It is increasingly recognised that
the
nature of political mobilization of classes and castes
produces specific political regimes; and these
regimes, in turn, set the path of policy regimes and
developmental outcomes (Kohli 1987).Owing to specific regional histories and politics, there are
variations in such political regimes. According to John Harriss (1999), Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and
West Benga
l are states with political regimes dominated by lower castes and classes
–
albeit in
different ways.
1
Pranab Bardhan contrasts “welfare regimes” in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu
and attributes the differences between the two to the divergent nature of regio
nal social
movements. He argues that regional capital in Tamil Nadu is more indigenised and the state has
a ‘culture of wealth creation as opposed to redistribution’ (cited in Tillin 2013).