Gender and politics
Public and private division
Sexual division of labour means society assigns housework and child care to women and outside paid work to men. It is not natural; it comes from social beliefs. Women work outside too, in fields and factories, but their home work is unpaid and not valued.
So women got less role in public life. Movements for equal voting rights, education and jobs grew. People who believe men and women should have equal rights and chances are called feminists. The feminist movement works for equality in personal and family life too.
Problems women face in India
- Literacy among women is lower than among men (about 54% vs 76% in older census data).
- Fewer women in highly paid jobs; they are paid less than men for similar work though the law says equal pay.
- A preference for sons led to a falling child sex ratio (girls per 1000 boys) in some areas.
- Violence and harassment make women less safe at home and outside. Patriarchy means a system that values men more and gives them power over women.
Women's political representation
Women in the Lok Sabha were about 14% in 2019. In local bodies, one-third seats are reserved, so over 10 lakh women are elected representatives. The 2023 Women's Reservation Act will reserve one-third seats in Lok Sabha and state assemblies after the next delimitation.
Religion, communalism and secular state
Religion and politics can meet in a fair way. Gandhiji said politics must be guided by values drawn from all religions. Women's groups want family laws that are fair to women. A religious group may express its needs politically. This is fine if all are treated equally.
What is communalism?
Communalism starts when one religion is seen as superior, when people of one religion are believed to share all interests, and when these interests are seen as opposed to others. Forms of communalism:
- Everyday beliefs: prejudice and stereotypes about other religions.
- Seeking political dominance for one's own religious group.
- Political mobilisation on religious lines: using religious symbols and leaders to win votes.
- Communal violence and riots, as at the time of Partition.
Secular state
The makers of our Constitution chose a secular state:
- There is no official religion for the Indian state.
- All individuals and communities are free to follow, practise and spread any religion, or none.
- Discrimination on the basis of religion is banned.
- The state may step into religious matters to ensure equality, for example by banning untouchability.
Caste and politics
In the caste system, people of one caste did the same work (hereditary occupation), married within the caste and did not eat with others. 'Outcaste' groups faced untouchability. Reformers like Jotiba Phule, Gandhiji, Dr B. R. Ambedkar and Periyar worked to end it.
Things changed with urbanisation (people moving to cities), literacy, jobs and less link between caste and work. The Constitution bans caste discrimination. Yet caste has not gone: most marriages are still within caste, and 'upper' castes are still far ahead in education and wealth on average.
Caste in politics
- Parties consider caste when choosing candidates and forming governments.
- Parties appeal to caste feelings for support.
- Universal adult franchise gave power to castes once treated as inferior.
But elections are not just about caste: no constituency has a clear majority of one caste, no party wins all votes of a caste, voters often vote against their own caste candidate, and many decisions are based on work done. Politics also changes caste: castes join into bigger groups and bargain with others. Focusing only on caste can distract from issues like poverty and can lead to tension.
Key formulas and definitions
- Sexual division of labour: housework assigned to women, paid outside work to men by society.
- Feminist: a person who believes in equal rights and chances for women and men.
- Patriarchy: a system that values men more and gives them power over women.
- Communalism: treating one religion as superior and its followers as one community against others.
- Secular state: no official religion; freedom of religion; no religious discrimination.
- Caste hierarchy: a ladder of castes from 'high' to 'low' based on birth.
- Urbanisation: shift of people from villages to cities.
Worked examples
1. Why is the sexual division of labour called social, not natural?
Men can cook and women can earn outside. Who does what is decided by social beliefs and habits, not by the body.
2. Give one reason women's share in panchayats is higher than in Lok Sabha.
One-third of seats in local bodies are reserved for women by law. Until recently, the Lok Sabha had no such reservation.
3. A leader asks people to vote for him 'to protect our religion'. Which form of communalism is this?
Political mobilisation on religious lines: using religion to win votes.
4. Why can the state ban untouchability if it is secular?
Secularism in India allows the state to step into religious practices to ensure equality and dignity for all.
5. Why can no party win just by caste votes?
No constituency has one caste in clear majority, and voters of a caste are divided and also look at the work done.
Common mistakes
- Thinking a secular state means the state hates religion. It means the state treats all religions equally and has no official religion.
- Saying all religion in politics is communalism. It becomes communalism only when one religion is seen as superior and against others.
- Believing caste decides every election. Many other factors, like performance and leaders, matter.
- Assuming women do less work. They work more hours on average, but much of it is unpaid.