2. INTRODUCTION
In this presentation, we look
at three kinds of social
differences that can take
the form of social divisions
and inequalities.
In each case, we look at the
nature of the division in
India and how it gets
expressed in politics.
3. GENDER AND POLITICS
Let us begin with Gender Division. This is a
form of hierarchical social division seen
everywhere, but is rarely recognised in the
study of politics.
The gender division tends to be understood
as natural and unchangeable.
4. PUBLIC/PRIVATE DIVISION
This is reflected by
Sexual Division Labour.
The result of this division
is that although women
constitute half of the
humanity, their role in
public life, especially
public politics, is minimal
in most societies.
5. PUBLIC/PRIVATE DIVISION
Earlier men were allowed to participate in
public affairs. Gradually, women also
organized and agitated their rights
throughout the world.
In countries like Sweden, Norway and
Finland, the participation of women in
public life is very high.
6. PUBLIC/PRIVATE DIVISION IN INDIA
In our country, women still lag much behind
men despite some improvement has been
made since Independence. Ours is still a
patriarchal society.
The literacy rate is 54% among women and
76% among men. Similarly, a smaller
proportion of girls go for higher studies.
7. WOMEN’S POLITICAL REPRESENTATION
In India, the proportion of women in
legislature has been very low.
India is among the bottom group of nations in
the world. India is behind several developing
countries .
8. WOMEN’S POLITICAL REPRESENTATION
One way to solve this problem
is to make it legally binding to
have fair proportion of women
in the elected bodies.
This is what the Panchayati Raj
has done in India. One-third of
its seats are reserved for
women.
Same is being planned for the
Lok Sabha.
9. RELIGION AND POLITICS
This division is not as
universal as gender,
but religious diversity
is spread across the
world.
Unlike gender
differences, the
religious differences
are often expressed in
the field of politics.
10. RELIGION AND POLITICS
Human Rights groups in our country have
argued that most of the victims of communal
riots in our country are people from religious
minorities.
Women’s movement has argued that Family
Laws of all religious discriminate against
women.
11. RELIGION AND POLITICS
All these instances involve
a relationship between
religion and politics.
Ideas, ideals and values
drawn from religions can
and perhaps play a role in
politics.
Political acts are not wrong
as long as they treat every
religion equally.
12. COMMUNALISM
Communal politics is based
on the idea that religion is
the principal basis of social
community.
It follows that people
belonging to a particular
religion cannot belong to
the same social community.
Their interests are bound to
be different and involve a
conflict.
13. SECULAR STATE
Communalism is
still a big challenge
to democracy in our
country. Hence, the
constitution makers
chose the model of
a secular state.
14. SECULARISM IN INDIA
There is no official religion in India.
The constitution prohibits discrimination on
grounds of religion.
At the same time, the Constitution allows the
state to intervene in the matters of religion in
order to ensure equality within religious
commmunities.
15. CASTE INEQUALITIES
Unlike gender and religion, caste division is
special to India.
In the Caste System in India, hereditary
occupational division was sanctioned by
rituals.
It was based on exclusion of and
discrimination against the ‘outcaste’ groups.
16. CASTE SYSTEM
The caste system has
greatly changed in
modern India.
With the growth of
literacy and
education, the old
notion of the caste
hierarchy are slowly
breaking down.
17. CASTE IN POLITICS
Caste can take various forms in politics –
When parties choose candidates in elections,
they keep in mind the caste composition of
the electorate and nominate candidates from
different castes so as to muster necessary
support to win elections.
18. OVERVIEW
Thus, Caste plays different kinds of roles in
politics.
Exclusive attention to caste can produce
negative results. As in the case of religion,
politics based on caste identity alone is not
very healthy in democracy.
It can divert attention from other pressing
issues like poverty or corruption.
