DASC1201 | Development and State Capacity: China and India in a Comparative Perspective

What difference does democracy make? What difference does communism make? Both  China and India achieved national liberation in the late 1940s as predominantly agricultural  and poor societies. From these starting points, India established one of the most durable  democracies in the developing world and China one of the most durable communist regimes.  Their comparison through this course allows for the exploration of: What are the origins of  dictatorship and democracy? Do authoritarian regimes have an advantage in engineering  economic development? Do democracies achieve better results in social policy? How do  ethnic and religious divisions interact with democratic and authoritarian politics?

Raising and investigating some of the above questions, this course would encourage students  to think comparatively by looking at state systems, and state policies, in order to understand  the interface of state and society in both China and India. By picking some key themes/areas  of welfare, the course goes into the responsiveness of states to citizens‟ demands and  thereby, analyze the forces and factors that shape state-society relationship. In essence, a  central question though this course would be – Does regime type matter, in relation to  development?

The course would be in the form of seminar-style discussion, with the course instructor  speaking 10-15 minutes remarks at the beginning to set the tone. Students are expected to  prepare in advance by going through the pre-assigned readings. The aim would be to have a  free and vibrant yet focussed discussion on different aspects of the theme/subject/topic being  discussed, both from the readings, and from their general understanding