Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Over the past 30 years, Indian liberals have shed their values of tolerance, reason and dialogue. The rise of fundamentalism, strident socio-political discourse, and post-modernist individualism also indicate the decline of the liberal ethos. This is a threat to India’s vibrant philosophical liberal tradition
Courtesy: Dipayan Bhattacharjee/Flickr
The reforms of the early 1990s did not bring economic freedom to a majority of the population. That explains a large proportion of the economic and social ills that affect India today. Why is economic life in India of the ‘Taliban type’? Why is illiberal thought still our guiding principle?
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India needs a new liberal party, which trusts markets rather than officials for economic outcomes, and focuses on reform of the institutions of governance. This new party must be accompanied by a recovery of the moral authority of our Constitution, and by individual engagement with everyday politics
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Education is the most in-demand commodity amongst both the rich and the poor in India. Yet, the state is unable to ride this wave to create a more liberal society. If education is the gateway to taking India’s liberal agenda forward, then educational institutions must be free to pursue their own paths
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Inclusive growth means inclusive reforms and equity in economic freedom, which empowers the formal sector as well as the huge informal sector in India. In the social sector, the government must fund beneficiaries, while in the political domain the ‘ruled’ and the ‘rulers’ must be equal
Courtesy: Madhu Amodia
This report examines whether traditional liberalism stands a chance in today’s India, where the individual’s role has been nearly subsumed by a dominant state seeking to be benefactor.
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We cannot have the ‘cowboy capitalism’ that almost brought down the world financial system in 2008, or the abdication of accountability by government institutions. Instead, both the private sector and the government must equally do their parts to create an equitable India to sustain economic growth for generations
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Elections are meant to be a suitable recourse in democracies if citizens feel that the government does not represent them. However, the recent protests in Brazil, Turkey and India show that people feel political classes are too far removed from their every day realities to address their grievances
Courtesy: Semilla Luz/ Flickr
The protests in Brazil, Turkey, Egypt and India are bound by a common thread of grievances against misuse of government power and corruption. These modern protests show a marked decline in government trust, even though may not always have clear objectives
Courtesy: MEAphotogallery/ Flickr
In 2012, Iraq emerged as India’s second largest crude oil supplier thereby shifting focus back on bilateral relations. However, India’s historical and cultural connection with Iraq, as well as common geopolitical concerns, reveal that relations have the potential to go beyond oil