This study examines the Mahars of Maharashtra, a community prominently associated with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. It provides a historical account of how this Scheduled Caste group learned to use political mobilization as a tool for social uplift and assertion, laying the groundwork for later Dalit politics.
While Kothari's work remains a seminal text, it has not been without criticism. Some scholars have argued that:
Kothari, R. (1970). Caste in Indian Politics. Delhi: Eastern Book Company. Rajni Kothari Caste In Indian Politics 15.pdf
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Rajni Kothari (1928–2015) was a leading Indian political scientist whose writings deeply influenced understanding of Indian democracy, political institutions, and social cleavages. One major theme in his work is how caste shapes political behavior, party systems, and democratic practice in India. This post summarizes Kothari’s key ideas on caste and politics, explains their contemporary relevance, and suggests ways to use his insights for further study or classroom use. This study examines the Mahars of Maharashtra, a
"Caste in Indian Politics" is an edited volume comprising an analytical introduction by Kothari followed by nine empirical studies conducted by leading scholars of the period. The structure reflects a deliberate balance: four chapters focus on detailed investigations of individual caste movements, while five chapters examine macro-level dimensions of caste's political involvement.
To understand the book, one must first understand its editor. Rajni Kothari (1928–2015) was one of independent India's most distinguished political scientists and public intellectuals. He founded the in 1963, creating a premier institution dedicated to empirical research on Indian politics. Known for his refusal to fit Indian realities into Western theoretical boxes, Kothari developed the influential "Congress System" model to explain the unique dynamics of India's one-party dominance. It provides a historical account of how this
When Kothari began his research, social science disciplines in India were dominated by Marxist categories of class analysis. His emphasis on caste as an alternative analytical category was initially met with skepticism by contemporaries. As historian Harbans Mukhia noted, "In the early 1970s it was seen with skepticism by contemporaries, but it became relevant later when political parties began to mobilise on caste grounds". This foresight proved remarkably prescient, as caste-based mobilization became a defining feature of Indian politics from the 1990s onward.
More than five decades after its initial publication, Kothari's analysis remains remarkably pertinent. The "two-way process" he identified has only intensified. Caste continues to shape voting behavior, party formation, candidate selection, and policy debates across India. At the same time, democratic politics has profoundly transformed caste—empowering historically marginalized groups, creating new forms of caste-based political identity (such as the "Other Backward Classes" category), and generating intense competition among caste groups for political representation and state resources.