The importance of social peace for economic development: an empirical argument

On March 6, Dr. Manmohan Singh, India’s former Prime Minister, wrote an Op-Ed piece for The Hindu in which he noted that India had become majoritarian state in economic despair. “No amount of tweaking of tax rates, showering of corporate incentives or goading will propel Indian or foreign businesses to invest, when the risk of eruption of sudden violence in one’s neighbourhood looms large,” he wrote in one of the article’s most striking passages. We build on that argument in this episode of In Focus and explore the link between social harmony and development from a political economy perspective.

Guest: Irfan Nooruddin: Director of the South Asia Centre of the Atlantic Council and professor, Georgetown University

Write to us with comments or feedback at socmed4@thehindu.co.in.

Also read: India has slid to being a majoritarian state in economic despair, writes Manmohan Singh

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