Colonial Institutions and Civil War: Indirect Rule and Maoist Insurgency in India

Mukherjee's research explains the peculiar spatial variation of Maoist insurgency in India by developing a novel typology of colonial indirect rule and land tenure, showing how they can lead to land inequality, weak state, and Maoist insurgency.

Format: Hardback
Length: 300 pages
Publication date: 03 June 2021
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Mukherjee's groundbreaking work delves into the intricate relationship between colonial indirect rule, land tenure, and the emergence of Maoist insurgency in India. Through a comprehensive multi-method research design, he unveils a novel typology of colonial indirect rule and land tenure, highlighting their profound impact on land inequality, weak state institutions, and the proliferation of Maoist movements. By meticulously analyzing qualitative archival data from the states of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, Mukherjee establishes a clear path dependence between land/ethnic inequality and the emergence of Maoist insurgency. This analysis is further fortified by a quantitative analysis of a district-level dataset, employing an instrumental variable analysis to mitigate potential selection biases in the colonial selection of princely states.

In addition to his analytical prowess, Mukherjee delves into the rich contextual understanding of the motivations behind Maoist agents through extensive interviews with key human rights activists, police officers, and bureaucrats. This qualitative analysis provides a profound insight into the complex interplay of social, economic, and political factors that contribute to the emergence and persistence of Maoist insurgency. Furthermore, Mukherjee extends the applicability of his theory beyond India's borders, demonstrating its generalizability to cases of colonial frontier indirect rule leading to ethnic secessionist insurgency in Burma and the Taliban insurgency in Pakistan.

Through his meticulous research and insightful analysis, Mukherjee sheds light on the intricate web of factors that contribute to the spatial variation of Maoist insurgency in India. His work not only contributes to our understanding of the historical and political dynamics of the region but also offers valuable insights into the broader challenges of land inequality, state weakness, and insurgency in postcolonial societies.

Weight: 740g
Dimension: 159 x 235 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108844994