IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/reorpe/v56y2024i3p380-404.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

India’s Economic Growth since the 1980s and the Role of the State: An Alternative Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Saswata Guha Thakurata

Abstract

It is imperative to explore the contribution of the Indian state to the country’s impressive long-term growth performance during the free-market era, given the looming demand deficiency problem arising from this iniquitous growth process. Drawing on Marx’s idea of circuit of capital, this article investigates the various ways in which the state contributes to the process of accumulation and economic growth, especially in the context of India during the period of market-oriented reforms. Additionally, this study aims to trace the changing nature of interventions of the Indian state to ascertain the domain and extent of its withdrawal and continued presence. Furthermore, it investigates the interventions undertaken by the Indian state to sustain or cushion the growth momentum at times of economic downturn during the free-market era. JEL Classification : B51, E62, O11, P16

Suggested Citation

  • Saswata Guha Thakurata, 2024. "India’s Economic Growth since the 1980s and the Role of the State: An Alternative Perspective," Review of Radical Political Economics, Union for Radical Political Economics, vol. 56(3), pages 380-404, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:reorpe:v:56:y:2024:i:3:p:380-404
    DOI: 10.1177/04866134241232492
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/04866134241232492
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/04866134241232492?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kaushik Basu & Annemie Maertens, 2007. "The pattern and causes of economic growth in India," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 23(2), pages 143-167, Summer.
    2. Debi Prasad Bal & Badri Narayan Rath, 2018. "Do Macroeconomics Channels Matter for Examining Relationship Between Public Debt and Economic Growth in India?," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 16(1), pages 121-142, December.
    3. Shakuntala Das, 2015. "Growing Informality, Gender Equality and the Role of Fiscal Policy in the Face of the Current Economic Crisis: Evidence from the Indian Economy," International Journal of Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(4), pages 277-295, October.
    4. Ashima Goyal & Bhavyaa Sharma, 2015. "Government expenditure in India: Composition, cyclicality and multipliers," Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai Working Papers 2015-032, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai, India.
    5. Panagariya, Arvind, 2011. "India: The Emerging Giant," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199751563.
    6. Zhang, Tao & Zou, Heng-fu, 2001. "The growth impact of intersectoral and intergovernmental allocation of public expenditure: With applications to China and India," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 58-81.
    7. Erik S. Reinert, 1999. "The role of the state in economic growth," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 26(4/5), pages 268-326, August.
    8. Das Gupta,Chirashree, 2016. "State and Capital in Independent India," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107102248, November.
    9. Asit Mohanty & Suresh Kumar Patra & Satyendra Kumar & Avipsa Mohanty, 2016. "An Empirical Analysis of Effect of Public Debt on Economic Growth in India in the Post-Reform Era," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 6(11), pages 692-705.
    10. Jamee Moudud & Karl Botchway, 2008. "The Search for a New Developmental State," International Journal of Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(3), pages 5-26.
    11. Chirashree Das Gupta, 2010. "Globalisation, corporate legal liability and big business houses in India," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 34(5), pages 895-913.
    12. Ramesh Chandra, 2004. "Government Size and Economic Growth:An Investigation of Causality in India," Indian Economic Review, Department of Economics, Delhi School of Economics, vol. 39(2), pages 295-314, july.
    13. Barry Bosworth & Susan M. Collins, 2008. "Accounting for Growth: Comparing China and India," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 22(1), pages 45-66, Winter.
    14. Montek S. Ahluwalia, 2002. "Economic Reforms in India Since 1991: Has Gradualism Worked?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 16(3), pages 67-88, Summer.
    15. Asit Mohanty & Suresh Kumar Patra & Satyendra Kumar & Avipsa Mohanty, 2016. "An Empirical Analysis of Effect of Public Debt on Economic Growth in India in the Post-Reform Era," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 6(11), pages 692-705, November.
    16. T. N. Srinivasan & Suresh D. Tendulkar, 2003. "Reintegrating India with the World Economy," Peterson Institute Press: All Books, Peterson Institute for International Economics, number 98, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ashok Kotwal & Bharat Ramaswami & Wilima Wadhwa, 2011. "Economic Liberalization and Indian Economic Growth: What's the Evidence?," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 49(4), pages 1152-1199, December.
    2. repec:kqi:journl:2018-2-1-2 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Albert Berry, 2018. "India’s 1970s-1990s Step-wise Growth Acceleration: Causes and Impacts," Journal of Development Innovations, KarmaQuest International, vol. 2(1), pages 14-38, May.
    4. Singh, Nirvikar, 2008. "India’s Development Strategy: Accidents, Design and Replicability," MPRA Paper 12453, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Laura Alfaro & Anusha Chari, 2009. "India Transformed? Insights from the Firm Level 1988-2005," Harvard Business School Working Papers 10-030, Harvard Business School.
    6. Mesquita Moreira, Mauricio, 2010. "India: Latin America's Next Big Thing?," IDB Publications (Books), Inter-American Development Bank, number 413, December.
    7. Peter E. Robertson, 2012. "Deciphering the Hindu growth epic," Indian Growth and Development Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 5(1), pages 51-69, April.
    8. Rohit Lamba & Arvind Subramanian, 2020. "Dynamism with Incommensurate Development: The Distinctive Indian Model," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 34(1), pages 3-30, Winter.
    9. Erumban, Abdul Azeez & Das, Deb Kusum & Aggarwal, Suresh & Das, Pilu Chandra, 2019. "Structural change and economic growth in India," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 186-202.
    10. Nomoto, Takaaki, 2016. "Rainfall Variability and Macroeconomic Performance:A Case Study of India, 1952–2013," MPRA Paper 71976, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Chari, Murali D.R. & Banalieva, Elitsa R., 2015. "How do pro-market reforms impact firm profitability? The case of India under reform," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 357-367.
    12. Dani Rodrik & Arvind Subramanian, 2005. "From "Hindu Growth" to Productivity Surge: The Mystery of the Indian Growth Transition," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 52(2), pages 193-228, September.
    13. Siddiqur Osmani, 2009. "Explaining Growth in South Asia," Chapters, in: Gary McMahon & Hadi Salehi Esfahani & Lyn Squire (ed.), Diversity in Economic Growth, chapter 3, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    14. Ashoka Mody & Anusha Nath & Michael Walton, 2010. "Sources of Corporate Profits in India - Business Dynamism or Advantages of Entrenchment?," CID Working Papers 212, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    15. Kaushik Basu & Annemie Maertens, 2007. "The pattern and causes of economic growth in India," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 23(2), pages 143-167, Summer.
    16. Poonam Gupta & Rana Hasan & Utsav Kumar, "undated". "What Constrains Indian Manufacturing?," Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, New Delhi Working Papers 211, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, New Delhi, India.
    17. Lee, Boon L. & Rao, D.S. Prasada & Shepherd, William, 2007. "Comparisons of real output and productivity of Chinese and Indian manufacturing, 1980-2002," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(1), pages 378-416, September.
    18. Avigyan Sengupta & Saikat Sinha Roy, 2018. "India’s trade policy: Which way now?," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 45(2), pages 129-145, June.
    19. Eswar S. Prasad, 2011. "Rebalancing Growth in Asia," International Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(1), pages 27-66, April.
    20. Eckhard Siggel & Pradeep Agrawal, 2009. "The Impact Of Economic Reforms On Indian Manufacturers : Evidence From A Small Sample Survey," Development Economics Working Papers 22930, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research.
    21. Kevin Nell, 2012. "Demand-led versus supply-led growth transitions," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(4), pages 713-748.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    free-market; Indian state; economic growth; accumulation; circuit of capital;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B51 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - Current Heterodox Approaches - - - Socialist; Marxian; Sraffian
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:reorpe:v:56:y:2024:i:3:p:380-404. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.urpe.org/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.