This book examines the relevance of Prof. M.N. Srinivas’s concept of a dominant caste with reference to the Lingayat Community. While Prof. MN. Srinivas applied his concept of a dominant cast at a micro level (village level-Rampura), the present study has applied it at a macro level (state level). The basic elements of the dominant caste like numerical strength, economic power, political power, education, higher social status and respectable occupation as listed by Prof. M.N. Srinivas are also valid with regard to the Lingayat community at the macro level. However, the study has found ten new secondary/supportive elements of dominance with regard to the Lingayat Community. The book focuses its light on the reactions of the dominant Lingayat community to the modernization and democratic processes through ten chapters. It traces the history of the Lingayat community from the ancient period to the modern period in terms of its evolution in religious and social philosophy, structures and practices. It narrates the traditional and modern means and methods adopted by the Lingayat leaders to modernize their community and to involve it in the political process to achieve certain goals. It explains how and why the Lingayat community shifted its priority from the sectarian mobilization to the general mobilization for national movement and movement for Karnataka unification. It states and analysis how the Lingayat community is numerically, socially, educationally, economically and politically dominant with the help of facts and figures and assesses the role of the secondary/supportive elements of dominance in strengthening the dominance of the Lingayats in various fields. It also describes how the Lingayat community has moved away from dominant politics to competitive politics in view of emergence of newly awakened weaker section in recent years in the politics of Karnataka State.
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