Politics as Business: An Analysis of the Political Parties in Contemporary India

Abstract

This article is an attempt to analyze the nature of transformation in the Indian political parties and to rethink their role in the contemporary times. That parties are motivated to ‘serve’ the people and inspired to ‘win’ elections is well documented. However, there are counter-examples of parties serving people at a price or being equally powerful even while losing elections. Forming or sustaining a party seems to be a survival strategy for political activists. Politics has become a business-like preoccupation. The recent climate of competition has led to the emergence of sizable rent-seeking professional leaders. They calculate the returns on the political and economic investments made, which is not confined to a zero-sum game of winning elections. There are pay-offs even when one loses an election. Being in politics, a party activist has a distinct identity that could reap dividends in the form of prestige, status and accessibility. These could be converted to pecuniary benefits. Parties look like business firms in a political market.