Abstract

SOFIA, Pasquale. India: Birth of a Modern Power. Frónesis [online]. 2006, vol.13, n.2, pp.109-133. ISSN 1315-6268.

When the present economic and social development of the East is mentioned, it is impossible to avoid mention and analysis of a country like India, which next to China, represents the new nations that participate fully on the new international scene, influencing it economically and politically. Often, India has been seen and described in a very summary and stereotyped way as a country of old temples, social castes, many divinities, great social differences, the sacred cow, yoga and mysticism and little hygiene, among other aspects, forgetting its contribution to universal human history, past and present. Starting from a historical-sociological review and using a methodology based on real economic data about this country, the present work tries to explain some factors that have affected the passage of a predominantly agricultural, underdeveloped and very socially divided society toward a modern society transformed into a world economic power and organized post-colonially on egalitarian and democratic foundations.

Keywords : Asia; India; history; economic; politic; industry; culture; country emergent; geopolitics.