The 65 million question

Summary

This two-page clipping from The Economist’s March 20, 1971 issue examines Indira Gandhi’s landslide electoral victory and the responsibilities created by her commanding parliamentary majority. The article argues that the collapse of the opposition has removed the immediate threat of legislative obstruction, while warning that concentrated power requires democratic checks and effective administration. It identifies the upper house and the continued rule of non-Congress coalitions in six states as possible constraints, with West Bengal presented as the most urgent political test.

The article’s central economic concern is whether Mrs Gandhi can convert electoral authority into results. It notes rising prices, unemployment, and losses in state industries, and argues that public expectations will not tolerate the slow, indecisive style associated with Jawaharlal Nehru’s Congress. The piece concludes by urging an effective programme of land reform and faster industrial growth, while acknowledging that the opportunity created by the election may not recur.