Why the Anger of 1975 Emergency Is Unlikely Today
Relevance
Class 10 – Democratic Politics / Contemporary India
Topic: Challenges to Democracy
→ How democracy was suspended and later restored.
Class 11 – Political Theory / Constitution
Topics: Rights, Liberty, and Equality
→ Understand how rights were denied during Emergency.
Class 12 – Indian Politics Since Independence
Topic: Crisis of Democratic Order
→ Case study of Emergency, causes, impact on Indian democracy.
Image credit: news18
1. What Was the Emergency of 1975?
Declared by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi after her election was cancelled by the Allahabad High Court.
Main reasons:
Massive protests and unrest across India.
Economic crisis: inflation, unemployment, shortages.
Indira Gandhi suspended democracy to stay in power.
Parliament and state legislatures continued but passed only what the government wanted.
Congress had full control, making it easy to push constitutional changes.
2. What Happened After the Emergency?
1977 Elections:
Congress lost power at the national level.
Janata Party formed the government but was unstable and full of internal fights.
Main takeaway:
Congress could be removed democratically.
But just opposing Congress wasn’t enough to form a strong, lasting government.
3. Four Eras of Indian Politics (Party Systems)
Congress Dominance (1947–1967)
Congress Weakens in States (1967–1989)
Coalition Era (1989–2014)
BJP Dominance Begins (from 2014)
4. BJP vs Congress of the 1970s
BJP has become the dominant party but:
Its support is still less than Congress under Indira Gandhi.
It won:
Majority in 1 election,
Comfortable majority in another,
Failed to get full majority in one.
BJP shares power with allies in states (e.g., Bihar, Maharashtra).
Unlike Indira Gandhi’s time, today’s BJP does not fully concentrate power.
Political elites have no reason to rebel because they’re included in power.
5. Is Today’s Economy Like the 1970s?
Then (1970s):
Shortages of food, fuel, foreign exchange, and goods.
A bad harvest or global shock made things worse.
People were poor and jobless, even the middle class struggled.
Big businesses were nervous due to socialist policies like bank nationalisation.
Now:
No shortages, stable economy.
Problems still exist: inequality and lack of good jobs.
Government gives welfare support to the poor.
Businesses are allowed to earn profits in return for political donations.
Labour is given welfare instead of good jobs.
Economic pain is not bad enough today to cause mass rebellion.
6. What About Protests Today?
There are conflicts with the government, but:
They are based on caste, religion, or identity, not class struggle.
In the 1970s, it was mostly a class-based movement (rich vs poor).
Today’s opposition doesn’t offer a different solution to class issues.
People know both ruling and opposition parties say the same thing on economy.
So they don’t feel inspired to protest or fight for change.
7. Conclusion
A repeat of the 1975-style mass anger is unlikely today.
Reasons:
Better economy.
Welfare schemes help people survive.
Opposition is weak and doesn’t offer real change.
Today’s calm political phase is because of a weak opposition, not a strong government.
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