INDIA- A "Nation-State" or "State- Nation" or "State-Tribe"?

Sociologically countries are divided as such. Most of the European countries are 'Nation- States'. It means they have evolved from tribe to community then to nation and finally 'State' is created over the nation. It's considered to be very natural phenomenon in a particular country's history.

However, some nations are created after creating the 'State' (Read sovereign Govt.) for it. For example: India. India never evolved naturally as a nation on common ethos. British consolidated it for administrative purpose and when they left; they gave 'State' for this vast geography. In that sense, India is a State-Nation. Thus, State was created; then the Nation.

Sometimes, I feel, Does India even fit to this bill? I mean- 'State Nation' category. Recently, we are seeing, more tribal instinct of the people in India coming open. We see people beating the thief as if no law to punish his or her crime, emergence of khap panchayat's as an instrument to regulate the marriages, etc. are the very visible signs to consider India as tribal country. So, I made another class; State-Tribe. (Sociologically such class exists or not- I have no clue!) Some of these pictures confirm the tribal instincts in our daily lives-

1. Consider you are moving in a bike; suddenly you notice a strange thing- that the person who is coming opposite of your direction; tells you to take diversion because he or she finds that you are not carrying helmet. If you move in same direction, you will be caught by Police. This is one form of tribal instinct.

2. I recently saw Bangalore Police commissioner saying " Criminals will be brought to books"- I saw him saying this in TV channel. The next day one of the Kannada news paper reported- "Criminals will be handed over to the people" (Exact Kannada version" Aparaadhigalannu Janara kaige oppisutteve" This I have made loose translation). It's a another version of expression of tribal instinct.

Post liberalization, when money started trickling down in the hands of the people, tribal instinct of them has been more assertive and, for a worse, more decisive. Now, people feel that they can have their own 'system' because they have money. To make things worse, electoral politics has become more competitive and to keep their currency floating, politicians just patronage these behaviours.

I think this is really a serious problem. To alleviate this, we have to have robust police system, rule of law, and culture to respect such systems. Yes. I do agree that these things are very alien to Indians. But, you have to be, sometimes, too optimist to see these things in reality.