Politics & Philosophies

Political Systems

• Democracy: Direct vs representative, parliamentary vs presidential
• Federalism: Center-state relations, autonomy, cooperative federalism
• Secularism: Models of state-religion relations, Indian secularism
• Socialism and Capitalism: Mixed economies, welfare states
• Authoritarianism vs Totalitarianism: Key distinctions and historical examples

Major Ideologies

• Liberalism: Individual rights, free markets, constitutional governance
• Conservatism: Tradition, gradual change, social stability
• Socialism: Collective ownership, equality, welfare
• Communism: Marxist theory, class struggle, historical materialism
• Nationalism: Civic vs ethnic, role in independence movements
• Environmentalism and Green Politics: Sustainability, climate justice

Key Philosophers & Thinkers

• Plato and Aristotle: Ideal state, citizenship, virtue
• Machiavelli: Realism in politics, power
• Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau: Social contract theory
• John Stuart Mill: Liberty, utilitarianism, representative government
• Gandhi: Non-violence, swaraj, trusteeship
• Ambedkar: Social justice, annihilation of caste, constitutional morality

Resources