In Spite of the Gods

8/7/2019 In Spite of the Gods

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Ivy Myrrh MabolocRedrose Serrano


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born on June 1, 1968

graduated in politics ,philosophy and economicsfrom New College , Oxford

at the University of Oxford post graduation degree innewspaper journalism fromCity University , London

Edward Luce


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Washington bureau chief of

the Financial Times , London earlier , he was their South

Asia bureau chief based at

New Delhi married to Priya Basu , anIndian

Edward Luce


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yThe book aims to provide anunsentimental evaluation ofcontemporary India against thebackdrop of its widely acceptedascent to great power status in

the twenty-first century.


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The books original title, given by the

author, was Strange Rise of ModernIndia. However, the publishers wanteda two-line title and thus the phrase In

Spite of the Gods (which often drawsa hot response from some readers) wasadded to the title.


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Indias strengths: not exclusively , or even necessarily ,

located in its religious traditions found in its vibrant democracy found in its traditions of pluralism found in its deep well of intellectual

capital and technological prowess


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Indias rise: strange/unusual have not undergone industrial revolution

Indias workforce remains in the villages Indias economic engine is powered not

by its factories or by the manufacture of

physical products but by its competitiveservice industries


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Indias rise: strange volatile and sometimes harsh politics

fragmented and incoherent government explicitly desired (and to some extent

facilitated) by other countries , most

notably the US.


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Aspects:

Economic TransformationGeopolitical EmergenceSocial and Political Changes


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1. Nehrus economic policies served Indiapoorly.2. Indias economy is booming yet unable to

provide secure employment to the majority ofits people.

3. Indias problems with governance have moreto do with the states priorities than with its

capabilities.4. Rise of modernity has brought changes to

the Caste system but the Caste system

stubbornly remains


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5. The rise of Hindu nationalism provides a seriousthreat , if not to Indian democracy , certainly toIndian liberalism , and therefore to Indian stability.

6. The Nehru-Gandhi line, within the oftencontradicting Congress Party, highly influenced theform of India and its politics.

7. Communal conflicts between Indias Hindus andMuslims and caused Pakistan, dividing the Muslimsof India.


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y

8. The strengthening of India-China traderelations will create a multipolar world while Indiabenefits from Americas support to counterChinas growing power.

y

9. Indias ambivalence towards modernity is aparadox of new modern values and traditionalattitudes surprising high gender inequality andilliteracy.

y 10. Indias government needs reforms as India mustalleviate poverty, protect the environment, preventthe further spread of HIV, and protect liberaldemocracy.


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JawaharlalNehru Indias first Prime Minister planned for a closed economy architect of the system

Licence Raj

Nehrus approach failed.Why?


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Indias economy is developing in alopsided way.Reasons:

Agriculture Education Health

Effects: Shortage of food Shortage of foreign exchange

Solution: Green Revolution Higher export earnings and more liberal

trade regime


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Faster growth is not enough: growth is

necessary but not sufficient condition forremoving poverty. Important: quality of growth Problem: lack of jobs for ordinary people Solution: industrialization

Acceleration of economic growth ,slowing down of urbanization Solution: Improve the quality of urban

governance and to provide the poor withreal jobs


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System of government Corruption state's priorities vs state capabilities Key individuals rather than key

institutions


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4 castes: Brahmins Kshatriya Vaishya Sudra

untouchables/dalits

Caste discrimination Where andWhy does caste systemstill exist? Politics


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Harrapan-Aryan TheoryRSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)

BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) Hindu is India. India is HinduThreat to Indian liberalism


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The Dynasty: Jawaharlal Nehru Indira Gandhi Rajiv Gandhi Sonia Gandhi Rahul Gandhi

Nehrus stamps on India: democracy, secularism,socialism

The Nehru Ghandi line, within thecontradicting Congress Party, highlyinfluenced the form of India and its politics.


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Emergence of Pakistan

Tension in Kashmir

Pakistan as a threat to India

The condition of Indias Muslims


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Indias nuclear power- US supports India

The demand for Chinas goods and Indias services

Nehrus foreign policies India and Chinas relation in the past, present, and future Americas interests in India The race for energy security


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The IT sector and the emergence of the middle class The low ration of girls to boys The rise of materialism Ethnic nationalism

Gender inequality as shown in Bollywood Illiteracy and child labor

Bhramin indifference


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Indias pluralism preserved democracy.

India is not democratic enough due to the caste system.Ethnic divisions affect the government. Indias four critical problems to face with government

efficiency and reforms as solution Threats of Hindu nationalism A lack of sense of urgency in the privileged classes to

launch India into action.


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Anonymous: why "inspite of the gods"? what is his point...is he trying to say that the gods(which isclearly a reference to hindusim) held back India for so many years?and india has risen inspite of thegods

irreverence to religion from development economist types is quite common-its seen as"backward".however, everyone knows that religion is a touchy issue...jokes don't really go down that wellhere-luce shd have known better

i'm really annoyed. if Mr Edward Luce was in front of me right now,he'd get a sock in the face from a"strange indian

R.C.Acharya., Former Member, Railway BoardNew Delhi Email : [email protected] :

Interesting book, with scores of interviews to reveal behind the scenes activities in political,administrative fields, and problems faced by an average Indian in his daily life, An excellent mirror

showing us the warts and all.However of late it has been fashionable for the neo-economists to decry the Nehruvian era, be it thestress on industrialization, building steel plants, irrigation projects, thermal plants, huge multipurposedams etc. And of course the Nehruvian brand of socialism with license raj has been termed as the rootcause of all our economic evils including the slow rate of growth.

Unfortunately very few stop and think as to what would have been Indias fate without theseinfrastructural inputs Undoubtedly we would have been a basket case as Pakistan is, looking for handouts by the US for toeing their line.

Luce has brushed away the major irrigation projects as a few crumbling dams. May be he visitedTajewala barrage built in 1873 on Yamuna river in Gangetic basin. or did not visit any. and went byhearsay. While only 4 major projects were built during pre-independence era viz. Grand Anicut nearChennai in 1889, Bhandardara in 1924 and Mettur in 1934, post-independence saw 4291 major, mediumand small dams which generated not only power but also provided valuable water for irrigation ,ushering in the green revolution and made India self sufficient in food resources


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y 1. It provides a view of the current situation ofcontemporary India

y 2. It shows an India more than its spiritual tradition. and

more than shown in Bollywood.y 3. It is important to know about India as India is posed

to be one of the superpowers in the future.y 4. The strange rise of India is one that poor developing

countries can learn from.

In Spite of the Gods

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