FREE ESSAY ON INDIA-A POLITICAL OUTLOOK

INDIA-A POLITICAL OUTLOOK

Jason D'Aleo 5/1/00
Eco 330Z Eco 330Z
India- A Political Aspect
Politics play a crucial role in the origin and growth and even decay of cities in India.
It also plays a great role in general urban development, decay and renewal. In most cases
these policies are sponsored by the government, therefor, they obviously play a key role
in the development of cities. In the following paragraphs I will describe different
political aspects of the growth of an Indian city and how the government participated. I
will also discuss the overall foreign policy of India. 
Politics played a crucial role in the origin and growth of cities since the beginning of
humanity. These two developments led to the appearance of political authority. The
agricultural revolution itself must have been planned by leaders with imagination and
foresight. Thus, a formalized leadership and a well-developed power structure emerged in
this process. It is due to this, perhaps, that many cities, in ancient times and today,
came into being components of large empires. During the ancient and medieval periods
administrative and strategic factors determined the location of towns and cities. This
was first hand decided by the rulers or now known as the government. Being fortified
around citadels, cities either flourished or decayed based on the prowess of royalty.
The growth of commerce and the emergence of a merchant class have been cited as an
important factor in urban growth. Typically an empire at its best contains an overgrowing
body of urbanites and an upper class that has waxed more affluent and has increased its
demand for a variety of goods. Merchants are thereby encouraged to extend their domain of
operation into more emote regions like urban centers. Such a movement, though, needed the
support and protection offered by the political base within the homeland.
Military and strategic factors, also provided by the government, have been crucial in the
emergence, location, growth and decline of some cities. Towns, for example, have
developed as feudal establishments with garrisons needing traders and craftsmen to meet
their needs and have attracted merchants and the rural populace to undertake various
functions. The strategic importance of a city is its location, especially capital cities,
because no ruler would want to establish an area that is easily invaded.
Most Indian cities can be divided into two parts: the densely crowded city proper, and
the widespread area with bungalows and cottages, referred to as  civil lines, each with a
fairly extensive compound or garden. It is here where the rich upper class and officials
live. The income is greater from the city proper then the civil lines, however, they have
a greater expenditure. The city part is always grossly neglected and the poorer parts are
almost ignored. It has few well-lit roads and poor drainage and sanitation.
The introduction of municipal administration added a new dimension to urban politics all
over the world. So far, the cities had been governed under the shadow of an all-pervasive
political authority. Now though the people were provided with an opportunity to exercise
some influence within the built environment. What followed was a large political tassel
between various sections and interests to control resources.
Politics, so central to the emergence and growth of cities, has played an equally
important role in urban development, decay and renewal. These three processes, though
different, are interrelated and are part of the larger process of urbanization and what
links them together is politics. Urban development can be understood as a process that
leads to an extension of the boundaries of urban areas and introduces new ideas and
amenities to it. Politics comes into this process in several ways. It enters the picture
in the form of quantity and quality of these amenities to be given different areas. It
also plays a decisive role in the location of new extension for different sections.
Again, the quality and quantity of a transit system is the focus. This, at times,
however, can lead to the neglect of the old part of the city. This is where the politics
of urban decay sets in. Once an extension of a city takes place decay become a natural
sequel to this process. The political reasons can be the politics of segregation as in
many third world countries. For example, the civil lines set up by the British in many of
their colonial cities did lead to the decay of indigenous cities. In some cases
construction of a new capital would lead to great affects on the old city. However, urban
decay is not solely a consequence of politics. It is the impact of a policy of
segregation or preferential treatment to those sections where the more influential people
live, which leads to the decay of the urban nucleus. A decline in a civic atmosphere's
standard of living eventually takes place naturally. Political intervention just speeds
up the process. 
Since most policies are sponsered by the government, local politicians tend to play
important roles in the policies of their cities. Those on the opposition would clearly
criticize any programs that are presented, and try to stall its implementation by
announcing alternatives or by trying to convince everyone of its harm. The government
also has to deal with the demands of the powerful constituencies like commercial and
industrial groups. It is extremely hard for them to ignore such interests because they
depend heavily on them for financial and political support. As a result, in spite of
announcing a program with mass popular appeal and populist overtones, its ultimate shape
by the time it is fully implemented may turn out to be geared entirely to the benefit of
those important constituents.
In taking a closer look at a certain city and its policies, Delhi can be divided into
three parts. Medieval Delhi (Shahjahanabad), imperial Delhi (the British New Delhi) and
expanding Delhi (the post-interdependence expansions of Delhi). Just by looking at these
names we see how politics and government has shaped yet another city. Unlike a democratic
United States, India, led by rulers who influence the government, make all the important
decisions. Medieval Delhi has been reduced to slums due to dilapidated conditions of its
buildings, high population and increase in commercial activities. Obviously, here is
another example of where the government decided its fate. The imperial Delhi is known as
the garden city and is a fine example of spatial extravagance. Finally, the expanding
Delhi demonstrates its limitless appetite for swallowing agricultural land and villages
falling in its way. With the differences of these three areas we see that the rich and
powerful people who influence the government live in the nice areas in Imperial Delhi and
everyone else lives in the slums. One example of how the government takes action in some
of these cities is the Utilization of transit tenements. The government had decided that
particular arrangements proposed for re-housing people who were being evicted, should
take place prior to the actual evictions. Also, the government issues house-taxes on the
people. This is to be considered part of the  master plan for Delhi combined with other
laws and policies that they feel only improve conditions. This just reemphasizes the
feeling that the government only helps the important people of society who contribute
monetarily. It is a backward way of doing things and part of the main reason why India
has never gotten out of the development phase. It is part of the great disparity between
the rich and poor that India is a third world country. The lack of policy to guide a
dynamic ad quick-paced process like urbanization is bound to affect the nature, face and
environment of urban centers.
That politics plays a crucial role in the emergence and growth of cities is an
understatement. We can say that urban redevelopment is fundamentally a political activity
mainly due to three reasons. First, it is planned and initiated by the government
presumably to exercise political will on the subject of land use and regulation and to
restructure the city. Second, urban redevelopment is directly linked to the political
structure and indirectly to the populace in their twin roles of voters and clients.
Third, the way redevelopment decisions are taken is political in the sense that they are
usually the result of mediation and bargaining between different levels of government and
political and interest groups. These interest groups mainly being a group of important
constituents. 
I'd like to conclude my discussion of the politics of India with a brief description of
their foreign policies. After the Second World War, India had to guide her policy in
accordance with the conditions created by the international situation. The
interdependence of India marked the end of the imperialistic period created by the West.
So the first thing that was done in 1955 was to introduce step by step an Indian way to
socialism with out the use of force. It wanted to preserve the spiritual heritage of
India as far as religion and respect for humanity were concerned. India could remain
within the common wealth, which had become a confederation of fully interdependent
states, but was allowed to continue with its own economic policy. However, it was
strongly noted of the solidarity India had to the Asian countries. India became part of a
loose union of non-aligned states and was able to play an international role in the now
surprised world. If one were to observe the first thirty years of India's independence it
would see they were secured very well with the safety and political interdependence.
Now I'll discuss the political relations between India and the United States. President
Roosevelt started the unions by stressing the importance of enhancing India's military.
After the war, the United States began to help India economically and financially on an
unprecedented scale. This help often came with no political returns. Without the help of
the U.S., India would never have survived the scarcity of food in the beginning. India
has never really fully accepted the policies offered by the United States, however, they
did work together. One would say that it was an up and down relationship between India
and the U.S. Sometimes there was great warmth expressed and agreement. Other times there
would be nothing greed upon. However, whenever India needed the aid of the United States
it was readily given and accepted. Lucky for them.