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The Shetkari Sanghatana, founded in 1979, is a prominent farmers' organization based in Maharashtra, India. The name translates to "Farmers' Union" in Marathi. The organization was established by Sharad Joshi, an influential leader and advocate for farmers' rights.

Key Aspects:

• Focus: The Shetkari Sanghatana primarily addresses issues related to agricultural policies, farmer welfare, and economic conditions. It campaigns for better prices for crops, fair trade practices, and policies to support small and marginal farmers.
• Activities: The organization is known for its advocacy work, organizing protests, and negotiating with the government to improve conditions for farmers. It also works on issues such as irrigation, land rights, and rural development.
• Impact: The Shetkari Sanghatana played a significant role in shaping agricultural policies in Maharashtra and has been involved in several successful campaigns for higher crop prices and better support for farmers.

The Shetkari Sanghatana continues to be a key player in advocating for farmers' issues in Maharashtra and has influenced broader agricultural policy discussions in India.

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The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), established in 1980, is a major farmers' organization in India, primarily active in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab. Founded by Mahendra Singh Tikait, the union advocates for the rights and welfare of farmers, focusing on issues like crop prices, land rights, and loan waivers.

Key leaders of the BKU include:

• Mahendra Singh Tikait: The founder, known for his role in mobilizing farmers and leading significant protests.
• Rakesh Tikait: Mahendra Singh Tikait's son, who has continued his father's legacy, notably during the 2020-2021 farmers' protests against the controversial farm laws.
• Chaudhary Charan Singh: Former Prime Minister of India, who supported the farmers' movement and had connections with BKU.

The BKU has played a crucial role in highlighting farmers' issues and advocating for agricultural reforms through mass mobilization and protests.

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Bhupinder Singh Mann is a prominent Indian farmer leader and politician, associated with the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU). He has been a key figure in advocating for farmers' rights and welfare, particularly in the Punjab region.

Key Aspects:

• Role in BKU: Mann has been actively involved in the BKU, which has played a significant role in addressing issues related to agriculture, land rights, and fair prices for crops.
• Farmers' Protest: During the 2020-2021 farmers' protests, Mann was a vocal supporter, advocating for the repeal of the controversial farm laws and highlighting the concerns of farmers.
• Political Involvement: Mann has also been involved in politics, working to influence policy and support farmers’ issues at various levels of government.

His leadership and activism have significantly contributed to the broader movement for agricultural reform and farmer welfare in India.

• The Iron Law of Oligarchy, formulated by Robert Michels, posits that all organizations, regardless of their democratic principles, inevitably evolve into oligarchies. Michels argued that leadership structures and administrative needs create a concentration of power within a small elite, who then dominate decision-making processes. This tendency arises because organizational complexity requires delegation, resulting in a leadership class that maintains control to protect its interests. Even democratic movements become susceptible to this centralization of authority, as leaders consolidate power for efficiency and self-preservation. Michels' theory underscores a paradox: the pursuit of democracy often leads to an entrenched, self-perpetuating elite.
• The Circulation of Elites is a concept developed by Vilfredo Pareto, which suggests that elites in society are not fixed but undergo continuous change. According to Pareto, power and influence are held by a minority elite group, but this elite is subject to replacement over time by new elites. This circulation occurs as elites are either overthrown by new groups or lose power through the rise of new economic, political, or social forces. Pareto argued that while the names and faces of elites may change, the structure of elite dominance remains constant, ensuring that a minority always governs.
• Gaetano Mosca’s concept of the political class is central to his theory of the ruling class. In his work The Ruling Class (1896), Mosca argues that every society is divided into two groups: the ruling minority (the political class) and the ruled majority. The political class holds power and makes decisions that shape society. Mosca emphasized that even in democratic systems, a small group of elites tends to dominate political processes, often regardless of popular elections. This political class remains in power by controlling resources, institutions, and social structures, ensuring their dominance over the majority through organized leadership.

Here are the key books associated with the theorists who applied the structural-functional approach to the study of comparative politics:

1. Gabriel Almond
   • "The Politics of the Developing Areas" (1960): Co-edited with James S. Coleman, this book applies the structural-functional framework to analyze political development in non-Western societies.
   • "Comparative Politics: A Developmental Approach" (1966): Co-authored with G. Bingham Powell, this book lays out a framework for understanding political systems through functions such as political socialization, recruitment, and communication.
   • "The Civic Culture: Political Attitudes and Democracy in Five Nations" (1963): Co-authored with Sidney Verba, this seminal work examines the relationship between political culture and democracy using the structural-functional approach.
2. Sidney Verba
   • "The Civic Culture: Political Attitudes and Democracy in Five Nations" (1963): Co-authored with Gabriel Almond, this classic book examines political attitudes and their functional significance in democratic stability.
   • "The Civic Culture Revisited" (1980): Edited with Gabriel Almond, this book revisits and expands upon their earlier work, discussing new developments in political culture.
3. David Easton
   • "The Political System: An Inquiry into the State of Political Science" (1953): This foundational work introduces Easton’s systems theory and discusses the functions of political systems in maintaining stability.
   • "A Framework for Political Analysis" (1965): In this book, Easton further develops his systems approach, focusing on inputs (demands and supports) and outputs in political systems.
4. Talcott Parsons
   • "The Social System" (1951): Although not directly on comparative politics, this book introduces Parsons’ functionalist theory, which influenced political scientists like Almond and others.
   • "Structure and Process in Modern Societies" (1960): This book elaborates on Parsons’ theories of social structure and their functional significance.
5. Lucian Pye
   • "Aspects of Political Development" (1966): In this book, Pye applies a structural-functional perspective to examine how various aspects of political systems contribute to development.
   • "The Politics of Modernization" (1965): Pye discusses the structural and functional challenges that traditional societies face during the process of modernization.

These books reflect the structural-functional approach’s emphasis on understanding how political systems function, maintain stability, and adapt to change.

Analysis:

• Assertion (A) is true. Post-behavioralism, as a movement in political science, emerged in response to the limitations of behavioralism, which was criticized for its overemphasis on empirical data (facts) and neglect of values and normative concerns. Post-behavioralists argued that political science should not only focus on measurable behaviors and quantitative data but should also incorporate values, ethics, and the broader societal impacts of political decisions. David Easton, a key figure in this movement, emphasized that political science needed to be both relevant and action-oriented, with an emphasis on addressing real-world problems.
• Reason (R) is also true, but only partially linked. Post-behavioralism indeed encourages inter-disciplinarity by incorporating insights from psychology, sociology, economics, and other fields. This broader approach is intended to give political science a more comprehensive understanding of political phenomena. However, the primary purpose of post-behavioralism was not merely to promote inter-disciplinarity, but rather to reintegrate values and normative considerations into political analysis to make it more relevant and action-oriented.