Dr. K.N. Raj
Aug 9th 2010, Prabhat Patnaik
In a tribute to Dr. K.N. Raj the author remembers him as an iconic figure, a giant of a person both in terms of intellect and humanity. He notes that a shift in Dr. Raj's overall trend of thought from an emphasis on constraints on the supply side to the problem of demand is one of his most outstanding, but little-known, contributions.
Fiscal Policy and Global Growth
Jul 27th 2010, C.P. Chandrasekhar and Jayati Ghosh
Across the world governments are debating whether it is time to exit from their fiscal response to the global crisis and return to austerity and fiscal consolidation. This may be premature, since the question whether there was indeed such a generalized and adequate fiscal response that triggered a recovery remains unanswered.
A Man of Quality
Jun 23rd 2010, Prabhat Patnaik
In this tribute, Jyoti Basu is remembered as a person who combined three qualities: “naturalness”; complete freedom from “cheapness”, duplicity and mendacity; and faith in the masses, in full measure. He also had that rare intellectual courage, which enables a person to unite even against one's bitterest opponents when the interests of the people so demands.
The Good News about Health in West Bengal
Jun 15th 2010, C.P. Chandrasekhar and Jayati Ghosh
This article shows how the state of West Bengal has recently experienced some of the fastest improvements in basic health indicators among all the major states in the country. It is argued that these recent improvements are attributable to the general improvement in institutional conditions in the countryside, the extension of better sanitation facilities to rural areas, as well as the implementation of targeted schemes for maternal nutrition.
The Travails of the Rupee
Apr 15th 2010, C.P. Chandrasekhar and Jayati Ghosh
The significant appreciation of the rupee in recent months, driven by a surge in foreign portfolio capital inflows, has revived old and generated new problems for macroeconomic management. This signals once again that the need is not for further capital account liberalisation but for the imposition of additional controls on the cross-border flows of capital.
FDI and the Balance of Payments in the 2000s
Mar 10th 2010, C.P. Chandrasekhar and Jayati Ghosh
The most quoted indicator of the success of economic reform is the noticeable rise in the inflow of foreign direct investment during the last decade and a half. However, the available Indian evidence on the performance of foreign direct investment companies suggests that their balance of payments consequences are adverse.
Controlling Food Prices
Feb 23rd 2010, C.P. Chandrasekhar and Jayati Ghosh
Food price inflation is one of the most critical economic problems in the country today, and the ability to control these prices quickly and effectively is one of the main bases on which people will judge the performance of this government. This article examines the recent pattern of inflation in important food items and considers the possible causes, including the growing distribution margins.
The Crisis and Employment in Asia
Feb 15th 2010, C.P. Chandrasekhar and Jayati Ghosh
Despite scepticism about its sustainability, evidence shows that the crisis of 2008-09 has bottomed out and a recovery is likely, driven by the fiscal stimulus offered by governments across the world. But figures from the ILO indicate that the impact of the stimulus on employment appears uneven, with export dependent economies in Asia too adversely affected.
Are we Heading for Another Global Primary Commodity Price Surge?
Jan 13th 2010, C.P. Chandrasekhar and Jayati Ghosh
Following the unprecedented volatility of global commodity prices in 2007-08, it was widely predicted that the global economic crisis would generate a dampening effect on such prices. But the recent revival of prices especially in some commodities suggests that this perception may be premature. Examining recent trends in global commodity prices and the reasons behind them, the article assesses the prospects for prices in the immediate future.
Cloud over Islamic Banking
Dec 26th 2009, C.P. Chandrasekhar and Jayati Ghosh
The large surpluses which accumulated with West Asian oil exporters after the 1970s generated a demand for financial products that were sharia-compliant. The Islamic financial industry, which grew as a result, was seen as a different and safer component of the global financial sector. But the Dubai World debacle and much else suggests that these judgments were not warranted.
The Recovery in Asia
Nov 18th 2009, C.P. Chandrasekhar and Jayati Ghosh
Asia's recovery from the crisis has been remarkable, with the aggregate evidence from the region pointing to a V-shaped growth trajectory since the onset of the crisis. While fiscal stimulus in some countries, especially China, has been crucial both nationally and regionally, the role of the revival in credit-financed private demand should not be ignored.
Service Exports in Developing Asia
Sep 10th 2009, C.P. Chandrasekhar and Jayati Ghosh
Trade in services has become an important source of foreign exchange in many Asian developing countries. But it is widely expected that they would also be adversely affected by the global recession because a significant proportion of service trade is destined towards the banking and financial services industry of the US market alone. However, the tourism industry so far does not show any definitive evidence of declining trends, although there are some changes in the geographical pattern of tourist arrivals.
The Threat of Drought-driven Inflation
Aug 24th 2009, C.P. Chandrasekhar and Jayati Ghosh
With the government having declared that the country is faced with a drought, attention has turned to predicting the severity of its many effects. This article discusses the likely impact of reduced agricultural production on food prices, and therefore on real incomes and poverty incidence.
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