- Moderator
- #1
I'm not sure what this means, but I don't think it is good for religious freedoms and human rights: it's a trend towards increased nationalism, and in particular, a religious nationalism in pluralistic states.
I haven't seen much attention paid to India's election - the largest democracy in the world, with an election that will take weeks to complete. It certainly deserves as much attention as Israel's which has been in the media big time.
We have seen significant changes in a number of democratic republics and countries that hint at growing religious and ethnic (often intertwined) nationalism among pluralistic societies: Turkey, India, Poland, Russia, and others. We have seen what has happened in the middle east with the rise of Islamic nationalism but it's quietly erupting around the world.
This usually brings with it the intrusion of religious law, a growing intolerance for minorities and homosexuals, curbing of religious and individual freedoms. Not a good trend imo. Not good for democratic ideals.
With Indian Elections Underway, The Vote Is Also A Referendum On Hindu Nationalism
"The shape of India is at stake," says Milan Vaishnav, who directs the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment in Washington, D.C. "One of the important things this election is going to determine is India's future as a secular republic that embraces pluralism and adheres to the founders' notion that India's unity is strengthened by its diversity."
Modi's record has been mixed: In his five years in office, India's economy has grown robustly, but unemployment has also risen to a 40-year high. There was an outbreak of violence this winter, when India exchanged airstrikes with its arch-rival and nuclear-armed neighbor, Pakistan.
There has also been an elevation of Hindu-centric policy and discourse. Supporters call it Hindu pride, or Hindutva — Hindu-ness, the feeling of being Hindu. Others call it Hindu nationalism, an ideology of Hindu hegemony — and a danger to the republic.
I haven't seen much attention paid to India's election - the largest democracy in the world, with an election that will take weeks to complete. It certainly deserves as much attention as Israel's which has been in the media big time.
We have seen significant changes in a number of democratic republics and countries that hint at growing religious and ethnic (often intertwined) nationalism among pluralistic societies: Turkey, India, Poland, Russia, and others. We have seen what has happened in the middle east with the rise of Islamic nationalism but it's quietly erupting around the world.
This usually brings with it the intrusion of religious law, a growing intolerance for minorities and homosexuals, curbing of religious and individual freedoms. Not a good trend imo. Not good for democratic ideals.
With Indian Elections Underway, The Vote Is Also A Referendum On Hindu Nationalism
"The shape of India is at stake," says Milan Vaishnav, who directs the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment in Washington, D.C. "One of the important things this election is going to determine is India's future as a secular republic that embraces pluralism and adheres to the founders' notion that India's unity is strengthened by its diversity."
Modi's record has been mixed: In his five years in office, India's economy has grown robustly, but unemployment has also risen to a 40-year high. There was an outbreak of violence this winter, when India exchanged airstrikes with its arch-rival and nuclear-armed neighbor, Pakistan.
There has also been an elevation of Hindu-centric policy and discourse. Supporters call it Hindu pride, or Hindutva — Hindu-ness, the feeling of being Hindu. Others call it Hindu nationalism, an ideology of Hindu hegemony — and a danger to the republic.
