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THE FAMILY AND THE NATION
consequences of this trend are far-reaching and will decide the very future of our nationhood.
We have discussed in the book the pluralistic nature of Indian society with multiple class and cultural traditions. Indian people have ingrained belief systems and values, driven by their cultural norms. In a multi-ethnic society, the cultural institutional structure embraces kinship, education, religion, property and economy, recreation, and certain modalities. The reality of contemporary India is its plural society lacking a common value system. Under these seemingly conflicting and unstable conditions, order and control functions become a premium.
Clearly, cultural coexistence under the traditional pluralist model had bred ethnic cleavage and closure, with only minimal participation of the rural population in the growing economy. Also, there has been sub-optimal social interaction between various religious groups. However, ethnic cleavage and closure has become diluted since competing ethnic groups have begun to perceive themselves as holding a similar class position at each level in the class structure. Indeed, the possibility still exists for people of similar ethnicity and race, but from different class levels to experience prejudice and discrimination. Any of the three factors of class, and ethnicity, or their combination is capable of triggering off prejudice and discrimination and undo the hard work of economic development. A noble nation essentially transcends all forms of inequality
How to break the cycle of perpetual inequality in Indian society? Though each group's culture is distinctive, yet it is permeable. By making righteousness as an axis, the integrated pluralist paradigm of living in harmony can be created. This integrated pluralist model will have the potential to facilitate a focus on ethnic similarities and not
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