A History of India

Comprehensive and in-depth exploration of one of the oldest civilisations in the world, revealing the dynamic changes of its society, the links to the rest of the world and the underlying forces that led to India's significant role on today's global stage. This three-volume history of India explores the dynamics at play in the subcontinent from the first human settlements to the 2014 general election. The first volume examines the history of India from the first human settlements in the subcontinent up to the death of Emperor Aurangzeb in 1717. The political, military, economic and social developments are analysed against the backdrop represented by the rise, decline, fall and renaissance of flourishing urban civilizations. The book also demonstrates that, despite exceptions, an essentially harmonious coexistence prevailed between Hinduism and Islam, which often resulted in cooperation. The second volume covers the collapse of the Mughal Empire to the end of colonialism in 1947. It analyses the features of the most important pre-colonial Indian states and the role played by British colonialism. Finally, the volume closely examines the rise and evolution of Indian nationalism, the reasons that forced the British to end their rule, and the causes of partition. The third volume examines the political, economic and social evolution of India from independence to the 2014 general election. It argues that the period is subdivided into two main phases. The main features of the first phase were a secular democracy, a dominant-party system, and an economy where the state played a crucially important economic role. The second Neoliberal Age, was characterized by the eclipse of the dominant party system and the implementation of neoliberal economic policies, which sped up development but widened social and economic disparities, and also saw the rise of Hindutva.