Book review: B.P. Mathur, An Alternative Philosophy of Development: From Economism to Human Well-being
| DOI | 10.1177/0019556118820407 |
| Published date | 01 March 2019 |
| Date | 01 March 2019 |
| Subject Matter | Book Reviews |
Book Reviews 255
B.P. Mathur, An Alternative Philosophy of Development: From Economism
to Human Well-being (South Asia Edition). New Delhi: Routledge
Taylor & Francis Group, 2017, 850 pp., `248. ISBN: 978-1-138-28288-9
(hardbound), 978-1-315-38874-8 (e-book).
DOI:10.1177/0019556118820407
B.P. Mathur, a former civil servant with extensive experience of working with the
government, has written several books on a variety of themes, though interrelated
in many ways, on governance, ethics, finance and economics, and of late environ-
ment and philosophy. This is the latest contribution penned by this well read and
widely read author.
In this book, he ventures out to have a dig at contemporary economic policy
prescription around the world, though all chapters, except the second chapter in
the first part, are largely around Indian scene. Government of India is addressed
almost throughout the work though work is posed as of universal appeal. Chapters
not addressed to India also veer around Indian facts and/or Indian ethos. He tries
to get free from India for addressing a larger audience but rarely gets free from
India and compellingly gets to address Indians and the governments in India,
especially Government of India.
The book is divided into four parts, besides a chapter as sort of prologue with
the title ‘India’s culture and civilizational ethos and challenge of development’,
which ends with the hint that socio-economic problems facing India calls for an
alternative model of development. He verily says, ‘Only a model rooted in India’s
cultural and civilizational ethos, which takes into account not only material but also
psychological and spiritual dimensions of human beings, can provide a satisfied,
fulfilling and happy life to people.’
However, all chapters of the first part find fault with neo-liberal policies which
the Government of India followed from the mid-1980s of the past century and
seek solution in the same prescription. However, both liberal and neo-liberal poli-
cies are rooted in the Western ideology—may be two extreme ends of a capitalist
continuum. None of them is in Indian traditions as delineated by the author in
this very book. Liberal and neo-liberal policies seek material progress; they differ
on distribution but not on production and not on consumption. Here is where the
author falls in trap. But, if we ignore this deep limitation, a few technical nuances
and a few inner theoretical contradictions, the chapters in this part are superb
commentary on different facets of Indian economy—be it agriculture or industry,
be it education or health, be it public finance or foreign trade. They are a ‘must
read’ for a student of economic affairs of India whether one agrees with him or not.
The second part sets out to be a critique of the current economic ideology of
capitalism which, under the garb of free market, promotes growth but ends up
promoting inequality, which is not posed as a part of its original agenda but culmi-
nates into this logical conclusion—notwithstanding Kuznets’ reading of Western
economic history. He also points out that mindless pursuit of growth creates eco-
logical issues of disastrous proportions. But as I said earlier, he would find occa-
sion to slip into contemporary Indian scenario time and again, in which he brings
in Gunnar Myrdal’s description of India as a ‘soft state’ as if it is for the softness
of state, not by design, where he finds himself comfortable to deal with. He deals
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