Abstract:

Why do some political families flourish, and others decline quickly? While the presence of political families has been a long-standing feature of many countries, crucial questions about the nature of political succession and the underlying conditions that make it possible remain under-studied. Drawing on an original dataset of familial connections of the winners and the runners-up from all elections held in Uttar Pradesh between 1974 to 2019, I argue that the diversification of economic resources and political power are key factors that determine the strength and longevity of political families. In addition to this, I take a closer look at dynamism within political families by classifying them into three distinct groups – families that have been in power for a long period of time, the old political families that have declined in power and status, and new and rising political families. The findings suggest that understanding the rise and decline of political families is key to reflecting on the changing nature of representative democracy in India and elsewhere.