Ideas of Indian democracy

In contemporary politics, the word "democracy" has become heavily weaponised — and invoked by both ends of the ideological spectrum for their own purposes.

- NEHA BHATT

In the heat of these debates, it becomes easy to lose sight of how democracy was initially conceived, understood and practised.

Deconstructing India's Democracy examines India's political and socio-economic landscape through prominent scholar James Manor's analysis on how democratic institutions adapt in complex political environments. It refocuses attention on Dr Manor's reflections on political decay, the resilience of Indian democracy, and the prospects for political renewal.

The book acknowledges that India, like leading democracies globally, "faces unprecedented stresses from economic challenges wrought by premature deindustrialisation and political tensions created by majoritarianism." The editors, both academics, draw on his body of influential work as a political scientist engaging with Indian politics over 50 years. Probing India's democracy through a historical and contemporary lens, the book analyses intersections of leadership and power, politics and identity, democracy and elections, policymaking and governance.

Though alarmism about democratic conditions is nothing new, the editors say, it's important for political scientists to examine institutional degradation "as a result of conscious action". "This allows us to diagnose the country's democratic deficits while also highlighting signs of a possible regeneration."