‘Communalism arises either due to power struggle or relative deprivation.’ Argue by giving suitable illustrations.
Subtopic: Indian Society · roots of communalism
How to structure your answer
Written within the word limit
281 words · target 250 words · 14 min
Understanding communalism
Communalism is the ideology that people of the same religion share identical secular interests that necessarily conflict with those of other communities. The statement offers two classic explanations for its rise - the pursuit of power and the sense of relative deprivation. Both carry weight, and in practice they usually act together rather than in isolation; neither factor alone fully explains its persistence.
Communalism as a power struggle
- Elites mobilise religious identity to capture or retain political and economic power - the “instrumentalist” view. Colonial divide-and-rule, formalised through separate electorates in 1909, deliberately turned religion into a vote bank.
- Competition between the Muslim League and the Hindu Mahasabha for representation and office culminated in the demand for Partition.
- Paul Brass's study of “institutionalised riot systems” shows how riots are often engineered around elections to polarise voters and consolidate a communal vote.
Communalism as relative deprivation
- A community that feels economically, socially or politically behind others may embrace communal mobilisation out of grievance. The Sachar Committee (2006) documented the educational and economic backwardness of Muslims, a deprivation that can breed alienation.
- Conversely, a majority that perceives “appeasement” or a threat to its status can react communally, especially as competition over jobs and resources sharpens group identity.
An integrated view
In reality the two mechanisms reinforce each other: leaders seeking power exploit real or imagined deprivation, converting economic anxiety into religious antagonism. Weak law enforcement, historical memory, propaganda and, today, social-media disinformation amplify both, as recurrent post-independence riots show. Countering communalism therefore requires inclusive development that reduces deprivation together with firm, impartial governance that denies communal entrepreneurs their political dividend. Education, a secular civic culture and swift justice against instigators are equally vital to break the cycle.
What an examiner expects to see
- Define communalism as the belief that co-religionists share identical secular interests inherently opposed to other communities - the politicisation of religious identity.
- Power-struggle (instrumentalist) thesis: elites mobilise religion to win or keep political and economic power.
- Illustrations of power struggle: colonial divide-and-rule and separate electorates (1909), Muslim League-Hindu Mahasabha competition, and Partition politics.
- Paul Brass's 'institutionalised riot systems' show riots engineered around elections to polarise and consolidate votes.
- Relative-deprivation thesis: communities feeling economically or politically left behind turn to communal grievance; the Sachar Committee (2006) documented Muslim backwardness.
- A majority perceiving 'appeasement' or a status threat can also react communally as resource competition sharpens identity.
- Integrated view: elites exploit real or perceived deprivation, amplified by weak enforcement, propaganda and social-media disinformation.
- Remedy: inclusive development to cut deprivation plus impartial governance to deny communal entrepreneurs their dividend.
Concrete cases, schemes and judgments
- Separate electorates under the Morley-Minto Reforms, 1909
- Muslim League and Hindu Mahasabha rivalry preceding Partition
- Paul Brass's concept of 'institutionalised riot systems'
- Sachar Committee Report (2006) on Muslim socio-economic backwardness