Colonial Perspectives

more dangerous tendency has shown itself. Imports of commodities are being resorted to for political populism and by keeping the prices at artificially low levels they destroy the incentives for growth of domestic production. In such cases the government must be i motored to allow the prices to rise so that the domestic industry can grow and modernise. The government may mop up as much of such price rises as it deems fit by imposing an indirect scarcity tax. In this way resources can be gathered instead of being frittered away in situations of scarcity. Some enlightened recommendations on these parameters would have educated us. Lastly, it is quite surprising that a conclave TILOITAMA Misra's 'Social Criticism in 19th Century Assamese Writing' (September 14) presents a rich array of facts, sufficiently documented. I should like, however, to lake a closer look at certain presupposi (ions implicit in her writing.