The Puzzle of India's Governance: Culture, Context and Comparative Theory (Routledgecurzon Advances in South Asian Studies)

This book examines how India has been able to sustain democratic governance while undergoing substantial social, economic and political changes through a neo-institutional rational choice model of governance, bounded by local culture and context. India no longer gets an easy ride as the world's largest democracy. Spectacular terrorist attacks on its Parliament and places of worship, communal riots of unprecedented ferocity, lingering separatist insurgency and violent caste conflict in impoverished regions have combined to cause a closer appraisal of India's capacity to sustain the rule of law. This book shows how governance is high when people follow the rules of transaction, derived from binding custom, legislation, administrative practices and the constitution. The key question that underpins this analysis is why do some people, sometimes, follow rules and not others? This study responds to this central question by looking at analytical narratives of political order in six Indian regional States, surveys of social and political attitudes and extended interviews with political leaders, administrators and police officers. It shows how, by drawing on the logic of human ingenuity, driven by self interest rather than mechanical adherence to tradition and ideology, these regional elites can design institutions and promote security, welfare and identity which enhance governance. Mitra Examines How India Has Been Able To Sustain Democratic Governance While Undergoing Substantial Social, Economic And Political Changes Through A Neo-institutional Rational Choice Model Of Governance, Bounded By Local Culture And Context. Introduction : A Comparative Theory Of Governance -- Measuring Governance : A Design For Empirical Inquiry -- The Institutional Arrangement Of Governance : Structure And Formation Of The State In India -- The Regional Context Of Governance : Six Analytical Narratives -- Policing And Strategic Reform : Culture, Context And Welfare In The Organisation Of Order -- The Agency Of Public Institutions : Leaders, Administrators, And Governance -- Modern State, Pre-modern Identities : Culture And Governance N Changing Societies -- Negotiating Governance In Changing Societies : Beyond The Indian Model. Subrata K. Mitra. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [309]-322) And Index. Introduction : a comparative theory of governance Measuring governance : a design for empirical inquiry The institutional arrangement of governance : structure and formation of the state in India The regional context of governance : six analytic narratives Policing and governance : culture and context in the organisation of order The agency of public institutions : leaders, administrators, and governance Modern state and pre-modern identities : governing culture in changing societies Negotiating governance in changing societies : beyond the Indian model.