The Politics of Dignity : How Status Inequality shaped Redistributive Politics in India

Conventional theories of the welfare state are premised on the preferences of social classes – the wealthy-elite oppose redistribution, while the working-class demand expansive social rights. I argue that in societies with long histories of ascriptive discrimination, social status can be a stronger predictor of redistributive politics than pure material interests. By utilizing a mixed-methods research design and multiple sources of data, including the longest panel on legislator identity, this study examines the policy preferences of the political elite in India. While I do find less support for redistribution among upper-castes, legislators from low-status groups are surprisingly not associated with redistributive spending. Elites from politically mobilized marginal groups have instead pursued representational policies, particularly descriptive representation in the bureaucracy through caste-based quotas, what I call the politics of dignity. I further find evidence that greater representation of marginal groups in the bureaucracy can support redistribution by breaking down upper-caste patronage networks