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Indian Political and Economic Challenges. Chapter 9, sections 2 & 3. Preamble to the Indian Constitution. WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:
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Indian Political and Economic Challenges Chapter 9, sections 2 & 3
Preamble to the Indian Constitution WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens: JUSTICE, social, economic and political; LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation; IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.
India’s Government • India is a parliamentary democracy. • This system is based on the British form of government. • Under this system the president is head of the state but has little power. • Real power lies in the hands of the political party that wins the most seats in parliament.
India’s Parliament • The Indian Parliament is divided into two houses: • The upper house is called the Rajya Sabha, or Council of State. Members of this house are chosen by state legislators. • The lower (and more powerful) house is called the Lok Sabha, or House of the People. Its members are chosen directly by the people.
Political Parties • India has more than a dozen national political parties. Parties represent the interest of different caste, language, or religious groups. • The Indian constitution guarantees the right to vote to every citizen 18 and older. • Because many voters cannot read or write, parties use symbols on the ballots (a tree, ox, or cornstalk might stand for a particular party.) • If no party wins a majority in elections, a coalition government is formed. • In a coalition, several parties join to rule.
Political Parties • For many years, the Congress party (INC) dominated the national government. • Indians voted for it as the party that had led them to independence. • In recent years, other political parties have grown stronger. • In the early 1990s, the Bharata Janata Party (BJP) was gaining support. Its leaders stressed traditional Hindu values. • Since the last three decades the two dominant national parties (INC and BJP) represent left of center and right of center beliefs.
Dividing Forces • India’s population has more than tripled since Independence. • This massive population increase strongly correlates to rising poverty and illiteracy levels. • The government formally outlawed the caste system but old cultural traditions remain strong, especially in rural areas. • Culturally diverse groups in India have demanded a separate state for themselves. These separatists often resort to violence in order to demand their political and social unrest.
Dividing Forces • Sikh separatism is especially strong. • Today, Sikhs make up about 2% of India’s population but feel that they do not receive a large enough share of the government’s resources. • Muslim and Hindu violence continues to be a large problem. • Despite many Muslims moving to Pakistan after the partition, more than 177 million still live in India. • In 1990, violence over control of the holy site in the city of Ayodhya left hundreds dead.
Unifying Forces • Despite many threats to unity, India survived. • Millions of Indians share a common faith, culture, and language. • Increased communication and transportation methods have helped to unite the country. • Faced with demands from groups that want to break away, the government has tried to negotiate compromises. • Most Indians are committed to democratic traditions.
India’s Leaders • Jawaharlal Nehru led India for 17 years after Independence. • He wanted to make India a modern industrial nation. • He had a vision of a casteless, secular India. • Nehru died in 1964, and in 1966 his daughter, Indira Gandhi, became prime minister. • Her policies aimed at continuing India’s path for modernization but economic problems and charges of corruption weakened her government. • In 1984, she ordered government troops to storm the Golden Temple, which was being held by a militant group of armed Sikhs. Many Sikhs were killed in this attack. • Later that year, two of Gandhi’s Sikh bodyguards shot and killed her. Anti-Sikh rioting shook the country after her death.
India’s Leaders Jawaharlal Nehru Indira Gandhi Narendra Modi
Economic Goals • In 1947, India’s economy was poor and undeveloped. • Although India exported raw materials, it had to import machinery and other finished goods from industrial countries. • India’s new leaders were determined to free their country from economic dependence. • Jawaharlal Nehru instituted a series of reforms aimed at growing the Indian economy and limiting foreign investment. • Industries were nationalized in order to have greater control over them.
Industrial Growth • To lessen the dependence on imports, India needed factories to produce basic materials. • By using India’s iron, coal, and other mineral resources, steel factories and huge hydroelectric plants were built. • Nehru referred to these plants as “India’s new temples.”
Industrial Growth • During the early years of independence, industry made impressive gains: • Iron ore output tripled • Coal and steel production rose • Energy output doubled • New industries in engineering, chemicals, and textiles were created. • By the 1960s, India ranked as the world’s seventh most industrialized nation.
Economic Reforms • India’s economy slowed in the 1970s due to a steep rise in world oil prices. • In order to promote economic growth, India’s government sold off state-owned industries to private investors. • To encourage private enterprise, the government set up joint projects with foreign companies.
Economic Reforms • These reforms got India’s economy moving again. • During the 1990s, India had one of the world’s fastest growing economies. • Foreign investment rose • High-technology industries boomed and India built one of the world’s leading computer software industries. • Despite this progress, poverty has remained widespread in India. • Reducing poverty levels has proved difficult because India needs to create millions of new jobs every year just to keep pace with its rapid population growth.
Progress in Agriculture • Farming is still at the heart of India’s economy. • About three quarters of all Indians live in rural areas • Most are struggling subsistence farmers • At independence, India could not feed its population. • Poor soil and outdated farming methods kept farm output low. • Droughts and flood led to famine
Progress in Agriculture • Investments were made to build new irrigation systems for farmers. • Since the monsoon season could be unreliable, these irrigation systems helped to keep farmers productive in times of drought. • Dams, canals, and wells help insure a year-round water supply.
Green Revolution • New technology improved India’s food output during the 1960s and 1970s. • Scientists developed new types of wheat and rice seeds that produced much larger harvests. • These “miracle crops” were part of the technological advance in agriculture known as the Green Revolution. • The growing need to feed India’s increasing population means that the government must still invest heavily in boosting food output.
