Forms of communalism
Topic: Gender, Religion and Caste in Politics · NCERT: Class 10, Ch 3 "Gender, Religion and Caste"
Meaning
Communalism is the belief that religion is the main basis of a community. It holds that people of one religion share the same interests, which are opposed to those of other religions. NCERT lists four forms it can take in politics:
- Everyday beliefs, such as prejudice, stereotypes and a sense that one's own religion is superior.
- A quest for political dominance. For a majority this means majoritarian dominance (control by the bigger group). For a minority it means demanding a separate political unit.
- Political mobilisation, which means rallying people using sacred symbols, religious leaders, emotional appeals and fear.
- Communal violence, meaning riots and killings between religious groups.
Example
The worst communal violence came at Partition in 1947. Later examples include the violence of 1984, 1992-93, 2002 and 2020.
Don't confuse with
- Acceptable links between religion and politics: NCERT accepts politics guided by moral values shared by all religions, protection of minorities and reform of unfair family laws. These links are fine as long as every religion is treated equally.