India Today: Economy, Politics and Society

List of Figures and Tables vii

Abbreviations ix

Preface and Acknowledgements xiii

1 Making Sense of India Today 1

Part I: Economy

2 When and Why Did India Take Off? 23

3 How Have the Poor Fared (and Others Too)? 47

4 Why Hasn’t Economic Growth Delivered More for Indian Workers? 80

5 Is the Indian State Delivering on Promises of 'Inclusive Growth' and Social Justice? 100

Part II: Politics

6 How Did a 'Weak' State Promote Audacious Reform? 121

7 Has India's Democracy Been a Success? 140

8 Is Government in India Becoming More Responsive? 158

9 Has the Rise of Hindu Nationalism Halted? 177

10 Rural Dislocations:Why Has Maoism Become Such a Force in India? 197

Part III: Society

11 Does India Have a Civil Society? 221

12 Does Caste Still Matter in India? 239

13 How Much Have Things Changed for Indian Women? 258

14 Can India Benefi t From Its Demographic Dividend? 286

15 Afterword: India Today, and India in the World 302

Glossary 307

Bibliography 309

Index 361