Globalisation, State and Democracy in India

This study is a collection of twenty-one selected research papers presented at the UGC national seminar on 'Globalization and the Emerging Social Security Paradigm in India' organized by the Department of Political Science, D.B. College, Sasthamcotta, Kollam, Kerala. The papers were updated and revised by the editorial board. The authors include eminent professors from various Indian Universities, researchers, academics and activists. This study (Globalization, State and Democracy in India) debates and examines the neo-liberalglobalization experience of India in the last twenty-five years which raises doubts about the effectiveness of India's democratic institutions in general. It reveals a shady picture of democracy where in most political parties (both ruling and opposition) and their leaders have become subservient to the trickledown theory of global capitalism. Subsequently the parties, leaders and stake holders of public institutions are moving to the side of big capital, market and corporate. The fast changing interplay between global and national relations have considerably distorted the mind set and policy perceptions of all major parties, elected representatives and public institutions including governments in India, resulting in a continuous transformation in ideology, system of functioning and nature of interests and attitude towards social wellbeing, social security and social welfare. Government policies seems to have benefited only those who have easy access to capital and market, resulting in the concentration of wealth in the hands of few, widening the rich-poor divide, commoditization and commercialization of natural resources, art and culture, withdrawal of public supports, neglect of social opportunitiesetc. All these resulted in a new method of democracy, social system and justice system which created a troubled relation between legal precept and peoples' experience or aspiration.