reading India and the Third world: Altruism or Hegemony by Srikant Dutt

Notes:

The introduction explains the NAM as a strategic drive incorporated by India, fully conscious of its own limitations after independence. The intro also lays emphasis on viewing foreign relations thro’ an economic light.

Chapter I: India in the context of theories of imperialism

Here, the theories of imperialism encompass those that are generally euro-centric or concentrate on power flowing from a strong central imperial power. Britain, US, Portugal, France constitute a few examples over time. Calls for a new economic order arise due to the biased nature of the theories of imperialism.

Sub-imperialism

This refers to the certain states (countries) acting as agents of a strong central power, thereby also seeking to be influential in its own way. A host of countries such as these emerge in the Third World. It tells us that the sub-imperialist country is dependent on the central power, but also exercises autonomy that is dictated by the central power. The economic system in the picture is a capitalist one.

Whites-support by the centre; racial discrimination in the imperialist context; US-Australia

The sub-imperialist context also gives rise to the theory of dependency system. Centre, periphery, and the middle agents; processed, semi-processed, and raw materials.

The sub-imperialist setting also provokes scholars to term it as rational feudalism. This is contentious as Third world countries are seeking to let go off the feudal remnants, while seeking to build their economies on the capitalist context.

The case of India

India is an interesting country. In that there were 3 models being floated around in the US; the US persisted with the Dulles model. India and its bureaucrats envisioned a different role for the Indian polity and steered India to an equidistant position from the 2 superpowers. Therefore, this enabled India not to be limited or feel heckled by meaningless alliances.

A huge problem that crippled India was that of its population. A proportionate number of them lived below poverty lines, thus exacerbating the stress on the Indian economy. The 1962 war also dislocated India’s focus for a while. India was also involved in a slight regional complex that featured China, Pakistan and a fight for hegemony. Although China seems to be ahead, India strives to stake a claim to its rightful place of a traditional power.

India is posited as a proto-imperialist power: a power that is soon to be imperial in the offing, but not fully manifested. The growth of India in an image and identity of its own is also highlighted in the chapter text.

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