Indian Democracy
Encyclopedia
This article is about India
n politics
, government
and law
and relation between them. This article deals with factors correlating the three with each other.
India is a constitutional republic
consisting of 28 states and seven center-controlled union territories with New Delhi
as the nation's capital. It is the seventh largest and second most populous country with roughly one sixth of the world’s population
, making it the world's largest democratic
country. It is one of the world's oldest civilizations with a rich and varied cultural heritage. It has achieved widespread socio-economic progress during the last 64 years of its independence. From self-sufficiency in agricultural production to space
exploration, India is competing effectively with other developed nations.
and Bangladesh
. These Aryans merged with Dravidians, who were the original inhabitants of south India, and gave a dynamic start to Indian classical culture. In the 3rd and 4th century BC, Indian culture reached a peak during the time of Mauryan Empire. The period of the Gupta dynasty from 4th to 6th century AD is considered the Golden Age of India. An Arab
invasion in the 8th century and a Turkish
invasion in the 12th century was followed by Europe
an traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century Britain
had assumed political control. India won independence after the diligent efforts of Mohan das karamchand Gandhi better known as father of India MK Gandhi in 1947. The sub-continent was divided into the states of India and Pakistan. Despite impressive economic gains India faces significant problems such as overpopulation, poverty, and religious strife.
India is also known for the highly sophisticated and urbanized culture of the Indus Valley Civilization
that thrived in the north-western part of the sub-continent from about 2600 to 2000 BC. From that time it was a virtually self-contained political and cultural arena, strongly influenced by Hinduism
. Other religions, notably Buddhism
, Jainism
and Sikhism
, originated in India, although their presence is quite small in India relative to both Hinduism
and Islam
. Throughout past centuries it developed a rich and varied culture with intellectual base in mathematics
, medicine
, astronomy
, and architecture
.
in every religion is a celebration of union, not only of the bride and groom, but also of two families, and sometimes of cultures and religions..
. The architects of India’s constitution, though drawing on many external sources, were most heavily influenced by the British model of parliamentary democracy. In addition, a number of principles were adopted from the United States Constitution
, including the separation of powers
among the major branches of government, the establishment of a supreme court
, and albeit in modified form, of a federal structure (a constitutional division of power between the union [central] and state governments). The mechanical details for running the central government, however, were largely carried over from the Government of India Act of 1935, passed by the British Parliament, which served as India’s governing document in the waning days of British colonial rule.
The new constitution took effect on 26 January 1950 and proclaimed India “a sovereign socialist secular democratic republic.” With 444 articles, 12 (later 12) schedules (each clarifying and expanding upon a number of articles), and 97 amendments, it is one of the world's longest and most detailed constitution. It also includes a detailed list of “fundamental rights,” a lengthy list of “directive principles of state policy” (goals that the state is obligated to promote, though with no specified timetable for their accomplishment), and a much shorter list of “fundamental duties” of the citizen.
The constitution of India is drawn extensively from Western legal traditions in its outline of the principles of liberal democracy. Unlike many Western constitutions, its principles aspire to end the inequities of traditional social relations and enhance social welfare.
The constitution has fostered an increasing concentration of power in the central government—especially the Office of the Prime Minister
. This centralization has occurred in the face of the increasing assertiveness of an array of ethnic and caste groups across Indian society. The government has responded to the resulting tensions by exerting authoritarian, albeit constitutional powers. Together with the public's perception of pervasive corruption among India's politicians, the state's centralization of authority and increasing resort to coercive power have eroded its legitimacy.
Print media originated in 1780. The screening of Auguste and Louis Lumière's films in Bombay in during July, 1895 marked the beginnings of among the oldest and largest film media of the world. Radio broadcasting initiated in 1927. Indian private media has been free and independent throughout most of its history. During the Period of Emergency (1975–1977), declared by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
, the media faced potential government control.
India consumed 99 million newspaper copies as of 2007—making it the second largest market in the world for newspapers. By 2008, India had a total of 60,000,000 Internet users—comprising 6.0% of the country's population. 4,010,000 people in India had access to broadband as of 2008, ranking it the 18th largest in the world. In 1997, India ranked 8th worldwide in the number of television broadcast stations.
is a major cultural influence and also plays an important role in politics. Political party support greatly depends upon religion. The main religions are Hinduism and Islam and many political parties are identified by the religion of their supporters. Many national religious issues are the key points of the success in elections.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
, government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
and law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
and relation between them. This article deals with factors correlating the three with each other.
India is a constitutional republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
consisting of 28 states and seven center-controlled union territories with New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
as the nation's capital. It is the seventh largest and second most populous country with roughly one sixth of the world’s population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
, making it the world's largest democratic
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
country. It is one of the world's oldest civilizations with a rich and varied cultural heritage. It has achieved widespread socio-economic progress during the last 64 years of its independence. From self-sufficiency in agricultural production to space
Space
Space is the boundless, three-dimensional extent in which objects and events occur and have relative position and direction. Physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless four-dimensional continuum...
exploration, India is competing effectively with other developed nations.
Indian history in brief
Indo-Aryans are native inhabitants of south Asia, including present day India, PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. These Aryans merged with Dravidians, who were the original inhabitants of south India, and gave a dynamic start to Indian classical culture. In the 3rd and 4th century BC, Indian culture reached a peak during the time of Mauryan Empire. The period of the Gupta dynasty from 4th to 6th century AD is considered the Golden Age of India. An Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
invasion in the 8th century and a Turkish
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
invasion in the 12th century was followed by Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
had assumed political control. India won independence after the diligent efforts of Mohan das karamchand Gandhi better known as father of India MK Gandhi in 1947. The sub-continent was divided into the states of India and Pakistan. Despite impressive economic gains India faces significant problems such as overpopulation, poverty, and religious strife.
India is also known for the highly sophisticated and urbanized culture of the Indus Valley Civilization
Indus Valley Civilization
The Indus Valley Civilization was a Bronze Age civilization that was located in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, consisting of what is now mainly modern-day Pakistan and northwest India...
that thrived in the north-western part of the sub-continent from about 2600 to 2000 BC. From that time it was a virtually self-contained political and cultural arena, strongly influenced by Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
. Other religions, notably Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, Jainism
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
and Sikhism
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
, originated in India, although their presence is quite small in India relative to both Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
and Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. Throughout past centuries it developed a rich and varied culture with intellectual base in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, and architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
.
Indian heritage and culture
Indian heritage varies in a similar way to its geography. Indians speak more than a dozen nationally recognized and hundreds of regional languages, dress differently in different parts, follow different religions having numerous castes and eat different food, but are of the same temperament. A festival or a celebration involves the whole community. Likewise, an Indian weddingIndian wedding
South Asian weddings are very bright events, filled with ritual and celebration, that continue for several days. They are generally not small affairs, with anywhere between 100 to 10,000 people attending. Often, it is possible that many of the attendees are unknown to the bride and groom themselves...
in every religion is a celebration of union, not only of the bride and groom, but also of two families, and sometimes of cultures and religions..
Constitution
The government of India is framed according to the ConstitutionConstitution of India
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens...
. The architects of India’s constitution, though drawing on many external sources, were most heavily influenced by the British model of parliamentary democracy. In addition, a number of principles were adopted from the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
, including the separation of powers
Separation of powers
The separation of powers, often imprecisely used interchangeably with the trias politica principle, is a model for the governance of a state. The model was first developed in ancient Greece and came into widespread use by the Roman Republic as part of the unmodified Constitution of the Roman Republic...
among the major branches of government, the establishment of a supreme court
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
, and albeit in modified form, of a federal structure (a constitutional division of power between the union [central] and state governments). The mechanical details for running the central government, however, were largely carried over from the Government of India Act of 1935, passed by the British Parliament, which served as India’s governing document in the waning days of British colonial rule.
The new constitution took effect on 26 January 1950 and proclaimed India “a sovereign socialist secular democratic republic.” With 444 articles, 12 (later 12) schedules (each clarifying and expanding upon a number of articles), and 97 amendments, it is one of the world's longest and most detailed constitution. It also includes a detailed list of “fundamental rights,” a lengthy list of “directive principles of state policy” (goals that the state is obligated to promote, though with no specified timetable for their accomplishment), and a much shorter list of “fundamental duties” of the citizen.
The constitution of India is drawn extensively from Western legal traditions in its outline of the principles of liberal democracy. Unlike many Western constitutions, its principles aspire to end the inequities of traditional social relations and enhance social welfare.
The constitution has fostered an increasing concentration of power in the central government—especially the Office of the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
. This centralization has occurred in the face of the increasing assertiveness of an array of ethnic and caste groups across Indian society. The government has responded to the resulting tensions by exerting authoritarian, albeit constitutional powers. Together with the public's perception of pervasive corruption among India's politicians, the state's centralization of authority and increasing resort to coercive power have eroded its legitimacy.
Media
Indian media portray the Indian people and enjoy a monopoly on the people's trust.Print media originated in 1780. The screening of Auguste and Louis Lumière's films in Bombay in during July, 1895 marked the beginnings of among the oldest and largest film media of the world. Radio broadcasting initiated in 1927. Indian private media has been free and independent throughout most of its history. During the Period of Emergency (1975–1977), declared by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
, the media faced potential government control.
India consumed 99 million newspaper copies as of 2007—making it the second largest market in the world for newspapers. By 2008, India had a total of 60,000,000 Internet users—comprising 6.0% of the country's population. 4,010,000 people in India had access to broadband as of 2008, ranking it the 18th largest in the world. In 1997, India ranked 8th worldwide in the number of television broadcast stations.
Factors affecting democracy
The success of democracy in India defies many prevailing theories that stipulate preconditions. Indian democracy is best understood by focusing on how power is distributed.Religion
ReligionReligion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
is a major cultural influence and also plays an important role in politics. Political party support greatly depends upon religion. The main religions are Hinduism and Islam and many political parties are identified by the religion of their supporters. Many national religious issues are the key points of the success in elections.