Parenting the economy: The Story of India’s Economic Development
Abstract
This article reviews Devesh Kapur and Arvind Subramanian’s study of India’s post‑independence development, which portrays a “precocious” democracy combining enlightened ambitions with a weak institutional and social base. It highlights their diagnosis of prolonged ruralisation, stunted industrialisation and early servicification, and assesses their claim that paternalistic centralisation, inefficient nationalisation and incomplete structural transformation produced islands of excellence amid broad underperformance.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Indian Economic and Social Development
Asian Industrial and Economic Development
Social and Economic Development in India
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Indian Public Policy Review
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 64–69
- Publication date
- 1 March 2026
- Language
- EN