Political Economy of India s Retarded Development

Development Pradhan H Prasad Whatever marginal economic gains have been made after independence have been unevenly distributed among classes as well as among regions. Let alone movement towards socialism, even the capitalist transformation of the economy has been slow and lopsided. The feudal ethos still pervades the country, though in varying degrees, and feudal identities of caste, creed, community, etc, continue to enmesh the people. In an attempt to understand why what has happened has happened, this paper discusses the characteristics of the Indian ruling class, to safeguarding and promoting whose interests state policies, irrespective of their proclaimed intentions and objectives remain oriented.