Making Economics More Accessible

Economics of Real-Life: A New Exposition by C T Kurien, New Delhi: Academic Foundation, 2018; pp 249, ₹ 995 (hardcover).

The Indian economy has been one of the fastest-growing economies in the last 15 years and has become an important standard by which to compare the development of other national economies. The successful transition to a high-growth economy has been discussed regularly in the mass media and used as a platform for election campaigns by political parties. However, this coverage has rarely focused on the structural imbalances in India’s growth model such as increasing inequality, agrarian distress and lack of social security for informal workers. While governments have been celebrating their achievements in bringing growth, urban development, global products and modern jobs, few have focused on the social and ecological consequences of these changes. Economics of Real-Life by C T Kurien comes at an important junction, where more people need to be informed about the economy’s structure and the consequences of the high-growth model being followed in India.