The Congress Party has governed India for most of its post-independence existence. As the dominant party, its internal processes are determined by examining the interaction between the organization's hierarchy. The intermediate elite forms a vital part of this internal process. At the national level, they interact with the high command; at the local level, they work in the state and district party organizations. Intermediate elites' may be constrained by party discipline imposed by the high command. They find opportunities for individual initiative at the local and regional levels. Intermediate elites display ideological and pragmatic behavior tendencies. They view the political arena as an open competitive forum. Elites generally embrace the notion of the political entrepreneur. Elites play the role of ombudsmen and as factional leaders in party affairs. In most instances, the intermediate elite is unable to resolve basic social conflicts caused by rapid social change. The primary mode of behavior is the distribution of patronage. Elites strive to build linkages beyond their constituency and groups upwards in the party and outward in society in an effort to control the very competitive political environment / acase@tulane.edu
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TULANE/oai:http://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/:tulane_25549 |
| Date | January 1991 |
| Contributors | Suneja, Kathleen (Author), Robins, Robert S (Thesis advisor) |
| Publisher | Tulane University |
| Source Sets | Tulane University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | Access requires a license to the Dissertations and Theses (ProQuest) database., Copyright is in accordance with U.S. Copyright law |
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