Why in news :- the emerging identity politics in west bengal and Tamilnadu.
Relevance of syllabus :- politics and society ( both paper-1 and paper-2 )
A tendency for people of a particular religion, caste, ethnicity, gender, race and social background, etc., to form exclusive political alliances moving away from traditional broad-based party politics.
Identity politics is centered on the idea that activism involves group turning inward and stressing separatism, strong collective identities, and political goals focused in psychological and personal self esteem.
Identity politics is necessary in a democracy.
1.It question the legitimacy of a democratic country, it it did not provide space for identity politics.
2.It's an indicator of the health of a democracy because, it means that marginalised sections are making bid for a share of power .
Democratic process intensifies power struggle, and hence, assertion of various identities assumes vital importance in a democratic set-up. Democracy is nothing if it does not give free play to power struggle between various sections of people.
Limitation :- identity politics is polarising democratic society
1.Transitiom from single party system to multifarious regional parties ( rise of regional political parties. For eg BSP, SHIVA SENA etc. )
2.lt leads to mobilization of lower caste and vote bank politics where political parties focusing mainly on the needs of particular social groups
3.Silent revolution of the lower caste has brought the recognition and legitimacy in the society ( give political power and economic opportunities in the society - victimized indentity )
4.Identity politics attempts to attain empowerment representation and recognition of social groups ( backward classes occupying center-stage in politics after implementation of the mandal commission recommendations in politics )
Dipankar gupta says protective Discrimination to remove untouchability as an institution from indian social life and polity, the later caste as an important political resources. The mandal commission can be considered the intellectual inspiration in transforming caste based identity to asset that may be used as a basis for securing political and economic gains.
5.Increase in political awareness among marginalised and weaker sections of society.
6.Rise of low caste, religious identities and linguistic groups have contributed to the significance of identity politics in India
7.Rise of new social movements ( ex: LGBT movements and women rights movement )
8.Articulation of a universal vision for social change :- progressive or revolutionary social change.
9.Response to majoritarian ideologies :- Kanshi ram used caste as an ideology to found bahujan samaj party.
Criticisms of identity politics.
1.Group based particular share identity ( e.g. race, or gender identity ) can divert energy and attention from more fundamental issues in society.
2.It has led to a rise in incidents of communal violence in the country. ( ex:-Naga insurgency after independence, Khalistan movement and delhi riots And it become a challenge for indian democracy and secularism )
3.The sectional identity dominate over the national identity ( ex- language - linguistic groups has disembodied the feelings of national unity and national spirit )
4.It led limited or a narrow minded view of citizens and political parties
5.Chris hedges says identity politics as one of the factors making up a form of "corporate capitalism":- sees the contemporary rise of identity politics as a product of economic well-being and the luck of viable alternatives to to capitalism.
6.Langman argue that identity politics as a misplaced response to rapid social change resulting from economic dislocation .
7."zero-sum" theory of power by Max Weber :- what helps one group is thought inevitably to harm another. In the name of advancing the interest of one's group, it reject attempts to educate, pressure , or change the society as a whole.
in India, the identity politics, has become an important aspect of politics. the Rise of the dalit politics, especially the BJP and backward classes politics following the implementation of Mandal Commission report: linguistic organisation of Indian states from the 1950 and rise of BJP and the active role of organisations, like the RSS and ethnic conflict insurgency and autonomy movements in several parts of the country are the examples of Identity politics in India
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