Madhav Gadgil

This Fissured Land

1. IDEA 1

   India's ecology has a history

   Gadgil and Guha write an ecological history of India, tracing how different groups have used land, forests and water over thousands of years. They argue that conflicts over resources have shaped Indian society.

2. IDEA 2

   Societies use resources differently

   The authors describe different modes of resource use, such as hunting and gathering, herding, farming and industry. In their account, each way of living draws on nature differently, so its effects on land and water vary.

3. IDEA 3

   Caste may have managed resources

   The authors suggest that caste-based specialisation once helped different groups use separate resources, reducing competition. In their account, such a system divided work and resources between groups, which may have limited conflict over the same sources.

All 8 ideas from This Fissured Land →