Kothari Caste In Indian Politics 15.pdf - Rajni

The most probable source document for this filename is Kothari’s groundbreaking essay, “Caste in Indian Politics” (1970), which served as the introductory chapter to the influential edited volume Caste in Indian Politics (Orient Longman, 1970). Alternatively, it could refer to a section of his magnum opus, Politics in India (1970).

This article reconstructs the core arguments from Page 15 (or Chapter 15) of Kothari’s framework, explaining how he revolutionized the understanding of caste—not as a dying feudal relic, but as a dynamic, adaptive force at the heart of Indian democracy. Rajni Kothari Caste In Indian Politics 15.pdf

Study / Discussion Questions based on Kothari

1. Does Kothari’s 1970s analysis still hold today, given the rise of caste-based parties (BSP, RJD, SP, etc.) and identity politics?
2. How does Kothari’s view differ from the “modernization theory” claim that caste would disappear with industrialization?
3. Can caste politics coexist with liberal democracy, or does it deepen social divisions?

Contemporary relevance (brief)

• Persistent caste-based voting and candidate selection in many states.
• Caste remains salient in reservation policies, party strategies, and social movements.
• New forms of caste politics appear with urbanization, media, and digital campaigning — Kothari’s framework helps analyze continuity and change.

2. The “Vote Bank” as a Caste Bank

Long before “vote bank” became a pejorative term, Kothari described it neutrally. He observed that political parties do not fight caste; they systematize it. A candidate from a dominant caste (e.g., Patidars in Gujarat, Marathas in Maharashtra) does not win simply because of ritual status, but because they can deliver a consolidated bloc. Page 15 often provides the earliest scholarly formulation of what we now call caste-based mobilization. The most probable source document for this filename

Introduction

Rajni Kothari (1928–2015) was a leading Indian political scientist whose writings deeply influenced understanding of Indian democracy, political institutions, and social cleavages. One major theme in his work is how caste shapes political behavior, party systems, and democratic practice in India. This post summarizes Kothari’s key ideas on caste and politics, explains their contemporary relevance, and suggests ways to use his insights for further study or classroom use. Study / Discussion Questions based on Kothari

Key Quotations (paraphrased from his work)

“Caste has become a political category — not a ritual one.”
“The politicization of caste has in fact strengthened democracy by giving voice to previously silenced groups.”
“India’s party system is a system of caste-based negotiations, not ideology.”

3. The Vertical vs. Horizontal Split

Kothari distinguished between:

• Vertical caste organization (the traditional jajmani system, where upper and lower castes are bound in mutual service).
• Horizontal political mobilization (where a caste spreads across a region and acts as a unified interest group).

He argued that modern politics breaks the vertical bonds and strengthens the horizontal ones. A Chamar (Dalit) in village A has more political common cause with a Chamar in village B than with his own upper-caste landlord. By Page 15, Kothari is already dismantling the myth of the self-sufficient village community.