Beyond Left and Right: Decolonizing Indian Political Analysis through a quantifiable Dharma–Adharma Scale

Abstract

India's political landscape is often examined through the typical Western left–right spectrum, yet this framework often misses the dharmic and civilizational dimensions central to Indian political thought. Based on the Indicism framework and classical Dharmashastra texts, this research note introduces a dharma–adharma axis as a culturally rooted lens for evaluating parties, political actors, institutions, policies, and governance practices. Dharma involves actions and policies that support governance, social welfare, and the overall well-being of society. At the same time, adharmic behavior works against these principles, reflecting a philosophical perspective that often contrasts with Western approaches. This note identifies two gaps in current literature: the continued reliance on imported Western categories that obscure indigenous political wisdom, and the lack of concrete ways to measure adherence to dharmic principles. To address these gaps, it proposes an Indic research agenda, qualitative and quantitative, offering a tool that is both analytically rigorous and in line with India's historical and civilizational context. By focusing on dharmic principles, this empirical approach provides political scientists and policymakers with a decolonized, ethically grounded perspective for testing and analyzing political behavior and governance in India and possibly beyond.