This musing is an excerpt from BR Shenoy’s essay “Controlling Inflation in India” published by the Forum of Free Enterprise in their booklet titled “The Basic Truth About Inflation”. The essay focuses on the resolution of separation of official claims and market-based observations. The article emphasizes the strategies that needed to be adopted in controlling inflation through the review of how the trends started taking place.    If we may define inflation as an expansion of money which drives up commodity prices in general, inflation exists, incipient inflation apart, only when the General Prices Index rises. This index is both an...

Produced below is an excerpt from an article by A. Ranganathan called "Tagore's Humanistic Approach to Indian Nationalism," where the author explores Rabindranath Tagore's unique perspective on Indian nationalism. The article delves into how Tagore distinguished Indian nationalism from European forms, emphasized the importance of cultural exchange with the West, and believed that true freedom extended beyond political independence into the realm of the mind and spirit. In order to appreciate the significance of Tagore's most precious gifts to our country, it is necessary to view the backdrop of the 'Indian Renaissance' in its historic setting. The transition from medieval...

Produced below is an excerpt from an essay published in The Indian Libertarian, January 1959, titled "Auctioning Import Licenses" by B.R. Shenoy. It explores the inefficiencies of India's import licensing system and advocates for a shift towards auctioning these licenses to generate government revenue and curb corruption. Import licenses today are issued to Established Importers, Actual Users, and government or governmental establishments. Apart from illegal payments made to corrupt officials, the licenses are issued free of charge even to private parties. But, because of the wide disparities which exist between the internal prices of imported goods and their landed costs...

The following text is an excerpt from an essay titled "Ceilings on Landholdings" by M.A. Venkata Rao, published in The Indian Libertarian on September 15, 1958.  M.A. Venkata Rao was a prominent thinker and commentator known for his libertarian views on economic and social policies in post-independence India.  In this piece, Rao critically examines the proposed land reforms in India, arguing against the imposition of landholding ceilings and highlighting the broader economic, social, and political implications of these policies. He highlights the ideological underpinnings of the reforms, warning of potential consequences for property rights and democratic governance in India. This...

The following excerpt has been taken from an essay titled 'Prosperity Beyond Our Cities by Spreading Enterprise' written by R. Gopalakrishnan, published by the Forum of Free Enterprise in 2007. The term “Little India” has been used to refer to over 600,000 small towns and villages with a population less than 50,000. India has had so much regulation that no amount of deregulation seems adequate. The chambers of commerce conduct conferences on subjects like "Is India Inc over-regulated?" If India Inc thinks so, imagine the situation in Little India.  There are many anecdotes about the feeling of hopelessness among the small...

D. N. Hosali’s publication, "The Place of Free Enterprise in a Backward Economy," critiques the shift towards socialism in India. Hosali argues that socialism stifles the growth and efficiency of the private sector, which is crucial for developing backward economies. He contends that free enterprise is more effective in driving economic progress and ensuring freedom. Chambers of Commerce and trades bodies in the country performed a very useful function in our economy in the past. It was through the Chambers of Commerce that the business community voiced its grievances and sought redress for them at the hands of the Government....

The following musing is taken from ‘The Liberal Budget’ published by the Indian Liberal Group for the year 2007-08, titled ‘Taking Reforms to the Poor’. The text reproduced below is the introduction of its third chapter on Post Reform Labour and Employment Issues. In light of the 2024 budget being presented by the newly formed government this month, which aims to address the ever increasing problem of unemployment in the country, this aspiring liberal budget gives some much needed perspectives on the challenges and opportunities that we are faced with. Being a populous country, lndia has had to face the...

The farmers’ movement in India is as old as time itself. Throughout our independent history, there have been numerous struggles and demands for reforms by Indian farmers against all dispensations. The demand for reforming the agricultural sector, giving access to open markets and de-regulating the economic freedom of farmers has been time and again raised in the past decades. The following musing is an excerpt from a booklet titled ‘Visionaries of a New Bharat – Shetkari Sanghathana’ which traces the evolution, the ideology, and the vision of the Shetkari Sanghatana, a farmer’s movement spearheaded by Sharad Anantrao Joshi, and elaborately…

Freedom First, the Liberal Monthly, now in its 60th year of publication, was founded by the late Minoo Masani, author and MP, at a time when free India was just five years old, World War II had ended and the Cold War had begun. As a participant himself in India’s freedom struggle he shared the vision of the leaders who had led us to freedom that, with independence, our country would launch towards the winning of a new world - the creation of a new society, secular in its foundation, ensuring liberty of thought, belief and action and the realization...

Shetkari Sanghatak is a fortnightly magazine published from Maharashtra on 6th and 21st of every month. Issues Shetkari Sanghatak – Jan 6, 1994Read moreShetkari Sanghatak – Aug 21, 1991Read moreShetkari Sanghatak – July 21, 1991Read moreShetkari Sanghatak – Oct 21, 1991Read more