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Many Lohias? Appropriations Of Lohia In Karnataka, Chandan Gowda

Chandan Gowda

Analysing Rammanohar Lohia’s reception in the spheres of party politics, social movements and literature in Karnataka, it emerges that his impact on electoral politics in the state was not substantial. However, key policy innovations such as Devaraj Urs’ land reforms and pro-backward class policies in the 1970s owed a debt to Lohia. He was also a major influence on social and literary movements in the state. Besides inspiring some of the key leaders of the farmers’ movement, Lohia contributed to the distinctiveness of the dalit movement in Karnataka. His ideas on caste, language and individual freedom also inspired the leading …

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"Advance Mysore" : The Cultural Logic Of A Developmental State, Chandan Gowda

Chandan Gowda

What governs state interests in development in formerly colonised societies? Conventional social science accounts stress politico-economic variables, particularly the need for capital accumulation. By means of a detailed analysis of the Bhadravati Iron Works, an ambitious industrial project in the state of Mysore in colonial India, it is demonstrated that mechanisms are also important in state-led development. Locational disadvantages, technical problems, and increased production costs made the iron plant an unprofitable venture from its inception. The state, however, kept the plant operational on grounds of its pedagogic value for local society. A claim for civilisational recognition for India’s capacity for …

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