Question

In ‘The Nation and its Fragments’ (1993), Partha Chatterjee observes that nationalism linked the legitimacy of the postcolonial Indian state with economic development. In what way(s) was this connection achieved, for Chatterjee?

• A. Colonialism had demonstrated the benefits of free trade and globalisation.
• B. Colonialism stood for economic exploitation, therefore liberty meant the reverse.
• C. The procedural forms of government would by themselves be insufficient to drive development.
• D. The procedural forms of government would inevitably fall to corruption.

Hint:

For Chatterjee, development—not just democracy—gave the postcolonial state its legitimacy.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B, C

Step 1: Chatterjee’s core argument.
Partha Chatterjee argues that Indian nationalism framed colonial rule as economically exploitative, and therefore imagined independence as enabling national development through state intervention.
Step 2: Evaluation of statement (B).
Statement (B) correctly reflects this logic: freedom from colonialism implied reversing economic exploitation through planned development.
Step 3: Evaluation of statement (C).
Chatterjee emphasizes that procedural democracy alone was insufficient; the state had to actively direct economic development to gain representativeness. Hence, statement (C) is correct.
Step 4: Rejection of incorrect options.
Statement (A) contradicts nationalist critiques of colonialism, while statement (D) is not central to Chatterjee’s argument.