The Forum of Free Enterprise is a non-political organization founded in 1956 by A.D Shroff and was established to educate public opinion in India on free enterprise and a democratic way of life. The Forum publishes booklets to further its objects. The following booklet titled, “Cotton Policy” was published on December 19, 1956 and was authored by Shri Ramniwas R Ruia. The author discusses why it is important to have a strong opposition in a functioning democracy. He talks about the need for criticism of government policy, and states that the government should not use its authority to crush dissension and must not revert to being paternalistic. Starting from this perspective he goes on to discuss the policy regarding cotton prices that were set in 1955, and why the manner in which the government arbitrarily decides prices in the future market is unjust. He also states that the government’s unnecessary intervention disrupted the natural equilibrium within the cotton market, and explains how each of the stakeholders in this situation were affected. In essence, he critically analyses the cotton policy of the government in the period of 1955-56 and details the shortcomings of the same.