38 SOCIAL SCIENTIST Consequently, some theorists believe that the existence of a number of groups and their operation in the socio-economic life of the nation generate an area of conflict and disharmony. Communalism, linguism, regionalism, and so on, are considered to be manifestations of the divisions in the social structure. These divisions are described as the product of the strong primordial loyalties which are imperfect in any traditional society. In any developing country a conflict between "primordialism" and "modernization" is regarded as essential, being characterized as a tradition-modernity dichotomy. The tension takes a chronic form because the "people's sense of self remains bound up in the gross actualities of blood, race, language, locality, religion, or tradition, and because of the steadily accelerating importance in this century of the sovereign state as a positive instrument for the realization of collective aims".5 It is seen to be the responsibility of the modernizing elite to dilute and weaken primordial loyalties and create a new centre which could command the loyalty of the people and generate value consensus in order to avoid conflict and tension. The role of the modernizing elite is, therefore, crucial to this view. Another group of social scientists believe that there is no dichotomy between tradition and modernity. The interaction between the two results in the modernization of tradition and traditionaliza-tion of modernity. The functioning of different institutions like religion and caste is cited to show that they have been playing an import-tant role in making democracy and competitive polity meaningful and participatory. Many studies suggest that these institutions, far from acting as disintegrating forces, stabilize the polity and provide opportunities to the different sections of the people for upward mobility and achievement of desired goals. After all, the "political community" consists "in the development of loyalty and allegiance to such institutional forms, aided and abetted by the mediating role of secondary associations, by the caste, occupation, or other interest-oriented groups". It is also argued that caste associations, communal organizations, and so on, are "essential to developing nationhood in a pluralistic society".0 PC Aggarwal's study of the Islamic revivalism among the Meos suggests that "a democratic political system is, at least initially, hardening the lines which divide religious and ethnic groups. To these collectives, consolidation appears more advantageous for political gain. ... In my judgement, revival of religion in Independent India is not simply a search after some amorphous, 'primordial identity', as has been suggested by Gertz and Shils, but a pragmatic adaptation to a social setting where religion, caste and linguistic