The Forum of Free Enterprise is a non-political organization founded in 1956 by A. D. Shroff, and has been 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 ‘The State of the Nation: The four costly Failures’ is authored by N.A. Palkhivala and published in 1982. The author talks about the deteriorating condition of law and order in the country. He criticises the lack of concern for public good and public property.He comments on the moral degradation of the society and rising crimes in the country. He highlights the four costly failures of the country i.e. failure to maintain law and order, failure to use the full potential of the economy, failure to make human investment and failure to provide moral leadership. He then elucidates the condition of poverty and education levels in the country. He focuses on how moral leadership is on the decline and people are disenchanted with the state of affairs.