ABSTRACT
The major argument of this chapter is that Kerala’s society has become more democratic and polyarchical as a consequence of the socio-economic policies it pursued over more than 150 years in which the forces of modernisation including social reformers, Christian missionaries, the communist movement and traditional monarchs have contributed significantly at various historical junctures. If the famous Hindu saint Swami Vivekananda described Kerala as a ‘lunatic asylum’ during the close of the 19th century, today the state has become one of the most progressive units in the country. Modern Kerala abolished feudalism, implemented land reforms successfully, and established a wide network of public distribution system and primary health centres throughout the state. Kerala also succeeded in implementing decentralisation reforms, achieving 0 per cent population growth rates, and eradicated illiteracy. Today, Kerala tops in health standards for both men and women; it has the lowest rates of infant mortality and dropout in primary schools besides the lowest incidence of child labour. On the whole, the establishment of civil society in modern Kerala is in fact a combined effect of history and modernity. The achievement of independence in 1947, the formation of the state in 1956 and the electoral victory of Community Party in 1957 further hastened the process. The evolution of coalition politics is also another manifestation of the pluralist nature of the society and political system. The experience of development in Kerala has shown that even without adopting the western capitalist model, society can indeed grow rapidly. Indeed, the state is internationally noted for social change and human development, although this is not matched with sound economic growth and industrial development (see George 1993 and Swamy 2003). The unusual phenomenon has baffled scholars as to how the state keeps up its high standards of living, education, health while the economic parameters are seldom encouraging. In addition to the significant history of social and political developments, the impact of Gulf remittances (known as the ‘money order economy’) contributed by Malayalis in the Gulf since the 1970s has also raised the lifestyles and culture of the people.
