More than five decades after its initial publication, Kothari's analysis remains remarkably pertinent. The "two-way process" he identified has only intensified. Caste continues to shape voting behavior, party formation, candidate selection, and policy debates across India. At the same time, democratic politics has profoundly transformed caste—empowering historically marginalized groups, creating new forms of caste-based political identity (such as the "Other Backward Classes" category), and generating intense competition among caste groups for political representation and state resources.
In Caste in Indian Politics , Kothari challenges the binary view that traditional caste is entirely opposed to modern politics. Rajni Kothari Caste In Indian Politics 15.pdf
This chapter, co-authored by Kothari himself, looks at the Kshatriyas of Gujarat. It analyzes how a dominant caste group formed federations and entered the political arena not just to preserve its social status but to secure tangible political and economic benefits in a modern democratic framework. More than five decades after its initial publication,
In the vast landscape of Indian political science, few works have been as transformative as the collection of essays edited by , titled "Caste in Indian Politics." First published in 1970 and later revised, this seminal text challenged the then-dominant view that caste was a feudal, static relic destined to disappear with modernization. Instead, it argued powerfully that caste was not only surviving but thriving as a dynamic and crucial element of India's democratic framework. At the same time, democratic politics has profoundly