Abstract
The state of Kerala in the south-west has done surprisingly well in terms of quality of life and human development indicators in comparison with the rest of India. While one estimate of the human development index (HDI) was 0.375 for all India, it was 0.675 for Kerala, the highest for any major Indian state1 (Shah, 1993, pp. 170–1). Since the HDI is essentially a weighted average of per capita income and certain basic capabilities such as literacy and life expectancy (Tilak, 1991, pp. 132–8), availability, accessibility and the rate of utilization of educational and health services among the measured population become significant. It is seen in the case of Indian data that the states with high human resources development (HRD) levels, measured in terms of the stock of human capital as average years of schooling, have had high growth of real state domestic produce (SDP) too. They show favourable net changes in the number of persons under the poverty line. Therefore, it could be surmised that HRD and HDI are highly correlated, i.e. one can expect relatively high economic growth rates and low poverty rates where HRD levels are high (Shah, 1993, pp. 170–1). The relative achievements of Kerala in education and health services are self-evident from the HDI measurement itself. It is additionally significant that these took place at a time when economic growth in this state was well below the Indian average.2 In this chapter, an attempt is made to explain these achievements — evidently an ‘exception to the rule’ (Tharakan, 1985) as far as an Indian state is concerned — by focusing on the set of factors which brought them about and the sequence in which they unfolded.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
REFERENCES
Balakrishnan, P. K. (ed.) (1954) Narayana Guru. Rev. edn (1969) (Malayalam). Kottayam: National Book Stall.
Bhattathiripad, D. V. T. (1983) VT yude Jeevitha Smaranakal (Malayalam). Kottayam: NBS.
Caldwell, J. C. (1986) ‘Routes to low mortality in poor countries’, Population and Development Review, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 171–220.
CDS/UN (1975). Poverty, Unemployment and Development Policy, A Case Study of Selected Issues with Reference to Kerala. New York: Centre for Development Studies, United Nations.
Chentharasserry, T. H. P. (1979) Ayyankali (Malayalam). Trivandrum: Prabhath Publications.
Ganesh, K. N. (1990) ‘The process of state formation in Travancore’, Studies in Histoty, vol. I, no. 1, N.S., pp. 15–33.
George, A. (1990) The Militant Phase of Pulaya Movement of South Travancore, 1884–1914, Workdocument No. 22. Amsterdam: Centre for Asian Studies.
George, J. (1984) Politicisation of Agricultural Workers in Kerala: A Study of Kuttanad. Calcutta: K. P. Bagchi.
GOK (Government of Kerala) (1966) Report of the Commission for Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions, Kerala, 1965. Thiruvananthapuram: Government Press.
GOK (Government of Kerala) (1990) Sample Registration, Kerala Rural, Annual Report 1988, No. 26. Thiruvananthapuram: Dept of Economics and Statistics.
Govinda Pillai, P. (1995) ‘Aradhanayodoppam Anusaranavum’ (Malayalam), Deshabhimani, 22 September.
Guru Nataraja (1968) The Word of the Guru, An Outline of the Life and Teachings of the Guru Narayana (1952). Cochin: Paico Pub. Press.
Houtart, F. and Lemercinier, G. (1978) ‘Socio-religious movements in Kerala: a reaction to the capitalist mode of production. II Parts’, Social Scientist, vol. 6, nos 11 and 12, pp. 3–34, 21–43.
Ibrahim, P. (1978) ‘The development of transport facilities in Kerala, a historical review’, Social Scientist, vol. VI, no. 6, pp. 34–48.
IRTC (Integrated Rural Technology Centre) (1991) Health Status in Rural Kerala, A Study of the Linkages Between Socio-Economic Status and Health Status (K. P. Kannan et al.). Thiruvananthapuram: KSSP.
Isaac, T. M. T. and Tharakan, P. K. M. (1986) An Inquiry into the Historical Roots of Industrial Backwardness of Kerala: A Study of Travancore Region. CDS Working Paper No. 215.
Jalaluddin, A. K. (1991) ‘Basic education and national development, the Indian scene’, Unicef Sponsored Research Study Under the Project Basic Education and National Development, Lessons from China and India (revised draft). Delhi: University of Delhi, Dept of Education.
Jeffrey, R. (1976) The Decline of Nayar Dominance, Society and Politics in Travancore, 1847–1908. New Delhi: Vikas.
Jeffrey, R. (1987) ‘Governments and culture: how women made Kerala literate’, Pacific Affairs, vol. 60, no. 3, pp. 447–72.
Jesudas, R. N. (1975) A People’s Revolt in Travancore. A Backward Class Movement for Social Freedom. Trivandrum: Kerala Historical Society.
Jose, A. V. (1977) ‘Origins of agricultural trade unionism in Kerala’, Social Scientist, vol. 5, no. 12, pp. 20–43.
Jose, A. V. (1980) Agricultural Labour Force in Kerala: An Historicalcum-Statistical Analysis. PhD thesis submitted to the University of Kerala, Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram.
Kabir, M. and Krishnan, T. N. (1992) Social Intermediation and Health Transition: Lessons from Kerala. CDS Working Paper No. 251.
Kooiman, D. (1990) State Formation in Travancore: Problems of Revenue, Trade and Armament. Paper presented at the 11th European Conference on Modern South Asian Studies, Amsterdam, 2–5 July.
Koshy, M. J. (1976) K C. Mammen Mappilla: The Man and the Vision. Trivandrum: Kerala Historical Society.
Krishnan, T. N. (1984) ‘Infant mortality in Kerala State, India’, Assignment Children. UNICEF, Report No. 65168.
Krishnan, T. N. (1989) ‘Kerala economy: performance, problems and prospects’, in Malcolm S. Adiseshiah (ed.), The Economies of the States of the Indian Union. New Delhi: Lancer International, pp. 411–31.
Krishnan, T. N. (1991) Kerala’s Health Transition: Facts and Factors. CDS, Thiruvananthapuram (Mimeo).
Kurup, R. S. (n.d.) ‘A note on the trends in life expectancy in Kerala over the years’, Demographic Report of Kerala. Demographic Research Centre, Trivandrum, Abridged Life Tables, Appendix, pp. 167–80.
Kusuman, K. K. (1976) The Abstention Movement. Trivandrum: Kerala Historical Society.
Menon, A. S. (1979) Social and Cultural History of Kerala. New Delhi: Sterling. (ed.) (1962) Kerala District Gazetteers Trivandrum. Trivandrum: Govt of Kerala.
Menon, P. K. K. (1972) History of Freedom Movement in Kerala. Trivandrum: Govt Press, Part II.
Miller, R. E. (1976) Mappilla Muslims of Kerala, A Study in Islamic Trends. Bombay: Orient Longman.
Nair, P. R. G. (1983) Educational Reforms in India: Universalisation of Primary Education in Kerala. CDS Working Paper No. 181.
Namboodiripad, E. M. S. (1970) Atma Katha (Malayalam). Thiruvananthapuram: Deshabhimani Book House.
NIEPA (National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration) (1990) Basic Educational Data, A Compilation, Version 2.04. New Delhi.
Oommen, M. A. (1993) Essays on Kerala Economy. New Delhi: Oxford University Press and IBH.
ORG (Office of the Registrar General) (1988) Sample Registration System 1988. New Delhi: Ministry of Home Affairs, Vital Statistics Division.
Panikar, P. G. K. (1975) ‘Fall in mortality rates in Kerala, an explanatory hypothesis’, Economic and Political Weekly (EPW), 22 November, pp. 1811–18.
Soman, C. R. (1984) Health Status of Kerala, The Paradox of Economic Backwardness and Health Development. Trivandrum: CDS.
Panikkar, K. N. (1989) Against Lord and State, Religion and Peasant Uprisings in Malabar, 1836–1921. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Raghavan, P. (1994) Viplava Smaranakal, Part II (Malayalam). Kottayam: D. C. Books.
Raj, K. N. and Tharakan, M. (1983) ‘Agrarian reform in kerala and its impact on the rural economy — a preliminary assessment’, in Ajit Kumar Ghose, Agrarian Reform in Contemporary Developing Countries. London: Croom Helm; New York: St. Martins Press, pp. 31–90.
Ratcliff, J. (1978) ‘Social justice and the demographic transition: lessons from India’s Kerala’s State’, International Journal of Health Services, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 123–44.
Reddy, D. N. and Kaila, P. (1990) ‘Planning priorities and the poor: need for a tilt towards education in Andhra Pradesh’, in Kanakalath Mukind (ed.), Andhra Pradesh Economy in Transition. Hyderabad: CESS.
Rouyer, A. R. (1987) ‘Political capacity and the decline of fertility in Kerala’, American Political Science Review, vol. 81, no. 2, pp. 453–70.
Sanoo, M. K. (1976) Narayana Guru Swamy (Malayalam). Vivekodayam, rinjalakuda.
Shah, K. R. (1993) ‘Role of education in human resource development: an empirical anlaysis’, Perspectives in Education, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 167–73.
Shea, T. W. J. (1959) ‘Barriers to economic development in traditional societies, Malabar, a case study’, Journal of Economic History, vol. XIX, no. 4.
Sreekumar, T. T. (1988) Urbanisation in Kerala, c. 1900–1981. MPhil dissertation submitted to the Jawaharlal Nehru University, CDS, Thivandrum.
Tilak, J. B. G. (1991) ‘Human Development Index for India’, LASSI Quarterly, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 132–8.
Tharakan, P. K. M. (1982) ‘The Kerala Land Reforms (Amendment) Bill, 1979: a note’, in Sheo Kumar Lall (ed.), Sociological Perspectives of Land Reforms. New Delhi: Agricole Pub. Agency.
Tharakan, P. K. M. (1984) ‘Socio-economic factors in educational development: case of nineteenth century Travancore’, Economic and Political Weekly, vol. XIV, nos 45 and 46. PP. 1913–28 and 1955–67.
Tharakan, P. K. M. (1985) Development Theory and Development Experience: Reflections Based on an Exception to the Rule. CDS, University Faculty of St Ignatius, Antwerp, Paper No. 86/93.
Tharakan, P. K. M. (1986) ‘Divergent effects of similar policies: a study of educational policies of Travancore and British India’, Report of the Workshop-cum-Seminar on Educational Developments in Kerala, National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi, 27–8 October.
Tharakan, P. K. M. (1990) The Ernakulam District Total Literacy Programme: Report of the Evaluation. CDS, Trivandrum, May (typescript).
Tharakan, P. K. M. (1992) ‘Socio-religious reform movements and demand for indications of development: Thiruvithamkoor 1860–1930’, in Alok Bhalla and Peter J. Brumke (eds), Images of Rural India in the 20th Century. New Delhi: Sterling, pp. 134–52.
Thomas, J. (1989) ‘Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Educational Standards in a Marginalised Community, A Case Study of the Marine Fisherfolk of Kerala’. Unpublished MPhil dissertation in Applied Economics submitted to Jawaharlal Nehru University, CDS, Thiruvananthapuram.
Tyagi, P. N. (1991) Education for All: A Graphic Presentation. New Delhi: NIEPA.
Unnithiri, N. V. T. (1995) ‘Melsanthi Prasnam: Navothana Moolyangal Parirakshikanam, Narayana Guruvinte Kshetra Sankalpam’ (Malayalam), Mathrubhumi, 30 April 30.
Varghese, T. C. (1970) Agrarian Change and Economic Consequences, Land Tenures in Kerala, 1850–1960. Bombay: Allied Pub.
Variar, M. R. R. (1990) Keraleeyatha, Charithra Manangal (Malayalam). Vallathol Vidyapeedom, Sukapuram.
Vyas, N. N. and Gopal, O. P. (1968) Needs Facilities and the People: A Socio-Economic Survey of Simawara TD Block II, Special Survey Series II. Udaipur: Tribal Resarch Institute.
Zachariah, M. (1986) ‘India’, Education and Urban Society, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 487–99.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 1998 Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Tharakan, P.K.M. (1998). Socio-Religious Reform Movements, the Process of Democratization and Human Development: The Case of Kerala, South-West India. In: Rudebeck, L., Törnquist, O., Rojas, V. (eds) Democratization in the Third World. International Political Economy Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-26783-5_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-26783-5_6
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-26785-9
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-26783-5
eBook Packages: Palgrave Political & Intern. Studies CollectionPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)