State Formation and Radical Democracy in India

Since the advent of democratic electoral systems, some deeplyflawed others less deeply flawed, a major question for communitiesall round the world has always been: will my participation inpolitics make any difference? Manali Desai's book engages withthis question in the context of the Indian states of Keralaand Bengal from colonial rule through to Indian independenceand thereafter. This context appears at first sight to be esotericand arcane, but, in fact, turns out to have striking similaritieswith and lessons for almost everywhere in the world today. Inits attempt to explain the special