determinant. It was, first of all, a model of historical rajni kothari, the congress system in india, asian survey, 4. Congress system article about congress system by the free. Rajni kothari was a political scientist who first put his finger on the pulse of the indian political system and characterised it as one party dominance opd, a label which is relevant even today as we seem to have exited the era of the congress system. One party dominance congress 19501975 and bjp 2014 uptill article pdf available january 2018 with 2,268 reads. The years 1989 to 1998 were a period of transition. Political scientist rajni kothari in his book politics in india defines a oneparty dominant system as, a competitive party system but one in which the competing parts play dissimilar roles and one which consists of, parties of pressure and parties of consensus. Rajni kotharis most popular book is the postdevelopment reader.
When page numbers are occasionally used, they refer to the 1964 article on the congress system. Despite hiccups in the late 1960s, and in the second half of the 1970s, congress stranglehold on the political system continued through electoral means. In the study of party systems, attention has so far been given to two opposite phenomena, the two party. Social cleavages, elections, and the indian party system \ pradeep k.
When rajni kothari looked at the congress system, other parties were, as he famously called them, existing on the margins. People may not be knowing the purpose of elections or nature of the political system, but come out to vote, to support the member of their caste or biradari. The congress party system rajni kothari government politics. Rajni kothari was clear about some of the subjects of his studies, irreverently and pragmatically certain that the indian elite was knowledgeproof, that the only changes it would accept were pressures from below or by mimicking its colonial masters. Rajni kothari, the political scientist of india the indian. The congress system that rajni kothari identified continued till 1989.
After independence pandit nehru held that castism as well as. Rajni kothari described indian polity as congress system. The paper tries to evaluate as to how indian shifts from the congress system to non congress. Kothari argued that this congress system signified the dominant core of the countrys political institution which allowed for the.
Working of indian liberal democracy and the emerging issues 938 began to find roots in indian multiparty system, since mrs. The congress system in india university of california press. The congress system in india asian survey university. He was also the member of planning commission during national front government of v. Here was a man far ahead of his times, a futurist in perspective. After independence pandit nehru held that castism as well. A book that studies the confrontation between india s caste system and the parliamentary form of government in varying contexts and through different methods of investigation. Politics in india was an instant classic when it was published in 1970, when he was barely 40 years old. The congress party system rajni kothari free download as pdf file. Half a century ago, the late political theorist, rajni kothari, began decoding the indian political system, eventually dubbing it oneparty dominance opd or the congress system. Unlike most academics, kothari evolved with the times and had the courage to change his formulation, and even position.
The congress party system rajni kothari government. He established the centre for the study of developing societies csds in 1963 at delhi, a social sciences and humanities research institute. For a full four decades since independence, the congress was almost continuously in power at the centre, as well as in many states. Rajni kothari 1928 19 january 2015 was an indian political scientist, polit. Congress dominance weakened across india, as parties. According to the argument put forward by rajni kothari, the party system of india has evolved from a political centre, which was carved out during the nationalist movement.
Rajni kothari 1970, while analyzing the problem of relationship between caste and politics, has referred to three different approaches of three types of people. The party system, the competitive interaction patterns among party units of this period has therefore been best characterised in terms of a oneparty dominant system put forward by both rajni kothari and morris jones independently and separately. The nehru years in indian politics african studies. Circumstantial bias, communalism, violence and the rise of. To me this appears to be a highly oversimplified reading of the situation which does not tell us much about the real shifts, that are likely to inform the political. The decline of the congress party in indian politics. Following this, section iii takes a theoretical detour to develop a model of party system that might help us categorize the various types of party systems that developed in india after the demise of the congress system.
Working of indian liberal democracy and the emerging issues. These articles titled form and substance in indian politics covered panchayat raj, instititions of parliamentary government, party system and prospects of democracy all affecting the political life of the 17year old democracy. Rajni kothari 1163 party of consensus that is of central importance in this scheme of politics. In the last four decades i have witnessed many stalwarts leaving this world but not seen so many articles having been written in various. Parties and party politics in india book, 2002 worldcat. Caste indian politics rajni kothari and james manor edsworking indian liberal democracy and the emerging issues acclaimed kothari, rajni. Rajni kothari, the congress system in india, asian survey, 4 december 1964, 116173. The political science doyen rajni kothari spoke in the mid1960s in an essay published in asian survey, in a spirit of optimism, about a congress system that would remain an eternal. The first page of the pdf of this article appears above. The opposition also looked like a mirror copy of the dominant party. Evolution of indian political party system gktoday. Rajni kothari 16 august 1928 19 january 2015 was an indian political scientist, political theorist, academic and writer. That is why the observers of indian politics like morris jones described the indian party system as a system of one party dominance while rajni kothari went to the extent of. This majoritarian politics, no doubt, played an important role in restoring the legitimacy of the congress for the time being, but, it sowed the seeds of even more.
Free 2day shipping wamazon prime rajni kothari politics in india pdf. The indian party system is one of the most paradoxical systems in the world. The congress \ system \ in india \ rajni kothari 2. Rajni kothari, first to discover the pulse of indian. Role of caste in indian politics south asian journal of. Politics in india was first published in 1970 and marks a turning point in the evolution of the authors intellectual contributions. The historical graveyards are cluttered with parties, which dominated the political scene.
Sep 14, 2018 the political science doyen rajni kothari spoke in the mid1960s in an essay published in asian survey, in a spirit of optimism, about a congress system that would remain an eternal. From april to june 1961, a series of six articles by rajni kothari were published in the economic weekly. The developing pattern of the congress party economic and. In his early years, rajni kothari like romesh thapar had been close to the congress, particularly to indira gandhi. The parties of pressure operate within the margin of pressure which comprises. Pushing political analysis beyond the traditional format, he has given his readers some pathbreaking and seminal work work that has allowed indian political science to come of age.
Rajni kothari, party system, fifth article in form and substance in indian. Kothari describes this conflict with in the congress as the two party system that is really emerging in. Breakdown of the congress system much literature traces the decline of the congress system, which began in the late 1960s. Politics in india unfolds, here with insight and acumen and the vastness and confusion of the indian political scene is elaborately discussed. The concluding section will attempt to identify some of the features of the new party system that is gradually emerg ing. Rajni kothari 1970 examined the relationship between caste and politics by analysing the issue as to what happens to political system because of the vote of castes. Bjps oneparty dominance is significantly different. Kothari is associated with the coinage of the term congress system. Jan 20, 2015 rajni kothari was a political scientist who first put his finger on the pulse of the indian political system and characterised it as one party dominance opd, a label which is relevant even today as we seem to have exited the era of the congress system and witness the bjp attempting to establish its own opd. Development and trends, perspec tives, supplement to the indian journal of public administration, 12 januarymarch. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and the most definitive collection ever assembled. B rajni kothari kothari is associated with the coinage of the term congress system. The congress system in india sought to model indian political experience along several characteristics. Recipients will receive an email with a link to the congress system.
The congress from 1952 to 1967 was a dominant force, winning consistently in different elections. This socalled oneparty dominance or congress system was, no doubt, a competitive party system. He found that three factorseducation, government patronage, and slowly expanding franchise including 1821 year old young persons in electoratehave penetrated the caste. It was a unique one party dominance in a multiparty system. In effect, the major concerns expressed about the changing nature of the party system and competitive politics in india may be subsumed under two general questions. Way back in the 1960s and 1970s, noted political scientist rajni kothari used to characterise the indian political system as essentially congress system with one party exercising its. This book is the first comprehensive treatment of the indian political system examined from different vantage points and drawing together the contribution of various disciplines into a common framework. The congress system on trial and will not need an account to access the content. Rajni kothari project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Rajni kothari further says that it is a system in which the party, which is historically dominant, is opposed by a large number of.
As a system, it is rigid enough to withstand continuous defections and yet fluid enough to absorb new alliances. The observers of indian politics like morris jones, therefore described the indian system as a system of one party dominance, whereas writers like rajni kothari went to the extent of calling it the congress system. Rajni kothari, first to discover the pulse of indian political system. Seth b rajni kothari c james manor d christophe jaffrelot. Just as in britain, voting is classdeterminant, in united states, it is racedeterminant, in india it is castedeterminant.
Caste and politics in indian society sociology discussion. Jan 28, 2015 rajni kothari was the eminent scholar and political scientist of india. First he refers to those people who lament over the role which caste plays in politics and think that politics should be free of caste and casteism. Way back in the 1960s and 1970s, noted political scientist rajni kothari used to characterise the indian political system as essentially congress system with one party exercising its authoritative hegemony, depicting the congress as the spokesman of the nation as well as its affirmed agent of criticism and change. Recipients will receive an email with a link to india. He was the founder of centre for the study of developing societies csds in 1963, a social sciences and humanities research institute, based in delhi and lokayan dialogue of the people, started in 1980 as a forum for interaction between activists and intellectuals. A historical overview the creation of parties is a continuous process.