The Congress Party in Rajasthan: Political Integration and Institution-Building in an Indian State

Richard Sisson

Univ of California Press, Apr 28, 2023 - Political Science - 376 pages

The Congress Party in Rajasthan: Political Integration and Institution-Building in an Indian State offers an in-depth exploration of the Congress party's evolution and dominance in Rajasthan's political landscape. The book examines how this party navigated the challenges of integrating diverse princely states and traditional power structures into a cohesive democratic political framework following India's independence. It delves into the processes of political mobilization, elite recruitment, and the creation of new institutional linkages, emphasizing the Congress's pivotal role in forging a unified political identity in a region previously fragmented by semi-sovereign princely rule. The study is structured around three key dimensions: the historical antecedents of Congress's emergence, its adaptability to changing political and social environments, and the internal dynamics of factionalism and conflict management. Drawing on a rich historical perspective, the book investigates the party's ability to incorporate diverse social groups, manage intraparty conflicts, and maintain a balance between traditional authority and modern democratic norms. It highlights how the Congress party became not only a vehicle for state-level integration but also a crucial mechanism for cultivating political participation, promoting systemic stability, and nurturing a democratic political culture in a region marked by deep-rooted traditionalism. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1972.

Many titles in the Voices Revived program are also newly available as ebooks, offered at a discounted price to support wider access to scholarly work.

Contents

• CONCEPTION AND PURPOSE: 1
• POLITY AND SOCIETY IN THE PRINCELY: 18
• Land and Villages Under Khalsa and Jagirdari Tenure: 24
• Administrative Divisions and Districts of Rajasthan: 29
• Population Characteristics of Rajasthan: 31
• Size of Castes in the Rajputana States: 33
• Dispersion of Major Castes by Region: 34
• Regional Dispersion of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Rajasthan: 37
• THE ORIGINS OF THE PARTY SYSTEM: 41
• The Rise of Organizational Permanence: 50
• Segmentation in the Organization of Political: 60
• Recruitment of Praja Mandal Elites: 62
• Political Generation and Caste Mobilization: 63
• The Praja Mandals and the Nationalist Movement: 66
• Settlement Operations by 1949: 75
• THE FOUNDING: 89
• POLITICAL COMMUNITY AND POLITICAL: 97
• INSTITUTIONAL FLEXIBILITY AND ADAPTA: 124
• General Social Composition of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee 19461965: 132
• Caste Composition of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee 19461965: 133
• Caste Composition of the PCC Executive Committee 19461965: 134
• Caste of Congress and Top Opposition Candidates in Rajasthan 19521967: 135
• Representation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes on the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee 19461965: 144
• Caste Representation on the PCC and DCCs from the Matsya Region 19461965: 150
• Caste of Congress and Top Opposition Candidates in the Matsya Region 19521967: 151
• Caste Representation on the PCC and DCCs from the Jaipur Region 19461965: 155
• Caste of Congress and Top Opposition Candidates in the Jaipur Region 19521967: 156
• Caste Representation on the PCC and DCCs from Shekhawati 19461965: 162
• ORGANIZATIONAL MOBILITY AND PARTICI: 178
• 89: 180
• CONFLICT AND COHESION IN THE LEGIS: 204
• Public: 214
• DEVELOPMENT OF THE RAJASTHAN: 232
• Themes: 240
• INSTITUTIONAL LINKAGES: 260
• Caste and the Factional System: 271
• Factional Cleavage and Generational Change: 277
• FACTIONAL CONFLICT AND POLITICAL: 283
• NOTES AND PROPOSITIONS: 311
• GLOSSARY: 327
• INDEX: 341

About the author

Contributor: Richard Sisson Enter the Author Bio(s) here.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Congress Party in Rajasthan: Political Integration and Institution-Building in an Indian State; Center for South and Southeast Asia Studies, UC Berkeley
• Author: Richard Sisson
• Edition: illustrated, reprint
• Publisher: Univ of California Press, 2023
• ISBN: 0520339355, 9780520339354
• Length: 376 pages
• Subjects: Political Science / Commentary & Opinion