Read the following passages and answer the items that follow each passage. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. In a typical Western liberal context, deepening of democracy invariably leads to consolidation of 'liberal values'. In the Indian context, democratization is translated into greater involvement of people not as 'individuals' which is a staple to liberal discourse, but as communities or groups. Individuals are getting involved in the public sphere not as 'atomized' individuals but as members of primordial communities drawn on religious or caste Community- identity seems governing force. It is not therefore surprising that the so- called peripheral groups continue to maintain their identities with reference to the social groups (caste, religion or sect) to which they belong while getting involved in the political processes despite the fact that their political goals remain more or less identical. By helping to articulate the political voice of the marginalized, democracy in India has led to 'a loosening of social strictures' and empowered the peripherals to be confident of their ability to improve the socioeconomic conditions in which they are placed. This is a significant political process that had led to a silent revolution through a meaningful transfer of power from the upper caste elites to various subaltern groups within the democratic amework of public identity governance. According to the passage, what does "deepening of democracy" mean in the Western context?

The passage states that in a typical Western liberal context, "deepening of democracy invariably leads to consolidation of 'liberal values'." It then contrasts this with the Indian context, where people get involved "not as 'individuals' which is a staple to liberal discourse, but as communities or groups. Individuals are getting involved in the public sphere not as 'atomized' individuals but as members of primordial communities..." Let's analyze the options: A) Consolidation of group and class identities: The passage explicitly states that in the Indian context, involvement is as "communities or groups" and "primordial communities." This is contrasted with the Western context, where the focus is on 'liberal values' and 'individuals'. Therefore, A is incorrect for the Western context. B) Greater involvement of people: While deepening democracy generally implies greater involvement, the passage specifies *how* people get involved in the Western context. This option is too general and doesn't capture the specific characteristic highlighted by the passage for the Western context. C) Greater involvement of 'atomized' individuals in the public sphere: The passage states that in the Indian context, individuals are *not* involved as 'atomized' individuals, implying that in the Western liberal context (which is contrasted with the Indian context), involvement *is* as 'atomized' individuals. The phrase "individuals' which is a staple to liberal discourse" further supports this, as 'atomized' individuals are a core concept in liberal thought. D) None of the statements (a), (b) and (c) given above is correct in this context: Since C is correct, this option is incorrect. The final answer is C because the passage defines the Western context by contrasting it with the Indian context. It explicitly states that in India, people are *not* involved as 'atomized' individuals, implying that in the Western liberal context, they are. The consolidation of 'liberal values' in the West is linked to the involvement of individuals as distinct, 'atomized' units.