ABSTRACT
The last chapter of the book looks at the journey of the three South Asians nations which were once Hindusthan. Despite the inheritance of a common colonial legacy, these nations have followed contrasting patterns of political development. State formation in modern South Asia including institution building, which is the basic prerequisite of a democracy, is discussed here to decode this contrast. India, despite its diversity, has remained a democratic country with its constitution placed firmly and elections held regularly, whereas Pakistan has turned into a praetorian state and Bangladesh has been shaped into a fragile democracy. Inter se relations between the three South Asian nations and comparative analyses of their socio-economic development are assessed and the book ends with the instructive note: “Make peace or perish.”
