About the Book Federalism is best understood as a method of promoting self rule and shared rule and of balancing the interest of a nation with that of region. Federations have arisen in very different circumstances each being the unique result of choices by its national leaders and larger historical forces. A federal system is the constitutional arrangement that gives federalism its institutional form. Indians federalism saves the second largest population in the world with multiple diversities and ethnicities. The federal system has served well for India in terms of promoting democracy, strengthening the national unity and achieving the fair level of economic progress. Indian federalism is not among the World's oldest federal political system, it is nevertheless steadily emerging as a key feature of its political system and also interesting example of the innovative potential of federalism. The book comprises various articles on constitutional, social, political, economic, ethnic aspects and analyzes & explains the development of Indian federalism in the federal politics of India. The book will be of interest of students, researchers and teachers of political science besides the political representatives and people from media.
About the Author Dr. S. K. Jain is Associate Professor in Political Science at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Evening College, University of Delhi. He has obtained his M.A. M.Phil and Ph.D degree from J.N.U. New Delhi. He has published four books on Caste and Politics in Bihar (Common Wealth Publisher, New Delhi 1989), Party Politics and Centre-State relations in India (Abhinav Publication, New Delhi, 1994), Indian Diaspora in the era of Globalization (ed) (Kalpaz Pullications, New Delhi, 2012) and Federal Political Culture in India, (Lamberat Publication, Germany, 2012). He has also completed ICSSR research project Federal Political Culture in India: A Public perception. He has contributed several research articles in national. and international journal besides. national dailies. He also attended and participated in several national and international conferences in India and abroad. The present work is based on the contributions of the participants of the seminar on "Indian Federalism: Emerging issues and challenges.
Foreword India's federal democracy has developed through successive phases of growth, combining centralism and federalism in varying doses. The major motors for the transition from one phase to the other have been changes in the balance between these forces, in the party system as well as in the political economy of the federal system. The current phase began some twenty-five years ago and is characterized by two major trends: the federalization of the party system and the salience of federal coalitions as a form of federal governance.
The resilience of the federalized party system contributes to the persistence of coalitions due to multilevel electoral contests. Coalitions no longer merely address deficits in numbers in the Lok Sabha. They also cater to the need for allies in the states in order to reach the required numbers in the Rajya Sabha and for the more effective implementation of national policies in the states. They have become essential to carry forward the legislative agenda of the party in power at the Centre.
This collection of essays looks at the issues that have emerged from this changed constellation of forces in the context of sustained economic growth and enduring inequalities. Many of the problematic issues addressed are a legacy of previous phases, such as the persistent neglect of certain regions and sections of society.
Introduction Federalism is best understood as a method of promoting self rule and shared rule and of balancing the interest of a nation with that of its region. This is done for a dual purposes that of limiting the possibility of a tyranny of the majority and of generating strength through union. A durable federal design thus aims at the contradictory goals of reconciling freedom with cohesion, and a diversity of political cultures and identities with effective political action. A federal system is the constitutional arrangement that gives federalism its institutional form.
Throughout history, India has been characterized by diverse, cultures, languages, religions and regions. Indian federalism serves the second largest population in the World with multiple diversities and ethnicities. The federal system has served well for India in terms of promoting democracy, strengthening the national unity and achieving the fair level. of economic progress. Though Indian federalism is not among the world's oldest federal political system, it is nevertheless, steadily emerging as a key feature of its political system and also an interesting example of the innovative potential of federalism.
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