An Economist In The Real World

Kaushik Basu

From late 2009 to mid 2012, Kaushik Basu served as India’s chief economic adviser, reporting to the then finance minister, Pranab Mukherjee. In this book, Basu, an economic theorist with a special interest in development, describes the art of economic policymaking, often drawing on lessons he learnt during his tenure as CEA. Basu describes the mixed success of India’s anti-poverty programmes, and considers the social norms and institutions necessary to foster economic development. In one memorable chapter, he also recounts Indian economic history, enlivening the description of events and facts with a conversational tone and colourful anecdotes.

Penguin Books, 256 pages, Rs 599