Eating beef was a dividing line between Hindus and Muslims in India. In 1857, the Indian rebellion started over rumors that rifle cartridges were being greased with beef fat. By independence, the cow became regarded as a crucial part of not only the Hindu identity, but also the Indian identity.
Cows are venerated in India, but precisely how intensely often depends on politics. And being venerated does not necessarily yield a pleasant life for the creatures. Economists rarely consider how policies will affect birth rates and the yet-to-be-born; we examine the thorny topic of “population ethics”. And foreign-language phrasebooks may be in decline but they maintain huge historical value.
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