Democracy, Governance and Political Parties in India: An Introduction

Published date01 June 2016
AuthorK.C. Suri,David Hundt,Carolyn Elliott
Date01 June 2016
DOI10.1177/2321023016634902
Subject MatterArticles
Article
Democracy, Governance and Political
Parties in India: An Introduction
K.C. Suri1
Carolyn Elliott2
David Hundt3
Abstract
The party political domain of India is replete with a large number of parties representing the tapestry
of the Indian society. Many of them are based in specific regions and states, built around social and
linguistic identities. While this enhanced the representative character of the parties, it also contributed
to varied patterns of political competition and unstable governments. The two major national parties—
the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party—becoming ready and willing to form coalitions heralded
an era of coalition governments both at the centre and states, enabling parties to increase their power
and their pay-offs. Parties across the political spectrum have tended to converge on macroeconomic
policy, but continue to diverge on social policies and larger issues that confront India, such as nation
building and secularism. Chronic lack of internal democracy coupled with the rise of political corrup-
tion and clientelist practices are matters of serious concern. A broader view of governance, resisting
temptations to concentrate power and pursue personal enrichment would enable parties to deliver
policies for a better, more just society.
Keywords
India, democracy, governance, parties
We may deprecate India’s political parties, the way they function and the means party leaders adopt to
maximize electoral support. We may blame them for the ills we see in Indian society and political prac-
tice. Such an attitude is not unjustified. Yet we cannot ignore the role parties have played in bringing
about a massive democratic political transformation over the past six decades since independence.
This transformation was by no means inevitable; most former colonies went through periods of political
instability, military coups and authoritarian regimes, but India has moved towards law-based democrati-
zation. The mediating role political parties have played in bringing about this democratic transformation
1 Department of Political Science, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
2 Department of Political Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, United States.
3 School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia.
Studies in Indian Politics
4(1) 1–7
© 2016 Lokniti, Centre for the
Study of Developing Societies
SAGE Publications
sagepub.in/home.nav
DOI: 10.1177/2321023016634902
http://inp.sagepub.com
Corresponding author:
K.C. Suri, Department of Political Science, School of Social Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500046,
Telangana, India.
E-mail: suriss@uohyd.ernet.in

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT