Sociological analysis on VOTE BANK POLITICS in india

M N srinivash coined the term " vote bank " in his 1955 essay. " The social structure of a Mysore village ". Today the term- rooted in obligation and reciprocity. Structure of vote banks remains largely unaltered , three changes in indian politics have shaped the meaning of obligation and reciprocity in modern vote banks. 

1. The rise of party competition.

2. changes in identity politics.

3. Economic growth and reform 

Favourable social aspects :- 

1.It make voters more aware of both thier individual strength as citizen's and collective strength as hailing from a particular strata of society - raise the bargaining power of individuals and groups.

2.symbolic of the demands of different sections of society- symbolic forms of conspicuous consumption on the part of political parties to flaunt thier powess in electroral canvassing. 

3.it provide one form of social protection to party constituencies - stabilizing democratic elections and redistribution of income from elites to citizens ( in modern context , vote banks no longer to serve these functions ).

4.similarly, women, despite accounting for almost half of the total population, are not considered as a vote bank beacuse over the years political parties have raised that women don't vote as a group or community for a political party- during election thier identify as women takes a back seat while thier identities of caste, religion and sect gain prominence. 

Dipankar gupta :- argue that vote banks sustain a system in which parties continue to " pay lip-service " to the causes of villages. Mostly to poor farmers. 

Modern vote banks :- why concept of obligation and reciprocity have changed in the context of today vote banks.

1. Vote banks have become more competitive with the rise of party competition ( end of the single party era ) 

2. The targets of vote bank have changed as caste and identity politics have changed ( rise of regional political parties ) 

3. Vote banks have become much more materialistic with changes in economic structure. ( Changes in economic transformation and media landscape ) 

4. Political,societal polarization and divisive political leadership. 

Wilkinson says the kind of modernization hypothesis that there may be a teleological progression between the formal institutionalization of vote banks and economic development. He argues that as economies develop in india. Vote bank politics will transition from more particularistic forms of exchange between parties and citizens. 

Criticisms 

1.it divides society on the basis of caste and religion- rise of communalism. ( tool to invoke the regional and casteist prejudices among the people of this country ) 

2.distrup social order - hampering the overall societal development, - social tension.

3.In India, because of vote bank politics the real issues of the nation like Corruption, Inflation, and women security never get the required attention.

       In this way, vote banks serve the purpose of both the voters as well as political parties. Vote-bank politics becomes ugly only when it is misused to manipulate the demands of one group or groups in order to polarise society. Thereby creating unrest. 

      "Vote bank politics in itself is not a dirty word. It is the misuse of it that makes it bad"