Pastoral Underdevelopment and the Developmental State: Or why the Government Has Given Up on the Pastoralists of Rajasthan?
Abstract
Pastoralists and governments have rare(y enjoyed a more uncomfortable relationship than they do today. Three historical phases in this relationship are hypothesized, name(y a Colonial phase, a Developmentalist phase and an Environmentalist phase. While each of these was characterized by distinct and even contradictory ideological orientations, in practice they merely provided diffirent reasons for pursuing antipastoral policies. This paper focuses on the Developmentalist phase of this relationship. It is argued that the mechanics and ideology of development played a critical role in alienating pastoralists and sought to deprive them of a legitimate means of livelihood. However once we recognize that the discomfort between state and shepherd is a historical rather than an inherent antipathy, we take an important step in working towards negotiated solutions. It is nonetheless worrying that in the guise of environmentalism, state-shepherd relations do seem headed for yet another round of confrontation.References
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