International Journal of Political Science and Governance 2023; 5(1): 160-164

E-ISSN: 2664-603X
P-ISSN: 2664-6021
IJPSG 2023; 5(1): 160-164 Dynastic politics and the democratic deficit in India
www.journalofpoliticalscience.com
Received: 01-12-2022
Accepted: 13-01-2023 Mudasir Bashir Bhat
Mudasir Bashir Bhat
Research Scholar (Ph.D.), DOI: https://doi.org/10.33545/26646021.2023.v5.i1c.216
Department of Political
Science, MANUU, Hyderabad, Abstract
Telangana, India Dynastic politics prevails across the countries of the world. Post world II, the world witnessed the
emergence of new nation-states. Most of these countries opted for a democratic form of government as
against the experience of monarchical/autocratic rule. Despite such precedence, the countries have
witnessed a surge of elite classes like dynastic politicians. Their familial inheritance of political capital,
like name recognition, political connections, financial resources, etc., yields them an electoral
advantage over non-dynasts. The trend questions the ideals of democracy, like political equality. It also
raises concerns about the popular representation in democracies because of the privileged treatment
given to a particular class of people for their familial background. In an urge to win elections, political
parties prefer and nominate them over others for contesting elections. India is among the largest
democracies in the world and manifests a dynastic character. The Political parties across the Indian
state have dynastic lineages, whether at the national or regional, or local levels. The paper will
highlight the persistence and dominance of such dynastic families across India's political parties,
questioning its representational aspect. It would also highlight the deficit caused by the practice of
dynastic politics.

Keywords: Dynastic politics, political capital, elitism, popular representation, and democratic deficit

Introduction
Politics is an all-encompassing phenomenon that continues to affect people's lives. Pericles
(Greek statesman) rightly put it, “Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't
mean politics won't take an interest in you” (Pericles Quotes (Author of Plutarch’s Lives,
Volume 1), N.D.). Politics is an inevitable reality that touches upon the lives of every human
being. It is a public affair that encircles everyone within its ambit. Human history has,
however, witnessed that there has been the monopoly of few in this public affair. Earlier, it
was the privilege of a few people, usually monarchs, who wielded the power of politics.
They were the supreme authority deciding the fate of the people. But with the advancement
and enlightenment in the world, human lives got revolutionised. Every sphere of humans got
modified, including the political one. The earlier monolithic centres of power were
challenged and rendered insignificant by democratic forms of government. Democratic
governments ensure openness, allowing everyone sharing public life to be at the helm of
affairs. However, when we look into democratic regimes worldwide, we find that different
elite groups have hijacked the scene of power. Democracy, believed to be a public affair, has
been captivated or revolves around a few influential individuals. It has hatched its centres of
power in the shape of elite classes that continue to occupy the power seat. Dynastic
politicians happen to be one such elite class. They could be seen prevailing across the
democracies of the world. Their prevalence goes against the ideals of democratic equality.
Because of their birth into a particular family, they have an electoral advantage over the
common people.
Political parties, like dynastic politicians, have been instrumental in the growth and
sustenance of these elite classes. They have been key agencies for dynasties to enter into
politics. During the time of elections, political parties nominate candidates to contest on the
party’s behalf. In allocating tickets, they prefer candidates likely to emerge victorious.
Corresponding Author:
Mudasir Bashir Bhat Dynastic candidates with political capital like name recognition, finance, political network,
Research Scholar (Ph.D.), etc., will likely influence voters' choices. Keeping this in view, most parties select and
Department of Political nominate dynasts to contest elections. The practice leads to the proliferation of dynasts and
Science, MANUU, Hyderabad, certainly questions the democratic practices followed by the political parties.
Telangana, India

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Be that as it may, Indian politics has witnessed many non- Dynastic Politics and political parties in India
democratic regimes which ruled the state since time India is a multiparty democracy where numerous political
immemorial. After it gained independence from British rule parties contest elections. In the initial period of democratic
in 1947, it adopted a democratic form of government. consolidation in India, a single political party was dominant,
India's founders aspired for a democratic state against the i.e., congress, which Rajni Kothari has termed the
previous experience of surviving under dynastic regimes. “Congress system” (Kothari, 2012). The party's dominance
started to erode as numerous other parties were evolving and
They adhered to the democratic ideal of political equality.
growing their influence by challenging the hegemony of the
Despite the such commitment, we could find that the congress party, particularly after 1967. These parties serve
politics of the Indian state has remained tolerant of many as gatekeepers who provide the electorate with a list of
dynastic families. They remain at the helm of affairs even candidates among whom they could vote anybody to power.
under the democratic setup. Such a tradition of dynastic The parties have a key role so far as the selection and
politics put a question mark on the democratic ideal of nomination of candidates for elections are concerned. While
political equality. This practice of dynastic politics is selecting and nominating candidates to contest elections,
prevalent across the political parties in India, whether at the political parties extend their support to dynastic candidates
national, regional, or local level. In some, the number may by paving the way for their nomination. If we analyse the
be less, while in others, it may be huge. However, dynastic composition of the parties, we would observe the presence
politics could be seen prevailing across political parties in of dynastic politicians. The tradition of dynastic politics in
India. The present study will highlight the persistence of Indian political parties started with the Congress party, but
these dynasties. It raises speculations over the most political parties exhibit dynastic character as of now.
representational aspect of democracy and questions the role The table below shows that 30% of current MPs in
parliament are dynastic and come from different national
of political parties that not only led to the proliferation of
and state parties. It also highlights that national parties in
such dynasts but is also responsible for the democratic India have more dynastic candidates when compared to
deficit. State parties.

Table 1: Percentage of dynastic MPs in 2019 Indian parliament.

The Dynast MPs
State No. Dynasts No. MPs % Dynasts
Andaman &Nicobar 1 1 100%
Andhra Pradesh 9 25 36%
National Parties field more dynasts: Arunachal Pradesh 1 2 50%
27% Assam 3 14 21%
(227 dynasts among 856 candidates) National Parties Bihar 17 40 43%
Chandigarh 0 1 0%
12% Chhattisgarh 2 11 18%
(162 dynasts among 1333 candidates) State parties Dadra Nagar &Haveli 0 1 0%
Daman & Diu 0 0 0%
Delhi 2 7 29%
Goa 0 2 0%
Gujarat 4 26 15%
State by State Haryana 3 10 30%
State National parties State-based parties Himachal Pradesh 1 4 25%
Andhra 16% 28% Jammu & Kashmir 1 6 17%
Assam 25% 0% Jharkhand 4 14 29%
Bihar 58% 14% Karnataka 11 28 39%
Chhattisgarh 27% 0% Kerala 3 20 15%
Delhi 29% 0% Lakshadweep 0 1 0%
Gujarat 13% 0% Madhya Pradesh 6 29 21%
Haryana 50% 5% Maharashtra 20 48 42%
Himachal 25% 0% Manipur 0 2 0%
J&K 27% 8% Meghalaya 1 2 50%
Jharkhand 25% 14% Mizoram 0 1 0%
Karnataka 35% 13% Nagaland 0 1 0%
Kerala 13% 8% Odisha 7 21 33%
MP 24% 2% Pondicherry 0 1 0%
Maharashtra 35% 19% Punjab 8 13 62%
Meghalaya 25% 100% Rajasthan 8 25 32%
Odisha 33% 15% Sikkim 0 1 0%
Punjab 44% 22% Tamil Nadu 14 38 37%
Rajasthan 33% 9% Telangana 6 17 35%
Tamil Nadu 36% 15% Tripura 0 2 0%
Telangana 32% 22% Uttar Pradesh 22 80 28%
Uttar Pradesh 28% 18% Uttarahkand 1 5 20%
Uttarahkand 30% 0% West Bengal 7 42 17%
West Bengal 10% 5% Total 162 542 30%
Source: (Verniers & Jaffrelot, 2019)

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Among the national parties, Congress remains the most most countries have preferred democratic forms of
dynastic, with 31% of its candidates belonging to the government. The newly emerged nation states following the
political family. Nevertheless, the BJP is also catching up ideals of democracy were supposed to form a government
with 22% of dynast candidates (Verniers & Jaffrelot, 2019). where everyone sharing the public life would have equal
The only parties which do not indulge in dynastic politics opportunity to be a part of the government. Nevertheless,
are the CPI and the CPI (M), where less than 5% of the when we come across these governments, we realize that
candidates belonged to political families (Verniers & mostly few dominating forces are at the centre of power.
Jaffrelot, 2019). Besides these national parties, when we Dynastic politicians qualify as one such force among them.
observe and evaluate the state parties of India, we find that Dynastic politics in democracies ensure that a particular
not only political families prevail across them but also class of people would have an entitlement to the inheritance
occupy dominant positions in the party. Almost every state of power. It creates a kind of hegemony where a privileged
has dynastic politicians and dynastic parties. The table class, because of their name and personal endowments, is
below shows the main political families across different given special preference in electoral nomination over
parties in Indian states. common people. In doing so, political parties play a major
role in the proliferation process of dynastic politics. It is
Table 2: Prominent political families across the states of India they who select and nominate the candidates for elections.
Sr. Name of the Notable Political families across In this process, most of them go for the dynastic candidates
No. State/U.T different states in India for different reasons, as political capital dynasts possess in
1 Jammu and Kashmir Abdullah’s and Muftis the shape of name recognition, political connections of the
2 Punjab Badals family, finance, etc., and dynastic candidates' winning
3 Haryana Chautalas, Hoodas, Jindal’s &Bishnois chances in elections. The parties' nomination process is
4 Himachal Pradesh Virbhadra Singh’s family. influenced by such endowments that dynastic candidates
5 Delhi Dikshits possess. Political parties, therefore, go for the dynastic
6 Jharkhand Soren’s candidates. Such a favour by political parties questions the
7 Rajasthan Scandia’s and pilot family credentials of democracy as the state is turned into the
8 Uttar Pradesh Yadavs fiefdom of a particular family. It goes against the true spirit
9 Bihar Yadavs of democracy. Because of their family background, Dynasts
10 Uttarakhand Bahugunas have easy access to power compared to those who do not
11 Maharashtra Thackeray’s, Pawars possess such endowments. Given the situation, dynasts are
12 Northeast Sangmas
in a better position than non-dynasts in so far as the electoral
13 Karnataka Gowdas
advantages are concerned. It becomes evident that the
14 Andhra Pradesh NTR & YSR families
15 Tamil Nadu Karunanidhis
decision of the parties making nominations for elections
16 Telangana KCR goes contrary to the principles of democracy, like equality
17 Assam Ajmals and Gogois of opportunity. Moreover, when candidates get elected
Jogis, Shukulas and Raman singh’s through such a mechanism, it doubts the legitimacy of
18 Chhattisgarh representational democracy. In a democratic country like
family
19 Madhya Pradesh Scindias India, dynastic politics is deeply rooted in the political
parties. From the above two tables, it becomes quite evident
When we discuss dynastic politics in India, the first family how dynasty is embedded across the political parties in
that comes to the limelight is the Nehru-Gandhi family of India. It highlights the lacunas in the democratic setup and
Congress. However, if we objectively analyse, as stated questions its credibility. The trend of dynastic politics led to
above in the table, almost all political parties, whether the perpetuation of an elite class that transcends generations.
national or state, have the presence of political families. It may hamper the smooth inflow of capable meritorious
Even a party like the BJP, whose leadership has opposed the candidates into politics. In a nutshell, Dynastic politics leads
practice of dynastic politics, is home to many dynastic to factors that may prove fatal to democracy. Some of the
politicians (“BJP Says It Doesn’t Believe in Dynastic apprehensions are as follows:
Politics but Its List of Dynast Leaders Is Ever Growing,” 1. Inequality: Dynastic politicians possess political
n.d.). The prevalence of dynastic politics casts a shadow capital like name recognition, financial resources, and
over the representational aspect of democracy. Because of political network already established by their family
their name or birth in a particular family, the privileged few members, etc. While non-dynasts do not possess such
are in an advantageous position to get elected for political advantages, thus giving dynasts an electoral advantage.
office. It is akin to inequality.
2. Stillness in competition: The practice of dynastic
Dynastic politics and democratic deficit politics may prevent healthy electoral competition
The practice of dynastic politics could be found across because the dynasts have easy access to power
democracies of the world. In some countries, its practice compared to common people. It discourages the entry
may be low, while in others, dynastic politics could be of fresh blood into political activities.
found at an accelerated rate. The tradition of Dynastic 3. Corruption: When a particular class continues to be
politics has been an old-age phenomenon. The monarchs associated with the state office, which commands
were the centre of power. Their unchallenged authority and control over the state's resources. Corruption is possible
all-pervasive power led them to install their kin as their because the prevalence of a particular class discourages
successor. It was natural that the off-springs of monarchs the accountability of office bearers.
would succeed them in power. In today’s world, 4. Elitism: Dynastic politics leads to the perpetuation of a
monarchical regimes still exist, but post world war second, particular elite class. It, therefore, gives a serious blow

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to the representational aspect of democracy—the persistence of political families across the political parties in
prevalence and domination of a particular class over the India. It shows that the politics of India has remained
rest. tolerant to many political families. The tradition of dynastic
politics in India questions its representational aspect of
In addition to these lacunas of dynastic politics in democracy and highlights how it could lead to a democratic
democracies, it has an upside. Dynastic politics could deficit.
paradoxically play an ‘inclusive role’ (Chandra, 2016) [2], by
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