This requires a long response but I must make it short. The Hindu-Muslim divide is India's least problematic cultural divide. If one were to rank the splits (which in itself is problematic because of its binary approach) it would the dalits and the tribal communities versus the rest. The dalits are the untouchables or in officialese "scheduled castes". But I must hasten to add that the Indian government's reservation policy (affirmative action based on equality of outcomes rather than opportunity) has had some positive impact. The rise of the lower castes and the untouchables in a limited way has changed the basic contours of Indian political power. Regional parties representing local interests have become more salient and gradually wrested control from national, often elite-centered, and north-Indian biased parties. But the caste divide is complicated with increasingly class based secular demands. So the divide is a class issue, which is fused with the caste split.
There are other splits, which have been better handled, for example language. Thus far 20 languages or so have been recognized by the government. Each language at the minimum represents an ethnic community. But ethnicity goes beyond language. It also includes religion, region, culture, and so on. The Indian government has generally handled demands for autonomy reasonably well, if keeping the states within the Indian union is a criterion for managing splits well. The Sikhs and Christians haven't done badly in India at all. And despite miles to go, women in India are making their mark in politics, the corporate world, and intellectual life. So the Hindu-Muslim divide is confined to certain pockets, exacerbated by the politicization of religion by the last ruling party. It finds far less resonance among the people than what might be perceived at a distance. Cheers, anthony xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Anthony P. D'Costa, Professor Comparative International Development/South Asia and International Studies University of Washington Campus Box 358436 1900 Commerce Street Tacoma, WA 98402, USA Phone: (253) 692-4462 Fax : (253) 692-5718 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx On Wed, 21 Jul 2004, Michael Perelman wrote: > To what extent has India managed to handle it diversity other than the Hindu/Muslim > split? > -- > Michael Perelman > Economics Department > California State University > Chico, CA 95929 > > Tel. 530-898-5321 > E-Mail michael at ecst.csuchico.edu >
