Communalism [UPSC GS-I & Essay Notes]

As the definition goes, Communalism is described as an ideology stating the division between states (people, groups of people or communities) on the basis of ethnicity, religion, beliefs, values, etc. The difference of two or more religious, ethnic and social communities can sometimes produce clashes in society. Communalism is an important topic for the IAS Exam, from the perspective of social issues in Indian society. Since questions from this topic in Mains GS-I and Essay have been asked before in the UPSC exam and can be asked in upcoming exams, it becomes imperative for an aspirant to learn about the relevant facts about Communalism.

This article will provide you with relevant facts about Communalism. You can also read about the stages of communalism, and factors leading to communalism from the links provided in the article.

To read about the stages of Communalism and the factors leading to communalism, check the linked articles below:

Table of Contents:

In simple words, communalism is when people of different religions or communities go against one another. It is to be considered a social menace as it can give rise to riots and targeting of particular groups. Communalism can also be defined as a tool that is given rise to, in the presence of diverse religions, to gain political benefits in a state.

As a point of debate, the issues attached to Communalism are:

• It is a threat to national integrity.
• It is a catalyst for political and social tensions in the state.
• It leads to divisions between the people, groups of communities or groups of states in the country.
• It is attached to the rivalry of one religion, beliefs, values, etc. against another’s.
• Active hostility or opposition towards others’ religions and beliefs often leads to issues in society.

Though the concept ‘Communalism’ is one topic; to make it simpler sometimes, it is defined in three ways:

1. Political Communalism
2. Social Communalism
3. Economic Communalism

A brief description of these three types of Communalism is given below:

Indian Sociologist, T.K Ooman has mentioned six dimensions of Communalism which are given in the list below:

1. Assimilationist
2. Welfarist
3. Retreatist
4. Retaliatory
5. Separatist
6. Secessionist

The characteristics of these Communalism dimensions are given in the table below:

Learn the difference between communalism, regionalism and secularism in the linked article.

UPSC Questions Related to Communalism

The information on the topic ‘Communalism’ can be used while practising UPSC previous year question papers. There are a few questions where answers could be written in relation to communalism too. These questions are mentioned below:

1. UPSC 2020 Mains GS-I – Has caste lost its relevance in understanding the multi-cultural Indian Society? Elaborate your answer with illustrations.
2. UPSC 2019 Essay Paper – Best for an individual is not necessarily best for society.
3. UPSC 2018 Essay Paper – “The past’ is a permanent dimension of human consciousness and values.
4. UPSC 2018 Essay Paper – A people that values its privileges above its principles loses both.
5. UPSC 2018 Mains GS-I – Communalism arises either due to power struggle or relative deprivation.’ Argue by giving suitable illustrations.
6. UPSC 2017 Mains GS-I – Distinguish between religiousness/religiosity and communalism giving one example of how the former has got transformed into the latter in independent India.
7. UPSC 2015 Essay Paper – Crisis faced in India – moral or economic.

Candidates reading this topic, are also suggested to read a few other topics important for UPSC 2024. They are mentioned below:

UPSC Preparation: