Social Cleavages, Multiculturalism and Emerging Space for State in India under Globalisation Regime

This paper focuses on social cleavages based on class , caste,religion and ethnicity in India. It examines the political salience of caste and class conflicts and addresses the translation of social cleavages into political oppositions in India. The authors argue that political conflict becomes more severe when social cleavages based on class, caste and ethnicity help to mutually reinforce one another. It presents Indian evidences in order to demonstrate the link between social fragmentation and fiscal policy outcomes under liberalization regime. [ The paper was prepared for presentation in the International Economic History Congress, Session 22, to be held at Helsinki, August 2006.]