The nature and functioning of democracy

Abstract

Contemporary India: Economy, Society, Politics, published in 1999, takes an in-depth look into the different types of issues that this country faces. It covers various aspects of contemporary India, and focuses on both nation-state, as well as the civil society.

This book is divided into three sections, namely Economy, Society, and Politics. It contains various conceptual and empirical themes. The authors have used democracy as a common thread to bind different topics to each other. The first part, Economy, starts off with the basic features of the Indian economy during the time of Independence. Some other topics are food insecurity, economic policies, human development, regional disparities, and IT and social change. The next portion is titled Society, and its explains the sudden emergence of the Indian middle class. It also speaks of changes in social structures, the challenges and opportunities of social movements, catalysts of social change, and social mobility. The last section, Politics, has eleven chapters. Readers can learn about the parliamentary system, the Panchayati Raj, the nature of coalition politics, the changing nature of public administration, and why secularism is important to this country. Some other chapters are The Nature and Functioning of Democracy, India in the Global Strategic Environment, and Dimensions of Indian Federalism.

The contributors of this book are research scholars and teachers of the University of Delhi. The content of each chapter is well-researched, and has been written in a conversational style to make it easy for readers to understand these diverse topics. Contemporary India: Economy, Society, Politics is for the general reading public, undergraduate and postgraduate students, professionals, and journalists. It also contains questions, a glossary, and a reading lists for students who are using this book to study for their Social Science examinations.