The poor’s support of Right-wing parties is puzzling as they are choosing parties that work against their economic interests.
The victories of the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2014 in India and of Donald Trump in 2016 in the US were made possible by the votes of substantial numbers of working-class and poor voters. The poor’s support of Right-wing parties is puzzling as it suggests that voters are choosing parties that work against their economic interests. Why then do poor voters choose Right-wing parties?
In a new paper, I argue that in some societies, wealthy and poor voters form political coalitions to preserve “social status”. These are societies marked by stark social hierarchies in the form of caste, apartheid, aristocracy and the memory of slavery.
When ‘low-status’ groups start to compete for access to institutions viewed as instrumental to maintaining group social rank, high-ranked groups face threats to their status. Concerns about social-status make the poor open to appeals by anti-redistribution and Right-wing parties.
Also read: Dark side of India’s night lights: As states prosper, rich-poor gap in districts widens
The rise of the BJP after 1990
In 1990, Indian Prime Minister V.P. Singh made an announcement about his intention to introduce reservations in central government jobs to backward castes.
The result was a dramatic rise in vote-share for the Right-wing BJP in state elections. The maps before and after the Mandal announcement in 1990 reflect the same. The PM’s decision to accept the recommendations of the Mandal Commission, therefore, had far-reaching electoral consequences. A realignment had occurred in Indian politics.
What motivated voters to support the BJP?
Upper-castes, particularly Brahmins, in the Indian states have historically dominated both higher education and employment in central government jobs.
When lower-castes demanded that the state attempt to open opportunities into these sectors, upper-castes felt threatened. The timing of the quota announcement had the effect of consolidating upper-caste votes in favour of the Right-wing BJP.
Also read: Address jati, and not just caste, to fix rural welfare schemes like MGNREGA
I test this idea by analysing where the BJP gained more votes. I found that the BJP’s vote-share in state elections was higher in assembly constituencies where Brahmins dominated education in 1931 (the last caste-based census), 60-years prior!
No such relationship between historical Brahmin dominance in education and BJP vote gains existed prior to the Mandal announcement.
I used survey data to show that both wealthy and poor Brahmins voted for the Right-wing party where Brahmins were dominant in 1931. These voters also tended to hold more conservative views on the role of the state in alleviating poverty and on reservations for lower castes.
The electoral realignment shows the significance of social-status to voters born into high-castes. These voters derive psychic benefits from their position in the caste system and this rank is likely to hold greater value to poor upper-status voters than wealthy ones. Poor Brahmins also value the material benefits that come with access to education such as jobs in government.
When the former PM attempted to democratise these spaces dominated by high-castes, and not just redistribute income, it created a backlash from both the poor and wealthy upper-castes.
The BJP and the Hindu narrative
It is possible that regardless of caste, all Hindu voters in districts with high Brahmin concentrations were more swayed by religious appeals in the Ayodhya campaign and the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992 as such districts were more likely to be associated with religious jingoism.
While there is evidence that the BJP gained vote-share in Muslim dominated areas and constituencies which the procession targeted on its way to Ayodhya, the BJP separately gained upper-caste support in Brahmin dominated areas suggesting it adopted a two-pronged electoral strategy – caste and religion.
Also read: As Modi focusses on the poor, India’s rich are powerless & fearful
These arguments resonate with recent findings by scholars on American politics that show that American counties with higher levels of slave holdings in the period prior to the civil war have higher levels of support for the Right-wing Republican Party and higher levels of racial animosity amongst whites.
My findings explain why poor voters, born into historically privileged upper-status groups, often forgo potential redistributive benefits from the state for the material and psychological benefits of voting along with upper-status co-ethnics. There is a demonstrated link between historical caste-based status dominance and present-day vote choice.
The author is an Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University
This is an edited extract from her study titled “When do the poor vote for the right-wing and why: Hierarchy and vote choice in the Indian states”
Read the full paper here.
This article is filled with so much BS, it would have made more sense if you just sat on a keyboard.
1. VP Singh didn’t ‘open up’ opportunities or ‘democratize’ higher education and govt jobs he just extended reservation to the politically dominant classes of north India even if they weren’t really backward by any sense.
2. Rise of Ajodhya emotions was a reaction of injustice towards Hindu temples which continued for hundreds of years and again then recently in Kashmir and was necessary for all the right reasons and not a problem if it doesn’t resonate with your pseudo-secular minority appeasing politics.
3. Most of the poor people vote for right wing because they know left wing/socialists are sweet talking thieves, and more so after the collapse of Soviet, it became evident that socialism is a dictatorship of prigs, not proletariats and Right wing govts of Western Europe and US were much successful in giving better lives to poor people way better than their socialist counterparts.
I request to author stop writing more papers and ask for a refund for your rather shoddy ‘education’.
Some poor people dont want govt handouts. They want to grow economically by themselves. Such people vote for right wing parties. Capitalism has lifted millions out of poverty, while socialism has pushed so many people into poverty and made them dependent on govt freebies.
Mathematical Structuralism on the Constitution of India is Zero
Add Satyamev Jantee in Preambles of the Constitution of India
Establish Welfare States consider Article 60 in the Preambles Do not Promote Ill wills Promote Equality of Status and Promote General Welfare
US Seven Article on Records in the Constitution of India
1 Federal Government Article 1 Union Government of India
2 Executive Article 52
3 Legislature Article 63 and Article 54 Separation of President of India and Vice President VP become Head of Legislature
4 Judiciary Article 124
5 Political Party Article 315 and Preambles of the Constitution of India
6 Election Article 324
7 Federalism Article 368 of the Constitution of India
We have a Historical Judgment over Condition of India by Supreme court of India
The “basic features” principle was first expounded in 1964, by Justice J.R. Mudholkar in his dissent, in the case of Sajjan Singh v. State of Rajasthan. He wrote,
It is also a matter for consideration whether making a change in a basic feature of the Constitution can be regarded merely as an amendment or would it be, in effect, rewriting a part of the Constitution; and if the latter, would it be within the purview of Article 368 ?”
Supreme Court declared that the basic structure/features of the constitution is resting on the basic foundation of the constitution. The basic foundation of the constitution is the dignity and the freedom of its citizens which is of supreme importance and can not be destroyed by any legislation of the parliament.[7] The basic features of the Constitution have not been explicitly defined by the Judiciary. At least, 20 features have been described as “basic” or “essential” by the Courts in numerous cases, and have been incorporated in the basic structure. In Indira Nehru Gandhi v. Raj Naraian and also in the Minerva Mills case, it was observed that the claim of any particular feature of the Constitution to be a “basic” feature would be determined by the Court in each case that comes before it. Some of the features of the Constitution termed as “basic” are listed below:
1 Supremacy of the Constitution
2 Rule of law
3 The principle of Separation of Powers
4 The objectives specified in the Preamble to the Constitution
5 Judicial Review
6 Articles 32 and 226
7 Federalism (including financial liberty of states under Articles 282 and 293)
8 Secularism
9 The Sovereign, Democratic, Republican structure
10 Freedom and dignity of the individual
11 Unity and integrity of the Nation
12 The principle of equality, not every feature of equality, but the quintessence of equal justice;
13 The “essence” of other Fundamental Rights in Part III
14 The concept of social and economic justice — to build a Welfare State: Part IV in toto
15 The balance between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles
16 The Parliamentary system of government
17 The principle of free and fair elections
18 Limitations upon the amending power conferred by Article 368
19 Independence of the Judiciary
20 Effective access to justice
21 Powers of the Supreme Court under Articles 32, 136, 141, 142 Limitations upon the amending power conferred by Article 368
22 Independence of the Judiciary
23 Effective access to justice
24 Powers of the Supreme Court under Articles 32, 136, 141, 14
25 Legislation seeking to nullify the awards made in exercise of the judicial power of the State by Arbitration Tribunals constituted under Act
26 Welfare state
noxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxcxxxxxThe western idea of of political ideology / political,social organisationd in to Left , Right and Centre does not apply to BJP/RSS. Socialism and Communism were imported from the west and accepted here as left. Indian National Congress was established by a westerner as a Centerist, liberal and secular organisation. Both of them were imported from the west with their organisational structure as conceived for them in the west.BJP on the other hand is an offsoot of RSS which was conceived in the country itself having it’s roots deep in to the Indian culture and traditions. It’s organisational structure is unique which has been borrowed , with some modifications, from the organisational structure of Hindu shrines (Matha) as a result of which we find a peculiar type of discipline in the organisation. For nearly a hundred years of its existence the organisation its change of leadership has always been smooth and hassel free.It never faced any leadership problem and the organisation is intact without any split vertical or horizontal.This organisational structure can not be left,right,liberal or fascist. As regards economic policy of BJP is concerned it is based on,what they call “Integral Humanism” , a concept borrowed from Vedanta,which is hardly left and no way it is Right. Perhaps for these reasons,alongwith a liberal dose of religocity and nationalism , poor as well as middle class of the society see BJP as their own and vote for it.
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The western idea of categorisapolitical ideology / political,social organisationd in to Left , Right and Centre does not apply to BJP/RSS. Socialism and Communism were imported from the west and accepted here as left. Indian National Congress was established by a westerner as a Centerist, liberal and secular organisation. Both of them were imported from the west with their organisational structure as conceived for them in the west.BJP on the other hand is an offsoot of RSS which was conceived in the country itself having it’s roots deep in to the Indian culture and traditions. It’s organisational structure is unique which has been borrowed , with some modifications, from the organisational structure of Hindu shrines (Matha) as a result of which we find a peculiar type of discipline in the organisation. For nearly a hundred years of its existence the organisation its change of leadership has always been smooth and hassel free.It never faced any leadership problem and the organisation is intact without any split vertical or horizontal.This organisational structure can not be left,right,liberal or fascist. As regards economic policy of BJP is concerned it is based on,what they call “Integral Humanism” , a concept borrowed from Vedanta,which is hardly left and no way it is Right. Perhaps for these reasons,alongwith a liberal dose of religocity and nationalism , poor as well as middle class of the society see BJP as their own and vote for it.
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Actually, BJP is now a Centrist Party hence try to loans, subsidies to the poor and tax exemption to the rich to boost the economy, Centrism is sustainable, anyway Even the So Called Lower Caste People also Voted for BJP, how do you explain that ?
The author seems disconnected from reality. The poor vote for who will deliver their aspirations not on what community or caste wants
The poor know now very well that left or left oriented parties only provide lip service and want them to remain always poor and to depend on their doles so as to keep voting for them. The poor never saw a bank and never used their facilities though the banks were nationalised in the name of helping poor. The poor have seen through the game and have realised with this PM that the rightists empower them to grow and become independent. The socialist always said Garibi Hatao but Garibi is now still there and even more than before. Rather the poor now refuse to be fools any more and have become wiser. That is the reason
And parties like congress do a lot of things for upliftment of poor??? hilarious??? acha joke maarte ho print.in. You can very well turn into a cartoon newspaper site.
Kind of rubbish that gets created when
a. Writers assume their ideologies/ beliefs as facts/ truth
b. Instead of finding a reason for behaviors questions the behavior
c. Does not have humility to announce their political affiliation
Even ignoring the comments of the right wingers on the article, it’s very clear that writer had a headline and a question in mind but no answers.
Dear Writer,
Are you from India ? BJP has given first time access to gas connections to 5 Crs., First time electricity connection, first time banking account and now insurance… In BJPs previous ruling, they had done similar things… Why you are not focussing on these points and trying to spread caste based hatred ? You are completely off the mark…
BTW I support BJP because BJP has done lot of good for poor… You dont know ground level realities…
I voted and influenced people to vote for the BJP and I am not poor by any standard. People in my circle take their voting akin to giving someone a job to do. So count the one’s reading your article and who can afford to browse the net out or count the readers here out and what do you get.
I do work with the needy in my home state Punjab that has a mix population and travel extensively and really did not find the right-wing element to be there.
Yes at this juncture the suppressed elements are now up and about like chicken pox. It’s temporary. It’s a God given chance to see the other hidden face and for the good to rise and not stay silent and also for the people of India to appreciate freedom and democracy.
They now know what is right for them, which will give them short term as well as long term benefits. They do not want to remain in perpetual poverty. “Garibi has not yet been hataoed” !!!!!
what a waste of time, reading this article.
Respected Writer whatever Your Motive behind writing this article was not clear to me but it creates a inferiority complex between castes the 60 year old census you are talking about is now a just piece of paper it has no value of knowledge also the Right wing Won elections because The centre and left Failed to bring justice to all caste and creeds Men and women to all the it’s citizens. I myself Belongs to Schedule Caste And from the state where BJP is ruling since 15 years Madhya Pradesh There is only and only one Failure Of the Past Government is that it Could Not Bring Social and Economical Equality and Justice.
Whereas Right Wing Has its own political Jumla Tactics to Win
A excellent example of prejudice and biased articke.But one thing the writer missed was he even didn’t support is bland argument with facts or may be he didn’t find at all .
Good luck for next time may have a more abase article
It is laughable statement that brahmins can influence results out come in indian elections . Very poor study
Very vague please.
Writer himself is confused
Proof of the pudfing is in eating. The socalled po poor left parties like CPIM ruled Bangal and Thripura for many decades and they converted the economic sitiation of these states to complete shambles. The recent global experience of so callef socialist countries like Venizula and Greecec too are very distressing. Left ideology failed to offer a viable alternative economic model to the world, in place of existing open democracies with free market economies is the matter of fact.
The answer is simple for six decades the poor have seen how the leftists have used the poor and plundered in their name. The leftists have no face to solicit votes
Writer is filled with caste prejudice. He doesn’t understand poverty is beyond caste.
What a crap article with no substance at all
Agreed… What parameters has he used is beyond understanding