Review 3, Spring 2007
POLI/INTL 355
The format will be similar to the other exam.
Short answers: Choose 3 of 6
Essay: choose 1 of 2.
List of Terms:
(Terms with an (*) are discussed in the readings)
I. Political Culture and Political Development:
Themes:
*democracy and inequality
*democracy and socialist economics
*secular ideology vs. religion, regionalism, caste
*diversity, yet Hindu Brahmin rule
*impoverished farmers vs. wealth of engineers
National parties (Congress/BJP) vs. Regional parties
But neither of the two national parties can get to 273 by itself -- coalitions
geography
agriculture
population
diversity
languages
Religions
Hinduism
pluralist nature of Hinduism
Caste system
Brahmins (Priests)
Warriors (Kahtriyas)
Landowners, Merchants (Vaishyas)
Dirty Farmers (Sudras)
Untouchables (Dalits, Harijans)
*Affirmative Action for lower castes
Islam
Sikhism
Current political trends:
Regional parties
Religion and politics
History:
Hindu Dynasties
Mughal Dynasty (Mongol invasion – Muslim rule)
British East India Company
Indian Mutiny and Direct Colonial Rule
Viceroy
Gradual inclusion of Indian's in administrative structure
Indian National Congress created
Factional Struggle in INC: The factions
Impact of Gandhi's leadership on INC
ending factional strife: non-violence but independence now
Becoming mass movement
new strategy -- non-violence
Minority independence movements (Muslim League)
II. Actors and Processes
Nationalism, Democracy, socialism,
federalism, neutrality in the cold war
A. Government Structure
President
Parliament
Rajya Sabha -- upper house
Lok Sabha -- lower house
role in choosing Prime Minister and no-confidence motions against PM
powers
Example of 1996 election and choosing the PM
Prime Minister and Cabinet
*Nehru Dynasty
*Jawaharlal Nehru
*Indira Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi
Sonia Gandhi
B. Political Parties:
1. Indian National Congress/Congress Party
Nehru Dynasty
Dynasty supporters vs. opponents
Indira Gandhi wins
Transformation of Congress -- Congress (I)
Congress becomes Indira
Ideology
Economic policy
Nehru’s socialism vs. Rao’s reforms
Ideology: complete separation of church and state
Challenges:
Continuing the dynasty: Sonia
*economic reforms
2. Bharatiya Janata Party
Hindutva
extremist past and allies
RSS
World Hindu Council
Nationalism
Blaming everything on Muslims and foreign investors
BJP challenge to Indian secularism
on economic reform
1996 elections and failure to form a government
1998 and victory
Nuclear tests
Nationalism and
BJP moderates most of its stands
Attracting Muslims
Slowing, not stopping economic reforms
*A. B. Vajpayee
III. Public Policy:
*Agriculture
*Nehru's Socialism
*National Planning Commission
*Problems of late 1980s/early 1990s
*Rao's economic reforms
*Finance Minister: Manmohan Singh
BJP criticism
1996 elections
Who fears economic reform and why?
Political Periods:
1. Congress Years: 1947-1991
From Nehru to Indira Gandhi
*The Emergency 1975-1977
*Defeat 1977
Indira Gandhi and Assassination
Rajiv Gandhi and Assassination
1991 Congress victory
*P. V. Narasimha Rao
Challenges for Congress
2. Years of Competition
Why did Congress lose support?
Nehru Dynasty gone
*Economic reform
*Corruption in Congress
Rise of regional and religious parties
1996 election
1998 elections
National Democratic
Reasons why the BJP found coalition partners
1999 elections
2004 election
BJP “India Shining” campaign
Congress’ campaign
Sonia in lead
Explicitly looking for coalition partners
Criticizing BJP economic reforms, saying they don’t help the poor
Irony of Congress criticizing BJP economic reform programs
Results of the election
United Progressive
New PM Manmohan Singh
The future?
Democracy and two-party systems
The extent of regionalism
All governments are coalitions
Caste-based parties
religion in politics