The processes of democracy and development usually tend to generate new tensions and fresh patterns of power continually. In a participatory democracy like ours committed to planned economic development and distributive social justice, interregional and inter-communal, and oftentimes sectarian rivalaries and petry jealousies for the loaves and fishes of office and similar other advantages are inevitable. Likewise when regional and sub-regional forces become more articulate, assertive and sometimes aggressive and even confrontationist, they are often dubbed anti-national and their demands are looked upon as constituting a threat to national unity and integration by the powers that be. In the context of the rise of non-Congress and anti-Centre forces in parts of India, particularly in the non-Hindi-States of the south and their demands for greater State autonomy, the Editor of this book organized two all-India inter-disciplinary seminars on (a) Democracy, Pluralism and Nation-Building and (b) Sub-Nationalism and National Integration. This book contains selected papers presented at these seminars and others specially written for this volume, provides theoretical perspectives on the problems of nation-building and focuses attention on the consequent challenges and encounters facing the Establishment in its struggle to maintain national unity and independence with simultaneous promotion of regional and socio-cultural wedded to autonomy through a democratic set-up orderly planned economic development and a loose federal structure. An outstanding book for academics and planners alike. A practical guide to students and researchers in political science.
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