What is the difference between autonomy and secession?
Autonomy refers to a situation where a State has powers of its own for which it is not answerable to the central government. In a federal system, State governments have independent powers and both the central and State governments are separately answerable to the people. This means the State remains part of the Union but enjoys certain independent powers.
Secession, on the other hand, would mean a State separating completely from the Union and becoming an independent entity. The context discusses autonomy within the framework of federalism where power is shared between different levels of government, not separation from the country.
The key difference is that autonomy operates within the federal structure of the country, while secession would mean leaving the country altogether.
Explanation
The textbook context explains autonomy in the context of federalism, where State governments have powers of their own and are not subordinate to the central government. The discussion on Jammu & Kashmir's special provisions under Article 370 illustrates how autonomy means greater independence in decision-making while remaining part of the Indian Union. The context does not explicitly define secession, but the entire discussion on federalism and power sharing implies that autonomy is about operating within the constitutional framework, not leaving it.