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Last Viceroy: Lord Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten
Border problemsBorder problemsBorder problemsBorder problemsIndia Split:
•India (Hindu
Majority)
•East and West
Pakistan (Muslim Majority
These two nations would have a huge influence on the region from 1947 on…
Political Leaders of India Since Independence
Jawarlal NehruJawarlal NehruJawarlal NehruJawarlal Nehru Ally of Gandhi.Ally of Gandhi. 11stst Prime Minister Prime Minister
of India, of India, 1947-1964.1947-1964.
Advocated Advocated Industrialization vs. Industrialization vs. Gandhi’s rural emphasisGandhi’s rural emphasis
Promoted increased Promoted increased agriculture… Taken up by agriculture… Taken up by his daughter, Indira (who his daughter, Indira (who was best know for it)was best know for it)
Mixed Economy Mixed Economy Socialism coming up in a Socialism coming up in a minute!minute!
Nonaligned Movement.Nonaligned Movement.
Nehru Leads India
• Jawaharlal Nehru becomes the first prime minister of independent India
• Rules for 17 years; pushes for economic and social reforms
• Leads alliance of countries that were neutral in Cold War
NEHRU
• FIVE YEAR PLANS• SOCIALIST ECONOMY• NEUTRAL IN COLD WAR• LEFT BRITISH-TRAINED CIVIL
SERVICE INTACT• INDIA A “ONE-PARTY
DEMOCRACY” – Nehru was very popular and respected
• Prime minister 1948-1966, when he died
Non-Alignment Non-Alignment MovementMovement
Non-Alignment Non-Alignment MovementMovement
Nehru’s daughter.Nehru’s daughter. Prime Minister of India, Prime Minister of India,
1966-1984.1966-1984. Continues Nehru’s Continues Nehru’s
policies. Especially the policies. Especially the Green RevolutionGreen Revolution
Faced internal rebellion Faced internal rebellion from the Sikh (a group from the Sikh (a group that blends Hinduism and that blends Hinduism and Islam) separatists.Islam) separatists.
Control Population!Control Population!
Indira Indira GandhiGandhiIndira Indira GandhiGandhi
Indian National Congress
• Indira Gandhi– created a top-down structure– party leaders appoint party officials– some limited party elections
• left-of-center, pro-poor political platform
A FAKE “EMERGENCY” – INDIA REMAINS A DEMOCRACY
• INDIRA GANDHI TRIES TO GAIN DICTATORIAL POWERS WHEN SHE’S ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION IN 1975
• JANATA DAL PARTY DEFEATS CONGRESS IN ELECTIONS IN 1977, RESTORES FULL DEMOCRACY AND CIVIL RIGHTS – First time Congress party is defeated.
• DESPITE ITS PROBLEMS, INDIA REMAINS COMMITTED TO POLITICAL DEMOCRACY
India’s persecution of India’s persecution of the Sikhs the Sikhs (a group that blends Hinduism (a group that blends Hinduism
and Islam)and Islam)
India’s persecution of India’s persecution of the Sikhs the Sikhs (a group that blends Hinduism (a group that blends Hinduism
and Islam)and Islam)
Push for Independence
Resentment follows partition of the Punjab
between Pakistan and India.
Sikh nationalists demand their
own nation called Khalistan.
1984: Sikh seperatists take over the Golden
Temple. The Indian army
attacks the temple.
Over 600 die in the
attack.
Troubled Times
• Nehru’s daughter, Indira Gandhi, rules much of the time from 1966-1984.
• She faces opposition from Sikhs, and is assassinated by Sikh bodyguards.
Mrs. Gandhi Mrs. Gandhi assassinated!assassinated!Mrs. Gandhi Mrs. Gandhi
assassinated!assassinated!
Mrs. Gandhi lying in Mrs. Gandhi lying in state. state. 19841984
INDIRA GANDHI• NEHRU’S DAUGHTER• NOT RELATED TO
MAHATMA GANDHI• POPULAR BUT ECONOMY
DID POORLY IN 1970s• P.M. 1966-1977, 1980-84.
ASSASSINATED BY A SIKH BODYGUARD.
1985: Sikh terrorists blow up
Air India plane flying out of
Toronto, Canada, killing 329.
Sikh nationalism continues, but lacks
any force
Indira’s son.Indira’s son. Prime Minister of Prime Minister of
India, 1984-1989.India, 1984-1989. Some reform of Some reform of
economy and economy and government. government. Privatization!Privatization!
Also faced rebellion.Also faced rebellion. Assassinated in 1991 Assassinated in 1991
while campaigning by while campaigning by Tamil Tigers (a Tamil Tigers (a separatist group).separatist group).
Rajiv Rajiv GandhiGandhiRajiv Rajiv
GandhiGandhi
RAJIV GANDHI
• INDIRA’S SON• POPULAR• INTERVENES IN SRI
LANKA CIVIL WAR• P.M. FROM 1984 UNTIL
ASSASSINATED BY TAMIL SEPARATISTS IN 1991
Italian-bornItalian-born Sonia Maino Sonia Maino married married RajivRajiv 1968. 1968.
She movedShe moved into the into the househouse of mother- of mother-in-in- law, Prime law, Prime Minister Minister Indira Indira Gandhi.Gandhi.
A foreigner joins the A foreigner joins the familyfamily
A foreigner joins the A foreigner joins the familyfamily
1983 1983 Indian Indian citizen. citizen.
1984 1984 first first ladylady when her when her husband, husband, Rajiv Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, succeeded his succeeded his assassinated assassinated mother as Prime mother as Prime Minister. Minister.
Mrs. Sonia Maino Mrs. Sonia Maino GandhiGandhi
Mrs. Sonia Maino Mrs. Sonia Maino GandhiGandhi
Troubled Times
• Her son Rajiv Gandhi becomes prime minister, but is assassinated in 1991.
1991 1991 Tragedy struck the Gandhi Tragedy struck the Gandhifamily again when Rajiv was killed family again when Rajiv was killed by by a suicide bomber.a suicide bomber.
Sonia GandhiSonia Gandhi remains remains RomanRoman Catholic, but Catholic, but follows follows HinduHindu and Indian and Indian traditions. traditions.
With her With her children, she children, she scattered scattered Rajiv's ashes Rajiv's ashes in the in the Ganges. Ganges.
MORE GANDHIS• Indira’s other son,
Sanjay, died in a plane crash in 1980.
• Rajiv’s widow, Sonia, is Italian-born. She is president of the Congress party.
• Controversy about whether she should run for higher office.
After Rajiv's death Sonia shied away After Rajiv's death Sonia shied away from from the spotlight. In 1998, she agreed to the spotlight. In 1998, she agreed to startstart her own career as a “Gandhi” again her own career as a “Gandhi” again andand became an important political leader. became an important political leader.
Sonia's son Rahul and daughter Sonia's son Rahul and daughter Priyanka Priyanka have also become politically have also become politically active. active.
When her When her partyparty won in the won in the recent recent elections, elections, she was asked she was asked to be Prime to be Prime Minister. Minister.
She decided She decided notnot to accept the to accept the position. position.
““The Jewel turns down The Jewel turns down the crown!”the crown!”““The Jewel turns down The Jewel turns down the crown!”the crown!”
ECONOMIC REFORMS – 1991 – THE BIG CHANGE
• MANMOHAN SINGH becomes finance minister in 1991
• Engineers major reforms to loosen up government control of the economy
• Economic takeoff in past 17 years.
• Singh is currently Prime Minister
• Member of Congress Party
May 2004 May 2004 he he held up a letter held up a letter from India's from India's president president authorizing him to authorizing him to form a new form a new government as government as prime minister. prime minister.
He stood next toHe stood next to Sonia Gandhi, the Sonia Gandhi, the candidate for the candidate for the post who stunned post who stunned the country when she declined the the country when she declined the office. office.
Manmohan SinghManmohan SinghManmohan SinghManmohan Singh
Current Prime Minister
• Manmohan Singh• He is the first Indian Prime Minister since
Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term.
• He is also the first Sikh to hold the post.• Earlier, during his tenure as the Finance Minister
from 1991 to 1996, Singh was widely credited for carrying out economic reforms in India in 1991 which resulted in the end of the infamous Licence Raj system and the opening up of the Indian economy.
May 2004May 2004
India Swears in 13th Prime India Swears in 13th Prime Minister Minister and the first Sikh in the job. and the first Sikh in the job.
Politics of India
Political Institutions & Parties
Republic of India
• A federal republic with a parliamentary system of government
• capital: New Delhi
Political System
• A federal parliamentary multi-party representative democratic republic modeled after the British Westminster System.
• Like the United States, India has a federal form of government, however, the central government in India has greater power in relation to its states.
• At the federal level, India is the most populous democracy in the world. While many neighboring countries witness frequent coups, Indian democracy has been suspended only once.
• Indian politics is often described as chaotic. More than a fifth of parliament members face criminal charges.
A federal system
• 26 states and 6 centrally administered Union Territories– 2 states are partially claimed by Pakistan and
China
Federal system
• Relatively centralized
• federal government controls the most essential government functions– defense– foreign policy– taxation– public expenditures– economic (industrial) planning
Federal system
• state governments formally control– agriculture– education– law and order within states– dependent on central government for funds
Federal system
• Balance of power between central and state governments– varies by time and place– state power was constrained
• during the rule of Nehru and Indira Gandhi
– state governments have more room to maneuver
• when central government is weak• since 1998
Parallel state structure
• Formal political structure of the states parallels that of the national government
• national state
• President Governor
• Prime Minister Chief Minister
• Parliament Assembly
• Supreme Court High Court
The legislature
• Parliamentary system of government– the executive authority is responsible to the
Parliament
The legislature
• bicameral Parliament– Rajya Sabha (Council of States)– Lok Sabha (House of the People)
Rajya Sabha (Council of States)
• The Upper House
Upper House
• Rajya Sabha (Council of States)
• not more than 250 members– 12 are nominated by the President of India– the rest are indirectly elected
• by state Legislative Assemblies
• The Council of States can not be dissolved– members have terms of 6 years– 1/3 members retire at end of every 2nd year
Lok Sabha
• House of the People
Lower House
• Lok Sabha (House of the People)
• 545 members– 2 are appointed by the President of India– the rest are directly elected from single-
member districts
• 5-year terms unless dissolved
• Lok Sabha elects its presiding officer– the Speaker
Lok Sabha
• Elections held at least every 5 years
• Prime Minister may call elections earlier
• 543 single-member districts of roughly equal population
• party nomination
• 1st-past-the-post– winner-take-all
• women’s share
Elections to Lok Sabha
• Vote share of 3 major political parties
Political Parties
• Indian National Congress (INC)
• Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
• Communist Party of India Marxism (CPIM)
• And others…
Current composition
• 43 parties in the 13th Lok Sabha (1999)
• 39 parties in the 14th Lok Sabha (2004)
• Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 184 138
• Indian National Congress (INC) 109 145
• Communist Party of India (M) 34 43
• other political parties 218 217
• total 545 543
Indian National Congress
• India’s oldest political party– since 1885
• India’s premier political party– until 1990s
• in 1960s many regional parties started challenging INC’s monopoly on power
Indian National Congress
• INC moved toward the ideological center– Beginning in 1984
• INC today tilts right-of-center– economic efficiency– business interests– limited government spending
Indian National Congress
• INC has always attracted support from diverse social groups
• in the 1990s INC has lost some of its traditional constituencies among the poor and Muslims
Indian National Congress (INC)
• INC was the leader of the Indian Independence Movement.
• It is the nation's dominant political party, ruling the country for 48 of the 60 years since independence in 1947.
• led by the Nehru-Gandhi family for the most part; major challenges for party leadership have only recently formed.
Indian National Congress (INC)
• In the 2009 general elections, the Congress emerged as the single largest party in the Lok Sabha (the lower house), with 206 of its candidates getting elected to the 543-member house.
• Consequently, it along with a coalition of allies called the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), was able to gain a majority and form the government.
INC Prime Ministers
• Jawaharlal Nehru (1947–1964) • Gulzarilal Nanda (May - June 1964 and in
January 1966) • Lal Bahadur Shastri (1964–1966) • Indira Gandhi (1966–1977, 1980–1984) • Rajiv Gandhi (1984–1989) • P.V. Narasimha Rao (1991–1996) • Manmohan Singh (2004 -)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
• The major political party in India today
• right-leaning, Hindu-nationalist party– first major party to mobilize explicitly on the
basis of religious identity
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
• Indian People's Party (BJP) is a major political party in India, founded in 1980.
• The party is associated with Hindu nationalism and advocates conservative social policies, self-reliance, free market economics, foreign policy driven by a nationalist agenda, and strong national defence.
• The BJP, in alliance with several other parties, was in power from 1998 to 2004, with Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the Prime Minister and Lal Krishna Advani as his deputy.
• It is the biggest constituent of the National Democratic Alliance which is currently in the opposition.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
• better organized than INC– disciplined party members– carefully selected party cadres– clear and respected authority line within the
party
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
• Traditional supporters– urban, lower-middle-class groups
• base of support widened since mid-1980s– Hindu nationalism– north-central India– decline of Indian National Congress– Muslims as convenient scapegoat for
frustration
BJP’s rapid rise to power
• electoral success from 1989 to 1999– difficulty in forming alliance with other parties
• break with past traditions– relatively moderate, centrist position
• BJP formed governing coalition in 1998– collapsed in 1999
• BJP formed a new coalition in 1999– more broadly based than previous coalition
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
• economic liberalization and stability
• privilege the interests of the Hindu majority
Bharatiya Jana Sangh
• It existed from 1951 to 1980, whereupon it was succeeded by the Bharatiya Janata Party, one of India's largest political parties.
• The BJS was considered the political arm of Hindu Nationalism, with the RSS being the central base. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad, formed in 1964 would become the religious arm.
• The BJS also attracted many conservative members of the Indian National Congress who were disenchanted with the more socialist policies and politics of Jawaharlal Nehru and the Congress Party.
Communist Party of India Marxism (CPIM)
• It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura.
• As of 2010, CPI(M) is leading the state governments in these three states.
And Others…
Prime Minister
• Leader of the majority party leader in Lok Sabha becomes the prime minister
• prime minister nominates a cabinet– members of Parliament in the ruling coalition– Council of Ministers
• effective power is concentrated in the office of the prime minister– where most of the important policies originate
Prime Ministers of India
• 38 years in the Nehru-Gandhi family
• more and more rapid turnover
The President of India
• Head of the State
• Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces
• elected by an electoral college– national Parliament– state legislature
• 5-year terms
• can be reelected
The President of India
• Ceremonial office– symbolize national unity– supposedly above partisan politics
• mostly acts on the advice of the prime minister
• President plays a significant role when the selection of a prime minister is complex– in 1998 President requested BJP to form govt.
The Judiciary
• Fundamental contradiction in constitution– principle of parliamentary sovereignty– principle of judicial review
The Judiciary
• judiciary tries to preserve the constitution’s basic structure
• to ensure that legislation conforms with the intent of the constitution
• parliament tries to assert its right to amend the constitution
