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Burnell & Randall: Politics in the Developing World 2e

Chapter 21a

  1. What has civil society contributed to India's experience of democracy?

  2. Do the examples of India and Saudi Arabia make sense of the distinction between civil and 'uncivil' society and demonstrate its significance?

  3. Do cases like India and Saudi Arabia tell us that a universal concept of civil society promises fewer insights into politics in the developing world than more relativistic notions that refer only to distinct national or local civil societies?

  4. In what ways does the Indian case illustrate the difficulty of defining 'civil society' in a developing country context?

  5. What does India's experience suggest are the organizational and functional interrelationships between civil society associations and political parties in developing countries?

  6. How might continuing strong economic growth in India represent a danger for that country's democracy?

  7. What does India's experience tell us about the influence of civil society on the quality and health of liberal democracy?

  8. What main lessons concerning stable democracy's requisites can be learned from comparing the political records of India and Pakistan?

  9. Compare the role of women in civil society and their political presence in India and Saudi Arabia.

  10. Do the records of India and Saudi Arabia tell us that the existence of a strong civil society depends on having a vibrant market economy?

  11. To what extent can civil society compensate for the deficiencies of party politics in India?

  12. With particular reference to India, discuss the proposition that civil society organizations need to be independent of the state.