IndiaMs. MitchellCultural Revolutions

India 7th largest country (land-size) 2nd largest country (population size) with 1.2 billion

people Most populous democracy in the world

(parliamentary) Shares borders with China, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma

(Myanmar), Bangladesh, and Pakistan Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism all

originated here Achieved independence from Britain in 1947

A General Timeline 1757: The British Raj: British influence in

India began in 1757 with the British East India Company for trading. At the Battle of Plassey (1757), British troops came in and took control of Bengal.

1857: When India revolted against the British East India Trading company, British troops went into India and took complete control, making India a British Colony

1919- Mohandas Gandhi began a peaceful “Quit India” movement to free India.

August 15, 1947: India officially declares independence from the British (Pakistan had declared freedom the day before)

Government: the PastIndia was once under the control of the

Mughal EmpireIndia gradually came under British

control through the effort of the British East India Company (in search of trade opportunities)

August 15, 1947: India officially declares independence from the British

January 26, 1950: Constitution was created, though it has been amended many times since

First Prime Minister: Jawaharlal Nehru

Current GovernmentFederal republicEnglish and American ideas were incorporated

into their constitutionThere are several branches of government.

Each branch functions independently, but all of them operate together as defined in India’s Constitution

Current Government (cont.)The Indian government consists of…Central Parliament

Foreign policy, defense, communications, currency, taxation, railroads

Rajya Sabha, (Upper House) and the Lok Sabha (Lower House)State Legislatures

Law, public health, betting and gambling, entertainment, and alcoholic beverages

JudiciaryLaw is enforced through a system of national courts

ExecutiveThe President is the head of Executive branchActual power is held by a Council of Ministers and the Prime

Minister who aid the president

Foreign Relations: China

Began in 1950 when India broke relations with Taiwan and was one of the first countries to recognize the People’s Republic of China (PRC)

There have been border disputes which lead to 3 wars: Sino-Indian War of 1962, Chola Incident of 1967, and 1987 Sino-Indian skirmish.

China and India both steadily built up military infrastructures along the border

In 2012, Premier Wen Jiabao and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh set a goal to increase bilateral trade between the two countries to 100 billion dollars by the year 2015.

Foreign Relations: Pakistan India and Pakistan have had a

non-friendly, even violent relationship. There is hostility and suspicion between the 2 countries

Disputes still go on to this day1947: Kashmir dispute. This is

the main center point of all the other wars except for the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971

Kashmir dispute was a territorial dispute over the Kashmir region

Foreign Relations: Pakistan (cont.)

There are also nuclear issues. The 2001 Indian Parliament attack almost brought them to the brink of a nuclear war

The 2008 Mumbai attacks that were carried out by Pakistani militants interfered greatly with the India-Pakistan peace talks

Foreign Relations: Great BritainSince 1947, India and GB have

had friendly relations and the two countries seek to strengthen their ties for mutual benefits

1858 through 1947 the British Raj assumed direct control of territories of the former East India Company

The independence movement rebelled against British rule through both violent and nonviolent revolutions. They gained independence in 1947

Hinduism Most prominent religion in India Third largest religion in the world after Christianity and Islam No single founder, formed of diverse traditions Often called the oldest living religion—also considered the

most complex “According to Supreme court of India ‘unlike other religions

in the World, the Hindu religion does not claim any one Prophet, it does not worship any one God, it does not believe in any one philosophic concept, it does not follow any one act of religious rites or performances, in fact, it does not satisfy the traditional features of a religion or creed. It is a way of life and nothing more’.”

Caste System Traditional division of social order and class in India Divided into higher castes and lower castes People are born into a caste and it determines

place in life and occupation Not able to transcend your caste Said to be disappearing in urban India but still very

prominent in rural India Now against the law to openly discriminate against

someone because of their caste

The Caste System: Social Order and Class

Castes—”Varnas” Kshatriya

Second highest caste Warriors and rulers Take on all forms of public

service—administration, maintenance of law and order, defense

Sudras Lower caste but not as

low as untouchables Unskilled workers/Semi-

Skilled workers

Brahmins Highest caste Priests Scriptural education and

knowledge

Vaisyas Third highest caste Skilled traders, merchants,

and minor officials Engage in commercial

activity as businessmen

OutsourcingWhere do the jobs go? And what is this doing

to India’s economy and social structure?

Outsourcing and Bangalore Outsourcing: the contracting out of a business

process, jobs, services, etc. To save money, meet shortages, provide support

24/7 Example: Tech support, banking, radiology, journalism,

etc.

Bangalore, India has become one of the most popular spots for US companies to outsource IT jobs. Texas Instruments became the first multinational

corporation to set up a base in Bangalore in 1985 “Silicon Valley” of India

The White TigerBy Aravind Adiga

The NovelWritten by Aravind Adiga in 2008. Only 33 years

old when it was published. Won the Man Booker prize that same year.

Entire novel is a series of letters between an Indian man, Balram Halwai, and the Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao.

Letters written over seven consecutive nights. Set in present day.

Letters trace Balram’s life from childhood in a rural village (Laxmangarh) to life as a successful entrepreneur in Bangalore

Explores issues of…ReligionCasteLoyaltyCorruption Poverty

Themes and MotifsGlobalization IndividualismFreedom Immoral CorruptionSocial class/caste“The Darkness”“The Rooster Coop”