The existence of social diversity does not threaten democracy. Instead, it provides opportunities for its political expression, which can benefit democratic systems.
Gender and Politics
Gender Division: A Universal Hierarchical Divide
- Gender division exists universally but is often not acknowledged in political studies.
- It is often considered natural and unchangeable, but it stems from social expectations and stereotypes, not biology.
Public vs. Private Roles
- Gender roles in society:
- Women are traditionally seen as responsible for household tasks like cooking, cleaning, and childcare.
- Men dominate work outside the home.
- Sexual Division of Labor:
- Men often refuse to do household work unless paid. E.g., most tailors and cooks in hotels are men.
- Women also perform income-generating work (e.g., fieldwork, domestic labor in urban areas) but remain underappreciated.
- Impact: Women’s work is undervalued, rendering their role in public life, particularly politics, minimal.
Political Mobilization of Gender Division
- Historical Exclusion:
- Earlier, only men could vote and contest elections.
- Feminist Movements:
- Women organized to demand equal voting rights, education, and career opportunities.
- Movements targeted equality in personal and family life.
- Modern Progress:
- Women have entered traditionally male-dominated fields like medicine, engineering, and law.
- Countries like Sweden, Norway, and Finland show high female participation in public life.
Percentage of women in parliaments of the world.
Challenges Women Face in India
- Patriarchal Society
- India remains male-dominated, with women facing disadvantage, discrimination, and oppression.
- Education and Literacy
- Female literacy: 54% vs. male literacy: 76%.
- Fewer girls pursue higher education due to parental biases in resource allocation.
- Economic Inequalities
- Women work longer than men (7.5 hours daily vs. men’s 6.5 hours) but they are still underpaid.
- Much of their work is unpaid or invisible.
- Equal Remuneration Act (1976): Ensures equal wages for equal work in the public sector, but women are still paid less than men in the larger private sector.
- Sexual Discrimination and Violence
- Practices like sex-selective abortions have reduced the child sex ratio to 919 girls per 1,000 boys.
- Women face domestic violence, harassment, and exploitation, even within homes.
- Political Representation
- Lok Sabha: Only 14.36% of members in 2019 were women.
- State Assemblies: Less than 5% women representation.
- India ranks low globally in female representation, behind many developing nations.
Efforts to Empower Women
- Panchayati Raj Reservation: 33% seats reserved for women in local bodies.
- 2023 Women’s Reservation Act (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam): Reserves 33% seats in Lok Sabha, State Assemblies, and the Delhi Assembly for women.
Gender issues require political attention to address inequalities effectively.
Religion and Politics
Religion in Indian Politics
- Gandhi’s Perspective: Religion should guide politics through ethics, not sectarianism.
- Examples of Religion’s Role:
- Human Rights Movements: Protect minorities and prevent communal riots.
- Women’s Movements: Demand reforms in discriminatory family laws.
Communalism: Dangers and Forms
- Definition Communalism arises when religion becomes the sole basis of national identity.
- Manifestations
- Religious Prejudices: Belief in the superiority of one’s religion.
- Majoritarianism: Dominance of the majority religion.
- Electoral Mobilization: Using religious symbols and leaders for political gain.
- Communal Violence: Religious riots and massacres.
- Outcome: Communalism suppresses diversity and endangers democracy.
India as a Secular State
- Key Constitutional Provisions
- No official state religion (unlike Buddhism in Sri Lanka or Islam in Pakistan).
- Freedom to practice, profess, or propagate any religion.
- Non-discrimination on religious grounds.
- State interventions for equality (e.g., abolishing untouchability).
- Conclusion: While secularism is constitutionally mandated, combating communalism requires societal efforts against religious prejudices and propaganda.
Caste and Politics
Caste System: Origins and Evolution
- Definition A hereditary division of labor, sanctioned by rituals, excluding “outcastes.”
- Social Reformers
- Phule, Ambedkar, Gandhi, and Periyar: Advocated for a caste-free society.
- Modern Changes
- Economic development, urbanization, and education have weakened caste hierarchies.
- However, traditional practices like endogamy (marriage within caste) persist.
Caste and Elections
- Caste in Electoral Politics
- Parties field candidates considering caste demographics.
- Some parties are seen as caste-specific representatives.
- Misconceptions
- No constituency has a single caste majority.
- Caste is one factor among many, including party loyalty and governance performance.
Politics’ Impact on Caste
- Politicization of Caste
- Castes form coalitions for political influence.
- New caste identities like “backward” and “forward” groups emerge.
- Positive Outcomes
- Marginalized communities gain political representation (e.g., Dalits, OBCs).
- Negative Outcomes
- Caste-based politics can overshadow broader issues like poverty and corruption.
Caste and Economic Inequality
- Economic Linkages
- Poverty rates are higher among Scheduled Tribes (45.8%) and Scheduled Castes (35.9%) than upper castes (9.9%-16%).
- Persistence of Inequality
- Upper castes dominate among the rich, while lower castes face higher poverty rates.
- Constitutional Safeguards Prohibit caste-based discrimination but centuries-old inequalities persist.
Conclusion
- Gender, religion, and caste divisions are integral to India’s social fabric, and their political expression has both positive and negative outcomes.
- Democratic Progress: Political acknowledgment of social disparities has empowered marginalized groups, yet excessive reliance on identity politics risks diverting attention from pressing developmental issues.
- Path Forward: Constructive engagement with diversity must balance equality, representation, and national cohesion.