Notes: Nationalism with Caste & Religion | Sociology Mains Optional for UPSC 2024 PDF Download

 Page 1


 
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Sociology Paper-2 
A-2 
Indian nationalism was unique as unlike its European counterpart, it emerged 
countering its unique challenges of centuries old casteism and rising forces of 
communalism. Discuss. 
Nationalism refers to the feeling of cohesion of an imagined community.  
It is defined through a set of symbols and beliefs which provide the sense of being a 
part of a single political community.  
The feeling of cohesion or the psychic unity arises from a common characteristic 
like language, religion or ethnicity which act as a base for the community to assert 
itself as a separate political community.  
This was the reason for the rise of nation states in Europe.  
In the case of India, an exactly similar definition of nationalism does not fit the bill 
as the country is diverse in its languages, cultures, ethnic origins of people and so 
on. Indian nationalism has been considered as a composite culture nationalism . 
Emergence 
Historians like K M Panikkar, Romila Thapar believe that Indian nationalism was a 
product of putting up against the common enemy i.e. the British rule.  
India never had a single dominant cultural heritage but a composite culture where 
different people lived in cooperation with each other.  
It was the Indian National Movement which brought the people of various castes 
and religions together who fought in unison to achieve Independence, example- 
Non Cooperation Movement 1920. 
This same set of people set out to the task of nation building under the guidance of 
leaders like Nehru.  
Nationalism served as an inherent need of an aspiring nation at this stage i.e. post-
independence. Despite many skeptics, India survived as a nation and did not suffer 
balkanization, as was predicted by many scholars. 
Page 2


 
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Sociology Paper-2 
A-2 
Indian nationalism was unique as unlike its European counterpart, it emerged 
countering its unique challenges of centuries old casteism and rising forces of 
communalism. Discuss. 
Nationalism refers to the feeling of cohesion of an imagined community.  
It is defined through a set of symbols and beliefs which provide the sense of being a 
part of a single political community.  
The feeling of cohesion or the psychic unity arises from a common characteristic 
like language, religion or ethnicity which act as a base for the community to assert 
itself as a separate political community.  
This was the reason for the rise of nation states in Europe.  
In the case of India, an exactly similar definition of nationalism does not fit the bill 
as the country is diverse in its languages, cultures, ethnic origins of people and so 
on. Indian nationalism has been considered as a composite culture nationalism . 
Emergence 
Historians like K M Panikkar, Romila Thapar believe that Indian nationalism was a 
product of putting up against the common enemy i.e. the British rule.  
India never had a single dominant cultural heritage but a composite culture where 
different people lived in cooperation with each other.  
It was the Indian National Movement which brought the people of various castes 
and religions together who fought in unison to achieve Independence, example- 
Non Cooperation Movement 1920. 
This same set of people set out to the task of nation building under the guidance of 
leaders like Nehru.  
Nationalism served as an inherent need of an aspiring nation at this stage i.e. post-
independence. Despite many skeptics, India survived as a nation and did not suffer 
balkanization, as was predicted by many scholars. 
 
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www.SleepyClasses.com 
 
The Indian Constitution offered reservation for lower castes(Article 14-18) and 
granted special rights to minorities (Article- 29,30).  
Hence the Indian nationalism defeated both casteism and communalism, its 
existence as the largest democracy in the world today proves the fact. 
A.R.Desai – Marxist Perspective 
Nationalism in India was a modern phenomenon which could have not happened 
before the coming of the British. 
He sees its genesis in the material conditions of the country.  
The economic structure changed as the new social classes emerged out of land 
reforms and industrialization.  
While the new social classes had their respective aims and demands, they also 
became conscious of certain common interests of Indian people such as the 
development of productive forces and the general economic advance of the Indian 
society, increased control of the state power by the Indians and spread of modern 
education and culture.  
This led to the growth of a united nationalist movement of all the progressive social 
classes in the country with a common programme.  
This synthesis was made possible by Mahatama Gandhi. 
The Marxist perspective gives more importance to economic conditions and does 
not see differences in religion and caste as a hindrance to the rise of nationalism. 
A R Desai concludes that Nationalism is being used as a vehicle for the 
perpetuation of the dominance than making India an all-inclusive country without 
poverty, illiteracy, discrimination.  
Hence his conception of Nationalism is paradoxical to that of nationalists. 
 
 
 
Page 3


 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
 
Sociology Paper-2 
A-2 
Indian nationalism was unique as unlike its European counterpart, it emerged 
countering its unique challenges of centuries old casteism and rising forces of 
communalism. Discuss. 
Nationalism refers to the feeling of cohesion of an imagined community.  
It is defined through a set of symbols and beliefs which provide the sense of being a 
part of a single political community.  
The feeling of cohesion or the psychic unity arises from a common characteristic 
like language, religion or ethnicity which act as a base for the community to assert 
itself as a separate political community.  
This was the reason for the rise of nation states in Europe.  
In the case of India, an exactly similar definition of nationalism does not fit the bill 
as the country is diverse in its languages, cultures, ethnic origins of people and so 
on. Indian nationalism has been considered as a composite culture nationalism . 
Emergence 
Historians like K M Panikkar, Romila Thapar believe that Indian nationalism was a 
product of putting up against the common enemy i.e. the British rule.  
India never had a single dominant cultural heritage but a composite culture where 
different people lived in cooperation with each other.  
It was the Indian National Movement which brought the people of various castes 
and religions together who fought in unison to achieve Independence, example- 
Non Cooperation Movement 1920. 
This same set of people set out to the task of nation building under the guidance of 
leaders like Nehru.  
Nationalism served as an inherent need of an aspiring nation at this stage i.e. post-
independence. Despite many skeptics, India survived as a nation and did not suffer 
balkanization, as was predicted by many scholars. 
 
www.YouTube.com/SleepyClasses 
www.SleepyClasses.com 
 
The Indian Constitution offered reservation for lower castes(Article 14-18) and 
granted special rights to minorities (Article- 29,30).  
Hence the Indian nationalism defeated both casteism and communalism, its 
existence as the largest democracy in the world today proves the fact. 
A.R.Desai – Marxist Perspective 
Nationalism in India was a modern phenomenon which could have not happened 
before the coming of the British. 
He sees its genesis in the material conditions of the country.  
The economic structure changed as the new social classes emerged out of land 
reforms and industrialization.  
While the new social classes had their respective aims and demands, they also 
became conscious of certain common interests of Indian people such as the 
development of productive forces and the general economic advance of the Indian 
society, increased control of the state power by the Indians and spread of modern 
education and culture.  
This led to the growth of a united nationalist movement of all the progressive social 
classes in the country with a common programme.  
This synthesis was made possible by Mahatama Gandhi. 
The Marxist perspective gives more importance to economic conditions and does 
not see differences in religion and caste as a hindrance to the rise of nationalism. 
A R Desai concludes that Nationalism is being used as a vehicle for the 
perpetuation of the dominance than making India an all-inclusive country without 
poverty, illiteracy, discrimination.  
Hence his conception of Nationalism is paradoxical to that of nationalists. 
 
 
 
 
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Critique 
Bifurcation of Nationalism: 
The Divide and Rule policy of the British sowed the seeds of communalism in the 
country and it had huge implications for the country.  
The communalism resulted in the rise of religion affiliated nationalism and groups 
like Muslim League, Hindu Mahasabha weakened the Indian National Movement.  
The partition of the country was the biggest setback to Nationalism. 
Sub – Altern School 
The sub-altern school propounds the view that the concept of Nationalism was 
imposed by the higher castes and educated middle class on the Dalits. The 
instruments of exploitation like the Varna system were not attacked even if an 
attempt to remove social evils like untouchability was made. So the attempt to 
achieve unity was half-hearted.  
Example- Dalit Leaders like Ambedkar rejected Gandhian nationalism, the 
differences were clearly visible in the issue or demand for separate electorates. 
Conclusion- 
According to Amartya Sen, nationalism in India borders on religious revivalism as 
national identity is often hijacked by majority groups. Such tendencies limit 
individual freedom as well. 
In a diverse country like India, over emphasis on a single absolute national identity 
can be problematic as such a singe identity can witness problems of inclusiveness. 
This is validated by the vast diversity witnessed in rituals and civil rights of various 
castes and religions. 
The solution lies in refocus on the pressing problems like poverty, hunger and 
illiteracy, suggests Andre Beteille.  
Ramchandra Guha suggests that people should be allowed to construct their own 
ideas of nationalism- Cricket nationalism , Kargil- Nationalism and Adversity – 
nationalism(example- Tsunami. Kerala Floods)