Religion and Politics in India and Pakistan
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- Date Submitted: 01/24/2011 06:31 PM
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Religion and Politics in India and Pakistan – A Comparison
The relationship between religion and politics has always been uptight and led to conflict. Religion is known as a central source of legitimacy and political mobilization in all societies, ranging from those that are openly secular, to those that are theocracies. It is important to note here, that doctrines not only have religious implications, but also economic and social repercussion. The British India divided into two in 1947. While both nations India and Pakistan, are democracies, they look at religion with different lenses. India is a secular nation, while Pakistan is an Islamic Republic. They had a similar history, but the genesis and the ideologies of leaders have shaped them very differently. One is an emerging super power, while the other is struggling to reach a decent economic standing. Why is that? How much has history shaped the futures of the nations?
In political terms, secularism means separation of religion from government. Secularism may assert the right to be free from religious rule and teachings, and the right to freedom from governmental imposition of religion upon the people within a state that is neutral on matters of belief.
Countries follow different doctrines, sometimes driven by a vision but more often driven by history and its agenda. India and Pakistan are different not only functionally but also ideologically. Though Pakistan is not theocratic, it is predicted to become one soon. India follows secularism, but how is it incorporated in nation building, if it all. How have the different doctrines shaped the two nations historically and how they continue to do so today, is what the paper exams, to conclude that liberty and freedom of thought expression and faith are the basic and fundamental human rights, which are preserves under secularism. Economic progress is also a very important product of secularism and India owes its success to this ideology, amongst many others....
The relationship between religion and politics has always been uptight and led to conflict. Religion is known as a central source of legitimacy and political mobilization in all societies, ranging from those that are openly secular, to those that are theocracies. It is important to note here, that doctrines not only have religious implications, but also economic and social repercussion. The British India divided into two in 1947. While both nations India and Pakistan, are democracies, they look at religion with different lenses. India is a secular nation, while Pakistan is an Islamic Republic. They had a similar history, but the genesis and the ideologies of leaders have shaped them very differently. One is an emerging super power, while the other is struggling to reach a decent economic standing. Why is that? How much has history shaped the futures of the nations?
In political terms, secularism means separation of religion from government. Secularism may assert the right to be free from religious rule and teachings, and the right to freedom from governmental imposition of religion upon the people within a state that is neutral on matters of belief.
Countries follow different doctrines, sometimes driven by a vision but more often driven by history and its agenda. India and Pakistan are different not only functionally but also ideologically. Though Pakistan is not theocratic, it is predicted to become one soon. India follows secularism, but how is it incorporated in nation building, if it all. How have the different doctrines shaped the two nations historically and how they continue to do so today, is what the paper exams, to conclude that liberty and freedom of thought expression and faith are the basic and fundamental human rights, which are preserves under secularism. Economic progress is also a very important product of secularism and India owes its success to this ideology, amongst many others....