Culture and Privilege in Capitalist Asia - Jurusan Antropologi ...

16 Refer to Greenough for an interesting discussion of the incorporation of traditional
crafts and craft designs into the furnishing styles and local fashion of the affluent in
India (1995:216—48).
17 A female informant in Gujarat related her observation of a Muslim academic
colleague who would arrive for work wearing the burka or long gown worn by Muslim
women but changed out of it before going in to conduct classes. Similarly, informants
from Delhi observed that young Muslim female students came to college wearing
burkas but left them in a common room before going to classes.
18 One report calculates the annual household income range for the lower middle class
as Rs 18,001—36,000; middle middle class as Rs 36,001—56,000; and upper
middle class as Rs 56,001—78,000 (Chakravarti 1995:91). The value of the Australian
dollar in mid-November 1995 was approximately Rs. 26.
19 According to an Australian government report, estimates of the size of the middle
class range from 100 million people to 250 million people (EAAU 1994:32). Some
reports claim even higher figures of around 300 million people.
20 The agitations occurred in 1981 and 1985 (Shah 1987: AN 163 and AN 167).
21 Though the BJP draws its support across the caste spectrum, it is the upper castes
who are less equivocal in their backing for the party in comparison to the middle and
low castes.
22 This criticism is welcome to sections of business and industry who fear that reducing
tariffs as part of liberalisation will swamp the Indian market with foreign goods and
squeeze out the local producers. Others are motivated by considerations of cultural
nationalism and feel that the influx of Western cultural influences through television
and other channels will undermine ‘traditional values’ amongst the youth and people
generally.
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