Civilisational Developmentalism: Theorising the Modi Era as a Phase of Delivery, Digital Statecraft and Cultural Self-Assertion in India

Abstract

More than ten years after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, scholars still use many different names for the “Modi era”. This article surveys the main frameworks: populism; Hindu nationalism and “ethnic democracy”; democratic backsliding and electoral autocracy; personalisation of power; new developmental-state accounts; the digital or “platform state”; and comparative illiberalism. It also reviews the main counter-arguments, including Ashutosh Varshney’s view that elections remain real and the Government of India’s rejection of international democracy indices. On this basis, the article makes a definite proposal. It argues that the period since 2014 is best named an era of civilisational developmentalism. In this model, a dominant party with very wide popular support uses a more capable, digitally connected state to deliver welfare and growth, and at the same time claims a larger public place for India’s own civilisational identity. Each existing framework captures one part of the model, but none explains how the parts fit together. The article also states four conditions that would show the model to be wrong. It does not say that the era is free of problems. Concerns about press freedom, minority rights, jobs and inequality are treated as tests of the model and not as side issues. The article concludes that civilisational developmentalism is the most complete and a constructive description of the Modi era so far, and that its success depends on delivery, fair competition and inclusion of all citizens.