Ethnic Cleavages and Democracy
India has been democratic for over 60 years. What makes it unusual as a democracy is the fact that its democracy has been successful over decades, despite the fact that the country comprises a wide diversity of cultures and religions. As such, India exemplifies the ideal of democracy: a country where everybody has the right to his or her preference in terms of culture and belief. For this reason, the country could be used as exemplary in applying democratic principles in a diverse environment. Other emerging democracies might therefore do well to investigate the specific strategies that India used to reach its current status as largest democracy in the world.
India's democratic history is interesting, not least because when the country began its new democracy, most democratic countries tended to predominantly white, powerful in terms of finance, Christian and generally with English as their dominant language. India had none of these features: the country was poor, mostly illiterate, and widely diverse in terms of language and religion. Yet its democracy has passed the test of time.
The main reason for this is the rise of a pluralist nationalism in the country. In reaction to the colonialism of the time, the anti-colonial Indian National Congress was founded as representative of all cultures in the country unified against colonialism. This paradigm remained as an essential cornerstone of the compromises that had to be made to legitimize the pluralist paradigm of democracy in India. This is a significant concept in both emerging and existing democracies. As the world is becoming more integrated, the ideal of pluralist nationalism is becoming increasingly viable.
Emerging democracies can then learn from India in terms of creating a pluralist democracy, where no single group takes precedent or power over any other. Instead, it is a collective national effort towards the success of the truly democratic principle.
Source
Kesavan, Mukul. India's Model Democracy. BBC News, 15 Aug. 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6943598.stm
Thus, paramount American interests were to be presented as being really the interests of the Europeans themselves. It would be a situation wherein America was simply helping along people who were, at present, unable to adequately help themselves. The concept had much in common with the goals of many charity or self-help organizations - people grow and are transformed by learning to help themselves. They are given assistance so as
The last Mamluk governor ruled in the 19th century as Europe was increasingly asked for advice, military weapons, and for help to promote trade. The British were the most influential in this regard which indicates an economic viability to Iraq that the Ottomans were either unable or uninterested in pursuing. The Ottomans, as a European Empire, were unable to maintain influence over its own province. After floods and plagues in 1831, the Ottoman's sent a
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now