ABSTRACT

This paper is an attempt to analyze the trajectories of welfare policy in India since independence. Four overlapping phases are outlined, keeping in mind the transformations in the political and economic contexts. The corresponding welfare discourses are: Paternalistic, Clientelistic, Basic Needs and Responsive. These concepts indicate broad strategies of policy and are not analytical categories. However, one can easily discern a general trend, perhaps a snapshot, of the ideas which shaped welfare policies in India. We assume that the changes are incremental and cumulative. The policy makers’ conceptualization of welfare during each time period, the interpretation of these policies in scholarly literature and a critical evaluation are presented. We have suggested that the responsive welfare policy in the recent times is a process of empowering citizens by converting their needs to demands. Democratic representation of the marginalized in the Indian state’s policy space is gradually getting recognized.

摘要

本文试图分析印度独立以来福利政策的轨迹。概述了四个重叠的阶段，同时牢记政治和经济背景的转变。相应的福利话语是：家长式的、庇护式的、基本需要式的和回应式的。这些概念表示广泛的政策策略，而不是分析类别。然而，人们可以很容易地看出影响印度福利政策的思想的总体趋势，也许是一个快照。我们假设变化是渐进的和累积的。政策制定者在每个时期的福利概念化、学术文献中对这些政策的解释以及批判性评价均有介绍。我们认为，近代的响应式福利政策是将公民的需求转化为需求，从而赋予公民权力的过程。印度国家政策空间中边缘化群体的民主代表正逐渐得到认可。