Indian Political Culture

Indian political culture has gone through varied changes since the pre independence era till the contemporary time. India arrived at Independence after a long struggle and with a multiplicity of heritages and legacies which influenced its post-Independence course in intricate ways. Amongst the legacies was the long experience of British rule, which extended back more than two centuries. Of particular importance at Independence was the Government of India Act of 1535, which was the most recent structure of rule under which the country was governed and which included a substantial measure of responsible government for Indians in the provinces. A second legacy was that provided by the shared experience of those Indians who participated in or identified with the nationalist movement and its great leaders. A third was the prevailing social order, the communal structure and social conflicts which surrounded and influenced political movements, thoughts, and practices. Finally, there was the great body of traditions and cultural practices which preceded British rule in a civilisation of great depth, density, and diversity.

Politics in India before 1947

Indian politics before 1947 dates back to the Indian Councils Act of 1861 and continues through the Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909, Montague-Chelmsford Reform, 1919, and the Government of India Act of 1935 . At each of these reforms, the involvement of Indians in the central and state legislatures and in the executive councils was increased and the permission was extended to ever larger numbers of people. It has often been noted in particular that there was a significant degree of continuity between the Government of India Act and Constitution of India. The features of stability included the implementation of a federal system of government with three legislative lists of powers to be exercised entirely by the Union, exclusively by the states, or concurrently, and a combination of a considerable degree of provincial...