Explaining India's middle class failure

The September 2007 issue of Prospect magazine has an interesting cover story on India's middle class failure. As Tom Nuttall explains in the magazine's weblog, First Draft:

the September issue ..marks the 60th anniversary of Indian independence by asking an uncomfortable question of India’s new middle class - why is it so uninterested in politics and social justice?

In our cover story, Chakravarthi Ram-Prasad argues that aspects of India’s history and culture have helped shape a middle class - easiest the biggest in the world - that is largely apathetic about politics and the 300m Indians living in extreme poverty.

Ram-Prasad argues that although "there are now effective movements of marginalised groups and opportunistic social coalitions in many states", until the middle class begins to engage politically, India will suffer from a lop-sided modernisation.

It's an interesting read. I attach a PDF version. Also worth reading are the comments on the weblog post cited above.

Comments

[GVV]

Ever since the launching of the New Economic Policies, the middle classes are having a good time in India.These neo-rich people are mad after a consumption spree.With snob, Veblen and bandwagon effects,their consumption has surpassed all limits making the life of the poor miserable.There are IT children and IT parents who lead luxurious living.With no interest in real productive investment they engage in unproductive consumption without any political-social leniance.

[Blissex]

But why should they not do that? These noveau riches have no stake in their country, as almost all their sales are abroad, and if things go bad they can always emigrate fairly easily. In effect they are living off first world business in a third world country, and they are living the good life of expatriates. This in a country where the distance between the immensely wealthy and predatory elites and the poor ryots has been always enormous and unremarkable.

[Mouli]

China-India comparisons just come across any basic discussion on countries or economies. The BRIC clubbing has done more harm to India than good. There's a very interesting article at http://www.publicrelationsindia.blogspot.com/.

[shromon das]

do visit my blog at http://shromondas.blogspot.com/ for similar discourses on finance and economics

regards,

shromon das