Discussion #2         Theme and Guidelines                                                                                                       02. 16. 99

The second discussion session will be held on Thursday, February 18.  You should come prepared with at least TWO pages of TYPED notes for the discussion.   The format for the notes needs to be much the same as was followed for the first discussion. You should try to articulate an ANSWER to the questions posed to you, followed by EVIDENCE.  You may point to page and paragraph numbers of class texts when indicating the evidence.  Discussion notes do not have to be formally written, and will be evaluated for content and not style.  You may use abbreviations and write these up in "note form" as long as you address the theme and subsidiary questions outlined below.  Please come prepared with TWO copies of your notes on the discussion topics.  You will hand one copy of that to me, and use the other to participate in the discussion.

The discussion is meant as a forum where you can present your own INFORMED opinion about the subject you study.  It requires thinking independently about the subject.  You will not find the ANSWERS for the discussion theme or questions in your textbook or notes, only the EVIDENCE, that YOU have to use to formulate your OWN arguments about the subject. There are no RIGHT or WRONG answers in history, only more or less persuasive arguments.  However, no argument can be persuasive unless it is based on adequate factual evidence.

MAIN THEME FOR DISCUSSION: India's Political Economy: 1947-1999

QUESTIONS
1.  What was the logic behind the Nehru's decision that the state should control the "commanding heights" of the economy in India?

2. What sort of problems did this decision create in terms of opportunities for national economic growth as well for the quality of life enjoyed by the Indian people over the last fifty years?

3.  To what extent does "liberalization" offer a solution to the sort of problems you outline above?  For instance, how could/would liberalization help alleviate the any ONE of the problems outlined in the article, "Dregs of Destiny"?

4.  What do you see as the fundamental limitations or drawbacks of advocating economic liberalization as the solution for India's economic and political problems?

5.  How is Sen's idea of "participatory development" different from the "trickle down theory" of economic growth?

6.  Why does Sen claim that the debate between the "pro" and "anti" liberalization advocates is irrelevant in the context of development in India?  Do you think he is jutified in making this argument?

7.  What do you perceive as the most important obstacles towards the realization of participatory development in India?  What do you see as the three most important areas that need change in order to achieve a greater measure of participatory development in India?