Bringing together essays critical in contemporary development discourse, this volume addresses the broad themes of development as freedom, equality and human ascent within the framework of democracy and decentralised governance.
The first seven essays interrogate and critique the ideas of democracy, development and its translation into the pursuit of growth that is market driven and measured exclusively in terms of GNP. They search for possible, more inclusive reconceptualisations of ‘development’. The other seven look at issues like primary education, food security, metropolitan finance, caste and gender parity, technology as freedom, decentralisation and innovation in governance in particular, the Kerala model of development, Latin American experiments in democracy and China’s growth story-all of which offer valuable comparisons and lessons for India and the world.
Eclectic in their range of concerns, perspectives and insights, the common thread binding the essays is the accent on human development and social inclusion-a fitting tribute to developmental economist Professor M. A. Oommen whose influential writings and teachings reflect a lifelong commitment to equity.
With contributions by well known economists from India and abroad, this volume will be useful for students and scholars of economics and development studies, finance, public policy, governance and sociology.
Contents: Introduction/Ash Narain Roy and George Mathew. 1. The need for impatience/Jean Dreze and Amartya Sen. 2. A synopsis of the idea of development/Henry Veltmeyer. 3. Reconceptualising social development/Manoranjan Mohanty. 4. Technology, freedom and development: towards some conceptual clarifications/T. K. Oommen. 5. Development as growth of GNP: the Trojan horse of development discourse/K. N. Kabra. 6. A post-capitalist paradigm: the common good of humanity and the ‘progressive governments’ of Latin America/François Houtart. 7. Amartya Sen in Beijing: comparing human development in India and China/Joseph Tharamangalam. 8. Universal Primary Education, the Obstacles in Rural Areas: A Comparison/G. K. Lieten. 9. Poverty alleviation: the Indian food security oriented approach/M. H. Suryanarayana. 10. Metropolitan City Finance in India: options for a new fiscal architecture/Roy Bahl. 11. Politics of a public space refusing to be public enough: a case of innovation in governance from Kerala/K. N. Harilal. 12. Towards sustainable innovation: the plantation sector in Kerala/K. J. Joseph. 13. State, markets and changing household demand for education in Kerala/N. V. Varghese. 14. Family planning and the history of gender in Kerala: a brief foray/J. Devika. M. A. Oommen: A Profile/Ash Narain Roy. Index.
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