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Thoughts on "conservative politics" in India
The base of H-Right is motivated by religious insecurity, H-Rashtra urges, minority appeasement
Policy wonks on the Right want economic reform, institutional reform
These two planks don't come together in the BJP
The base of H-Right is motivated by religious insecurity, H-Rashtra urges, minority appeasement
Policy wonks on the Right want economic reform, institutional reform
These two planks don't come together in the BJP
Sharp contrast to US, where the intellectual ecosystem of the Republican party embraces both the social conservatism of the Christian Right and the Reaganite policies with respect to governance / economy
Until Trump emerged, at least
Until Trump emerged, at least
So if you take a conservative think tank like Hoover Institution in US, it connects to the Republican Party in both ways
A TV show hosted by Hoover - Uncommon Knowledge - embraces not just libertarian economics, but also social conservatism
A TV show hosted by Hoover - Uncommon Knowledge - embraces not just libertarian economics, but also social conservatism
The two converge in a common eco-system
But in India, the two don't talk to each other.
The H-Right's linkage with the body politic is fairly strong
But the policy wonks on the Right have no political affiliation to the BJP
But in India, the two don't talk to each other.
The H-Right's linkage with the body politic is fairly strong
But the policy wonks on the Right have no political affiliation to the BJP
So in terms of policy, the government has no "conservative" slant.
For H-Right, their H-Rashtra urges (however legitimate) cannot result in policy decisions
Because H-Rashtra is too remote from the current constitutional reality
For H-Right, their H-Rashtra urges (however legitimate) cannot result in policy decisions
Because H-Rashtra is too remote from the current constitutional reality
On matters of policy, H-Right has not much to say. Except groans about "revising textbooks", freeing temples etc
On all other matters, the policy is completely non-ideological
On all other matters, the policy is completely non-ideological
Social conservatism independent of H-M tussles is a non-starter in India
Because ours is already a v religious, conservative society
Unlike US, where there are debates over whether gays should raise children or whether Transgenders should have bathrooms for themselves
Because ours is already a v religious, conservative society
Unlike US, where there are debates over whether gays should raise children or whether Transgenders should have bathrooms for themselves
So social conservatism independent of H-causes has no political case for it
What you are left with is H-rhetoric, which cannot translate to policy except perhaps a more muscular nationalism (which is a good thing in my view)
What you are left with is H-rhetoric, which cannot translate to policy except perhaps a more muscular nationalism (which is a good thing in my view)
So H-nationalism on the ground translates primarily to that -
A more muscular hawkish stance on defense, foreign policy and internal security (which I fully support)
But not much else.
A more muscular hawkish stance on defense, foreign policy and internal security (which I fully support)
But not much else.
For rest of the policy, you need an ideological vision
The H-Right had that wide-ranging vision at one point
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and his "Integral Humanism"
But the current BJP has drifted too far from that
Nor has it embraced the views espoused by policy wonks on the Right
The H-Right had that wide-ranging vision at one point
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and his "Integral Humanism"
But the current BJP has drifted too far from that
Nor has it embraced the views espoused by policy wonks on the Right
Some points in this thread triggered by a conversation with @akshayalladi
