Swatantra party and Indian conservatism
Erdman, Howard .L.
Swatantra party and Indian conservatism - Cambridge University Press 1967 - 356 p.
This book is about the background, emergence, and growth of one Indian political party which came into existence in mid-1959 and which, at the time of writing, had by no means reached the stage where an epitaph was in order. Counsels of prudence might, therefore, have dictated a postponement in the writing and publi cation of this volume, until more data were available and the dust had settled somewhat. Still, some students of politics rush in where historians fear to tread; but there seems considerable justification for such apparent rashness. For one thing, nothing of any consequence has been written about the Swatantra Party, one of the major political forces in India from 1959 to 1966, at least; and for another and more important-very little has been written on the general subject of conservative politics in India. By pro viding considerable background material and by emphasizing factors more enduring than who happens to be second vice president at a particular time, an attempt has been made to give this book more 'staying power' than it might seem to have at first glance. Readers, and time, will tell.
This being said, it is still true that since this book was first drafted, a distressingly large number of Swatantra luminaries have died or left the party, requiring some substantial revisions of the text. At some points-as in the creation of the new states of the Punjab and Haryana-insufficient material could be mustered, and the text was allowed to stand, despite new developments. Only benevolent intervention from on high could assure that the final text, as it last left the typewriter, would in most substantial respects be up-to-date at the time of publication. The reader's indulgence is begged if he has to keep current Times of India cuttings inside the cover of the book.
Political Science
324.25452 Erd
Swatantra party and Indian conservatism - Cambridge University Press 1967 - 356 p.
This book is about the background, emergence, and growth of one Indian political party which came into existence in mid-1959 and which, at the time of writing, had by no means reached the stage where an epitaph was in order. Counsels of prudence might, therefore, have dictated a postponement in the writing and publi cation of this volume, until more data were available and the dust had settled somewhat. Still, some students of politics rush in where historians fear to tread; but there seems considerable justification for such apparent rashness. For one thing, nothing of any consequence has been written about the Swatantra Party, one of the major political forces in India from 1959 to 1966, at least; and for another and more important-very little has been written on the general subject of conservative politics in India. By pro viding considerable background material and by emphasizing factors more enduring than who happens to be second vice president at a particular time, an attempt has been made to give this book more 'staying power' than it might seem to have at first glance. Readers, and time, will tell.
This being said, it is still true that since this book was first drafted, a distressingly large number of Swatantra luminaries have died or left the party, requiring some substantial revisions of the text. At some points-as in the creation of the new states of the Punjab and Haryana-insufficient material could be mustered, and the text was allowed to stand, despite new developments. Only benevolent intervention from on high could assure that the final text, as it last left the typewriter, would in most substantial respects be up-to-date at the time of publication. The reader's indulgence is begged if he has to keep current Times of India cuttings inside the cover of the book.
Political Science
324.25452 Erd