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The God Market: How Globalization is Making India More Hindu
Conventional wisdom says that integration into the global marketplace tends to weaken the power of traditional faith in developing countries. But, as Meera Nanda argues in this path-breaking book, this is hardly the case in today's India.
Against expectations of growing secularism, India has instead seen a remarkable intertwining of Hinduism and neoliberal ideology, spurred on by a growing capitalist class. It is this "State-Temple-Corporate Complex," she claims, that now wields decisive political and economic power, and provides ideological cover for the dismantling of the Nehru-era state-dominated economy.
According to this new logic, India's rapid economic growth is attributable to a special "Hindu mind," and it is what separates the nation's Hindu population from Muslims and others deemed to be "anti-modern." As a result, Hindu institutions are replacing public ones, and the Hindu "revival" itself has become big business, a major source of capital accumulation.
Nanda explores the roots of this development and its possible future, as well as the struggle for secularism and socialism in the world's second-most populous country.
Against expectations of growing secularism, India has instead seen a remarkable intertwining of Hinduism and neoliberal ideology, spurred on by a growing capitalist class. It is this "State-Temple-Corporate Complex," she claims, that now wields decisive political and economic power, and provides ideological cover for the dismantling of the Nehru-era state-dominated economy.
According to this new logic, India's rapid economic growth is attributable to a special "Hindu mind," and it is what separates the nation's Hindu population from Muslims and others deemed to be "anti-modern." As a result, Hindu institutions are replacing public ones, and the Hindu "revival" itself has become big business, a major source of capital accumulation.
Nanda explores the roots of this development and its possible future, as well as the struggle for secularism and socialism in the world's second-most populous country.
256 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 13, 2013
If ever a book was written so unabashedly one-sided, almost like a stooge from Congress, this would win hands down. It does not even make an attempt to write an impassive critique. Hinduism is made out to be a monster which can take over the other dogmatic religions simply because it is a way of life and not a monotheistic faith like others. What more, she keeps blaming the BJP government for regularization of hinduism in society when they were in govt for only 5 years and congress for the other 55.
Apart from the grammatical errors in the book, the book is no where a product of a person well-versed in religion. Someone who can write the sanskritised hymns of priests as "mumbo-jumbo" or mocks the claim of Mahabharata "what is not here is not anywhere" as being boastful, is definitely not well-versed to write anything on the subject.
Besides presently half-baked illogical arguments, it even sympathises with other religions, making them out to be much more soothing and 'scientific' than hinduism. She goes on and on about priest schools in India for hindus as if other religions don't have it. We can contradict all points of her pathetically-written tirade, but we have got better jobs to do.
In her attempt to malign almost everyone related to hinduism, she will go so far to label even arun shourie under the same mold, despite he being a declared atheist. She called Vivekananda and the likes as "apologists of hinduism" and uses adjectives which show her incompetence in writing scientifically about any faith, let along hinduism with all its disparity.
William Darymple, despite being a foreigner, writes on Indians and faith with much more sensitivity in "Last Mughal". It looked like a third person's neutral analysis. Hers is just one-sided venom. I never spent my money more wrongly in life, than by buying this product.
Apart from the grammatical errors in the book, the book is no where a product of a person well-versed in religion. Someone who can write the sanskritised hymns of priests as "mumbo-jumbo" or mocks the claim of Mahabharata "what is not here is not anywhere" as being boastful, is definitely not well-versed to write anything on the subject.
Besides presently half-baked illogical arguments, it even sympathises with other religions, making them out to be much more soothing and 'scientific' than hinduism. She goes on and on about priest schools in India for hindus as if other religions don't have it. We can contradict all points of her pathetically-written tirade, but we have got better jobs to do.
In her attempt to malign almost everyone related to hinduism, she will go so far to label even arun shourie under the same mold, despite he being a declared atheist. She called Vivekananda and the likes as "apologists of hinduism" and uses adjectives which show her incompetence in writing scientifically about any faith, let along hinduism with all its disparity.
William Darymple, despite being a foreigner, writes on Indians and faith with much more sensitivity in "Last Mughal". It looked like a third person's neutral analysis. Hers is just one-sided venom. I never spent my money more wrongly in life, than by buying this product.
June 8, 2019
Nothing new to offer. Just rant, rant and rant.
We already knew all these stuff.
It is becoming a fashion nowadays among today's writers to mock Hinduism and most of its beliefs.
Author is so biased.
Blame every damn party for everything.
Just a pathetic book.
We already knew all these stuff.
It is becoming a fashion nowadays among today's writers to mock Hinduism and most of its beliefs.
Author is so biased.
Blame every damn party for everything.
Just a pathetic book.
December 10, 2018
The author had something to say but she doesn't seem to know. How to present it, in a more palatable manner.
This book is divided into 5 chapters. But, reading it seemed to be a waste of my time. But somehow I managed to complete it.
It was more of a rant, rather than a book. If that makes sense to you.
This book is divided into 5 chapters. But, reading it seemed to be a waste of my time. But somehow I managed to complete it.
It was more of a rant, rather than a book. If that makes sense to you.
June 17, 2016
A most vital read for today...
October 26, 2015
Highly recommended reading.
Written before the current Hindu government came into power this book is prophetic in its predictions of the direction India is heading in and why.
Written before the current Hindu government came into power this book is prophetic in its predictions of the direction India is heading in and why.
June 30, 2019
The author says all other religions are growing all over the world, but she will highlight only Hinduism. A totally bizarre and biased book.
May 22, 2012
The book is an interesting read. It proposes that with neo-liberal economic regime India(and even many other countries like US) are becoming more and more religious. In short, with globalization India is becoming more religious(Hindu).
The book tries to build on the hypothesis of temple-state-corporate complex that has developed in India post 1991 reforms by quoting results of various surveys. It also shows how the Indian State is colluding with the temple and the corporate sector to promote Hinduism in India, in terms of land donations and religious tourism.
The book tries to build on the hypothesis of temple-state-corporate complex that has developed in India post 1991 reforms by quoting results of various surveys. It also shows how the Indian State is colluding with the temple and the corporate sector to promote Hinduism in India, in terms of land donations and religious tourism.
November 30, 2023
Excellent discussion of the surprising rise in religousity mostly in middle-class India.
Also covers the rise of meditation guru (fraudsters) in the USA.
Superstitious beliefs and paying money to online god intermediaries, so much exploitation of the dumb masses world-wide.
Researched and well referenced.
Also covers the rise of meditation guru (fraudsters) in the USA.
Superstitious beliefs and paying money to online god intermediaries, so much exploitation of the dumb masses world-wide.
Researched and well referenced.
January 15, 2020
get this kindle edition a proofreader though
April 24, 2021
A great honest book with a complete different perspective than what you're used to. The challenge is to read it with an open-mind.
October 11, 2022
Absolutely based book. Time has only shown just how goddamn right Meera Nanda was all along.
May 6, 2020
The parts of this book dealing with historical aspects of rise of god market in India in the twenty first century is really very good. However, author is a bourgeois sociologist and like all bourgeois sociologists her method of investigation is very eclectic.
May 27, 2024
Great read to understand link between capitalism and religion
February 9, 2014
A good introduction to the temple-state-business complex. This book focuses on the increasingly Hindu stance being taken by the state and our sense of false pride in being the most "cultured" place on Earth. The book itself is well written. However, I would have liked it more if the author had considered some specific cases and described them in detail. I would ideally give this 4 stars and not 5. But I gave an extra star only because of the issue it has focused on. This is not an issue that has been looked at by many people.
July 21, 2010
Several insights offered but not persuasively taken to completion. Some of the key points seem inconclusive at the end of the argument. The fresh perspective on several facets of hinduism (and the challenges they pose) is valuable and thought provoking.
August 8, 2011
It helps me understand a lot of what is going around in the world. Very insightful. A trifle academic and preachy in the writing style though.
March 18, 2013
Although the book itself reads more like a research paper (for most parts), it does throw up interesting facts, information and of course thoughts to consider.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews