Democracy against Equality

Abstract

This book traces the shifting contours of caste and agrarian inequality, revealing how older hierarchies are being reconfigured in new forms and how they impact democracy. It offers a compelling ethnographic account of how democratic mechanisms-including political participation, elections, and protest movements-actually function in rural India. Focusing on Indian Punjab, it reveals the often stark disconnect between formal democratic ideals and ground-level realities. Engaging with major debates on clientelism, identity politics, and the criminalisation of politics, the book sheds light on the complexities of political representation and accountability. The book also fills a critical gap in the political anthropology of Indian Punjab, offering valuable insights into the region's current political discontent. This title is also available as open access on Cambridge Core.