Reconceptualising Governance in the Context of Neoliberalism: Moving from Welfare Politics to Clientele Politics: A Case of Assam

Abstract

The present paper seeks a theoretical analysis of neoliberalism and issue of governance in the context of India and Assam in particular.  It makes an argument that the legacy of the strong and developmental Nehruvian state was not wiped away with the ‘market-friendly reforms’ after 1991. Instead, state is reformulated in a much visible way through proliferating intervention in social sectors. Furthermore study also takes into account the governance practices in Assam within the wider economic political trends, arguing that pro-market transitions by populist regimes tends to be characterized by a series of short-term calculative measures which are differed from the perspective of the welfare state.

Key Words: Neoliberalism, Governanace, Populist Politics, Assam