The Face You Were Afraid to See: Essays On the Indian Economy

by Bhaduri, Amit

The face you were afraid to see: Essays on the Indian economy by Amit Bhaduri is an important book of essays that examines India’s present economic and political reality. This reality, Bhaduri argues, is characterized by a frightening chasm that separates the urban, prosperous classes from the teeming impoverished sections in the hinterland. What is of considerable import is the role that the State plays in widening this chasm. Bhaduri maintains that in a globalized India, the welfare State has transformed itself into the protector of the rights of large corporations. On their behalf, it has taken on the responsibility of gobbling up large tracts of land, and unleashing an unequal development that has brought in its wake the displacement of the poor, destruction of livelihoods and the steady corporatization of agriculture. The media and the middle class also do their bit to sustain this cunning game for the sake of ‘progress’.

One of India’s foremost theoretical economists, Amit Bhaduri, contends that we have abjectly surrendered to the conventional wisdom of our time—that there is no alternative to corporations and the type of globalization that they lead. The result, he warns, will not be a freer market and more freedom, but a disastrous and deepening chasm between the of privilege and the of crushing poverty.

The Face You were Afraid to See is a collection of compellingly argued essays that draws attention to the other that we turn away from. Fiercely critical of financial liberalization, corporate-led globalization and neoliberalism that celebrate unregulated free trade, the essays together make for a forceful critique of India’s economic policies.

Genres: Economics, Nonfiction

218 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2009

Reviews

[Riku Sayuj · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of anti-capitalist essays that advocate a more inclusive planning environment. Gets a bit repetitive after the first couple of essays.

The point being made is that once high-speed economic development starts with a part of the population not being included in that growth, they become more and more marginalized as they serve no function either as consumers or as producers - eventually their votes will also tend to have less and less power as the real voting that influences growth happens with credit cards instead of at polling booths (and in any case votes count less when you are voting to choose the lesser of the evils available as options).

It is a good book but could have been better tied together to avoid the incessant repetition of the same statistics and thoughts.

[Rishabh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, thought-proviking, and yet lacking a sense of concreteness and empirical justifications.

Bhaduri's model of development advocates for:

1. Full employment through the extension of MNREGA like scheme in the urban areas
2. The repletion of FRBM Act 2003, which will provide sufficient fiscal freedom to the state to sponsor such a scheme
3. More financial and political autonomy to the village panchayat
4. Reduce reliance on exports and instead focus on increasing the domestic demand, altering the output composition to favor the poor
5. A small-scale, labor-intensive, and environment friendly mode of industrialization with a particular focus on the land rights of tribal and marginalized communities


All of these are suggestions that can be pretty commonly found in today's leftist economic literature. The real problem is not the ideation but the execution of such a system. Can such a system be ever feasible in a globalized market-driven world economy? What about the sustainability of such a system that will inevitably lead to an ever increasing government debt? Does India's political class have enough incentive to bring about such radical transformation?

Bhaduri's essays allude but do not deal with these questions in depth.

[MB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction to developmental economic for anyone interested in studying that. Very readable and very valid arguments.

[Zoya Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Critical essays for beginners in development economics.

[Mahender Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Escapism of Indian state towards its glaring problems, especially it's basic duty towards the poor, the down trodden , the tribal, is beautifully exposed.

[Palash Bansal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a collection of´essays written by arguably one of the best minds of India at present. The motive of the essays was to make the reader realize a background, painted with the sweat and blood of the poor people who are providing us with food and are themselves dying of hunger and despair. Behind the beautification of the metropolitan cities who are rapidly being transformed into mega-cities, there lies a stark reality of farmer committing suicides and millions living in sub human conditions.
The author brings out the mode of development that the government is following to propagate the messages of International forums of IMF and World Bank. The evidences cited by the author does make an impression in one's mind.
Many of the arguments presented are discussed in greater detail in the authors book 'Development with Dignity'. Many of the facts and analysis were repeated again and agan in different essays and to some extent puts the reader off a bit.
While opposing capitalism in any discussion I do sometimes fall short of words when someone points out that before the 1991 reforms too, the condition of the Indian poor especially the agricultural laborers was miserable. After reading this book also I haven't been able to reach a satisfactory conclusion. The type of industrialization proposed by the author is certainly economically sound but I doubt the government will be bold enough to implement them especially because the stakes are so high.

[Vipin Sirigiri · Rating 2 out of 5]

rant on Capitalism - check
rant on Neo-liberalism - check
try to speak passionately about Tribals and Dalits rights - check
use the same bloody argument and stats across all the essays - double check.
provide and elaborate on alternate models - nope, not found!

[Rajat Bansal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here's the link to my book review blog regarding this book

[Anmol Basnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the people by the people , I hope this book finds it's way into the hands of politicians , bureaucrats ,industrialists and the young generation alike.