Book dossier

Democracy, nationalism, and communalism

by Asma Barlas

Although India and Pakistan were part of a single state until liberation from British colonial rule in 1947, the former has since emerged as the world's largest "democracy," whereas the latter has been under military control for most of its history. In this thought-provoking volume, Asma Barlas explores the complex and delicate issue of democracy in India and Pakistan. Analyzing the political trajectories of each country, Barlas provides the reader with both comparative and historical perspectives. She then sets out to establish a relationship between the specific forms of both the Indian and Pakistani states and the political histories, forms of consciousness, and modes of organization of the dominant and subaltern classes during the colonial period, drawing upon Gramscian theory. Within this context, Barlas's analysis helps to clarify why democracy in South Asia continues to be so precarious, why nationalism still takes a "communal" form, and why the two postcolonial states, inspite of differences between them, continue to be top-heavy, elitist, and authoritarian.