We, the Parties

Why Political Parties Matter

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Political parties occupy an uneasy place in Indian democracy. They often manipulate, distort and even subvert constitutional processes. They divide citizens, polarize societies and undermine individual citizens and their representatives. And yet, it is precisely this ‘power grab’ by political parties that makes the Indian Constitution meaningful. While the Constitution was written in the name of ‘the People’, it is sustained by the parties.

This book goes beneath the surface of Indian politics, the ‘system’ that enables this weird and wonderful world. Why did the original Indian Constitution say nothing about political parties? What role should they play in Indian democracy? What, if anything, makes them desirable? How does the Constitution shape party politics? How do parties, in turn, shape the workings of the Constitution? What kinds of parties does India need, and what is wrong with the ones it has? And finally, what can be done to reform them? Understanding this labyrinthine relationship between the Indian Constitution, democracy, political parties and the law is the project Aradhya Sethia undertakes in We, the Parties.