"Middle class has been taken as the cornerstone of a stable democracy". Discuss in context of Indian society.

Middle Class as source and leadership to independence

1. By primary westernisation, they were the first to acquire english education.

2. They demanded access to public jobs and acted as mediator between the British and masses. e.g. SN Banerjee

3. They became economists and journalists who highlighted dictatorial state of colonists and broke down false consciousness of masses that British are civilise India. e.g. Dadabhai Naoroji, Bal Gangadhar Tilak

4. They also played leadership in early social reform movements. E.g. Abolition of Sati by Raja Rammohan Roy, women education by Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.

5. In order to put up an organised mass struggle, the middle class of lawyers like Gandhi and Gokhale were responsible for mobilisation of masses.

6. A new leadership of Nehru and Bose were also pragmatic and gave vision of development of India

Middle class for Planning and Revolution in Independent India

1. They gained technical education and training in IITs, AIIMS etc. who helped in evolution of modern industries

2. Employed in PSUs (engineers), hospitals (doctors) and agricultural scientists were the new human resouce and social capital.

→ India was not self-sufficient that time and food insecurity had weakened our bargaining power E.g. dependance on USA (PL480 program).

1. Efforts of M. Visveswaraya and MS Swaminathan, PC Mahalanobis to made the democracy of India stable - prevented disintegration of nation.

2. As state lacked enough capital, it was the saving attitude of middle class that helped in sustaining mixed economy.

Post LPG reforms functionality of middle class

1. The Balance of Payment crisis could have collapsed Indian democracy - but the consumerism of middle class was largely responsible to working of reforms.

2. The middle class now demands improvement in quality of life through new social movements E.g. Against Delhi air pollution.

→ Although some instances of conflict and [pathological traits] can be seen in middle class against democracy.

1. They are seen as exhibitionists, aspiring to opportunistic power seekers and fragmented on ethnic lines as per [Andre Beteille]

2. [Yogendra Singh] differentiate urban and rural middle class (MC) with conflicting ideological leanings. While UMC is rising, rural MC is decreasing.