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/528/ The Heroic Bourgeoisie in the Democratic Post-Colony ft. Sandipto Dasgupta
Episode 543

/528/ The Heroic Bourgeoisie in the Democratic Post-Colony ft. Sandipto Dasgupta

Bungacast

January 13, 20261h 11m

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Show Notes

On the making of independent India – and its lessons.

Assistant professor of politics at The New School, Sandipto Dasgupta, talks to contributing editor Alex Gourevitch about this new book, Legalizing the Revolution: India and the Constitution of the Postcolony.

  • Why was the postcolonial movement insufficiently anti-colonial?

  • What is the difference between the legal and political meaning of popular sovereignty – and why does it matter?

  • What was the hidden, repressive element to the Indian Constitution?

  • Did post-colonial leaders create something novel, even heroic? Or did they fail even on their own terms?

  • Where do the democratic and counter-revolutionary aspects of the Indian revolution express themselves?

  • How do symbolic substitutes for genuine popular participation play themselves out in Modi's India?

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