DEMOCRACY, DEVELOPMENT AND RURAL REALITY: POLICY REFORMS OF THE 1990S

India’s journey since independence has been characterised by dynamic transitions. Democracy began as an ‘elite democracy’, marked by the constitutional establishment of local self-governance, and gradually evolved into a mass democracy – though elite influences have persisted even at the grassroots. This evolution reflects a continuous interplay between tradition and transformation.

The economic and political landscape underwent a significant shift in the 1990s. Liberalisation, Privatisation, and Globalisation (LPG) opened rural India to private sector participation, while the 73rd Constitutional Amendment institutionalised democratic decentralisation – empowering local communities to shape their own developmental trajectories.

This book explores three key dimensions: understanding the current role of local institutions, preparing them for the challenges of the 21st century, and examining how the narrowing gap between the global and the local is reshaping governance. The first two sections offer a critical analysis of policy frameworks and conceptual developments. The New Economic Policy (NEP) and its facilitation of corporate presence at the local level are examined through in-depth primary research in Himachal Pradesh – a state where rural communities have experienced the deep impact of the 1990s economic reforms. The study reveals that mass participation in democracy and development is bringing renewed vibrancy to grassroots politics.

This book is an essential read for academics, researchers, policymakers, and anyone seeking to understand the evolving dynamics and enduring inequalities in rural India.