Neo-Liberalism and the Crisis of Democracy in India: Assessing Governance, Social Justice, and Political Participation Post-1991

This paper investigates the interplay between neo-liberal economic reforms and democratic governance in India, focusing on the period following the 1991 economic liberalization. While neo-liberal policies have driven significant economic growth and transformed India's global economic standing, they have also contributed to widening inequalities, undermined social justice, and eroded democratic participation. Through an in-depth analysis of governance structures, electoral politics, and welfare retrenchment, this research assesses how neo-liberalism has led to a concentration of political and economic power within elites and corporations, weakening the democratic accountability and inclusiveness promised in India’s Constitution. The paper also examines grassroots responses, including social movements and labor struggles, that resist the neo-liberal order and strive to reclaim democratic spaces for marginalized groups. The research draws on a combination of theoretical frameworks from political economy and empirical data from sectors such as labor, agriculture, and urbanization.