The “Dravidian model”: egalitarianism and healthcare reform
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Date
2023-03
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
FORUM FOR MEDICAL ETHICS SOCIETY
Abstract
Throughout the post-independence period, the state of Tamil Nadu has consistently performed better than most other states in several major healthcare indicators, including infant mortality rate and total fertility rate. At the same time, it has received praise for the deep penetration and robust functioning of its public health system. Tamil Nadu’s achievements in healthcare have been analysed in a number of scholarly studies in the past, and a recent book by Kalaiyarasan A and Vijayabaskar M, titled “The Dravidian Model: Interpreting the Political Economy of Tamil Nadu,” is the latest addition to this literature. The authors argue that the state’s uniqueness in human and social development primarily originates in the egalitarian politics and radical social movements of the early twentieth century which constituted a “Dravidian common-sense” that has since “shaped the development trajectory of the state.” Their arguments on the significance of egalitarian politics in improvements in health and wellbeing receive ample support from existing social sciences literature on health, equity, and justice.
Description
Keywords
Tamil Nadu, global health, equity, gender, caste
Citation
Kumbhar K. The “Dravidian model”: egalitarianism and healthcare reform. Indian Journal of Medical Ethics. 2023 Mar; 8(1): 42-45