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India's Big Government-The Intrusive State and How It is Hurting Us

Jan 16, 2017

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I am writing this sitting at a lounge at the Heathrow Airport in London.

It's 2 degrees centigrade outside. Though inside the Airport it feels just like Mumbai does in January. Just the right temperate which doesn't make you sweat. Though everyone around me is wearing heavy woollen clothes, I am in a t-shirt.

Guess living in Mumbai does that to you. You hate both warm clothes and cold weather.

And after many months I am enjoying my early morning coffee. So, what if it's machine made standard stuff which on occasion does taste like mud water. But today it doesn't. Or maybe my taste buds are just "comfortably numb".

Dear Reader, you must be wondering why am I blabbering away like this, instead of getting to the point. You might think it's all the complimentary alcohol that I must have had on the flight to London, which has made me rather tipsy. Nah, not really!

It's just that after many mornings I haven't woken up stressed, even though I barely slept in the flight to London. And that's because the book I was writing for almost the past one year is finally over. It's been written, it's been edited and it's even been published. It's out of my system and isn't eating me anymore.

I got the first hardback copy of the book on January 13, 2017. Friday, the Thirteenth. Not a terribly auspicious day, if you believe in Western superstition. But we Indians have enough our own superstition, so guess the Western ones don't really bother us.

Hence, the book came to me on just another random day. And it's titled India's Big Government-The Intrusive State and How It is Hurting Us.

Here is how the front cover of the book, designed by the famous cartoonist Manjul, looks like.

India's Big Government-The Intrusive State and How It is Hurting Us

Here is how we describe the book on its cover:

  • In India's Big Government, Vivek Kaul questions the apparently honest intentions under the garb of which the government approaches its policy-making and implementation.

    Whether its infrastructure, primary education, agriculture, manufacturing and industry, banking, taxation, employment, labour or welfare, Kaul holds the mirror up to modern Indian governments ever since Independence.

    And it's not a pretty image to behold.

    He delves deep and covers a lot of ground in making the case for an India that does not deserve the government that it has, an ambitious government with a questionable track record and one which Indians have quietly accepted till date.

    But things may be reaching a tipping point now, and Kaul convincingly makes the case that the government needs to totally reform itself before it leads India to disaster.

    India's Big Government is a must read for anyone who has an interest in India's, and therefore their own, future.

Oh, and there is more to it. The readers of Equitymaster can get an autographed hardback copy of the book, which will not be available anywhere else. I shall post the details of this offer and how you can go about getting an exclusive hardback copy of India's Big Government, in the days to come.

Watch this space!

Vivek Kaul is the Editor of the Diary and The Vivek Kaul Letter. Vivek is a writer who has worked at senior positions with the Daily News and Analysis (DNA) and The Economic Times, in the past. He is the author of the Easy Money trilogy. The latest book in the trilogy Easy Money: The Greatest Ponzi Scheme Ever and How It Is Set to Destroy the Global Financial System was published in March 2015. The books were bestsellers on Amazon. His writing has also appeared in The Times of India, The Hindu, The Hindu Business Line, Business World, Business Today, India Today, Business Standard, Forbes India, Deccan Chronicle, The Asian Age, Mutual Fund Insight, Wealth Insight, Swarajya, Bangalore Mirror among others.

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9 Responses to "India's Big Government-The Intrusive State and How It is Hurting Us"

JPM

Jan 20, 2018

"In all of history, no government became more honest, less corrupt, or respected its citizen's rights more as it grew in size." - Martin Armstrong.

Like (2)

Puneet Dubey

Jan 23, 2017

Good

Like (2)

Dileep Brahme

Jan 18, 2017

I will be interested to read the book, provided it does not confuse personal Political views with economics. Its unfortunate that the above article does not include a jist of each chapter in at list 8-10 lines.In my interaction with many foreigners & the Indians who worked abroad for different nations for years together (not just for few weeks assignments) commonly point out that what we Indians lack is Accountability of actions,justifications on what we speak & zeal to find solutions that can be implemented as a basic minimum programme. It will be treat if the book evaluates Nehruvian Mixed Economy, Shastrijis self governance to cut down expenditure & self reliance, Indiraji's leadership for 10 years without Financial Planning & borrowing Mega-Loan from IMF, PSU Bank nationalization, PV Narsimh Raos Calibarated opening of Economy, Rajivjis penchant for Foreign Investments to develop islands, Ataljis short spell & tackling Inflation. ManMohanjis first 5 years opening the economy. Manmohanji next 5 years enumerable scams/ leadership surrender. Its dent on economy that left Army without ammunition, Navys modernisation plans disabled, IAF negotiating purchases for more than 10 years. All owing to empty Government coffers in spite of capable & loyal Finance/Defence ministers like P Chidambaram, Pranavdaa. I look forward to read the learned analysis & positive solutions outlined by scholar like Mr Kaul.

Like (2)

Sharon Ishika Ghose

Jan 17, 2017

Well done for having started off the year with your book being published. That is great!
Will try and buy a copy of the book

Like (2)

Subir Ghosh

Jan 17, 2017

9163420560
I am looking forward to reading this book. Yes, we have made a mess of the opportunities we had but failed to capitalise on. It has been so right from the beginning after we got our independence. There have been brief intervals of doing the right thing at the right time. I am eager to read Vivek's view of how we can turn around things.

Like (2)

Ravinder K A

Jan 16, 2017

Dear Mr.Kaul
I like your writing/s.They are really eye openers.I fail to understand the psychology of general public who seem to be living in a fools paradise.Hope your writing/s will open a few people'eyes.

regards
Ravinder

Like (2)

Esmail Godhrawala

Jan 16, 2017

INDIAN GOVERNMENT IS A TOTAL MESS. IT HAS BECOME TOO LARGE & DANGEROUS FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF THE NATION WHICH IT WAS SUPPOSE TO RULE DEMOCRATICALLY. IT IS EATING THE HANDS THAT FEED IT. POWER OF THE SEAT HAS GONE TO THE HEADS OF THE RULERS WHO ARE BEHAVING LIKE KINGS WHO CONSIDER ALL OTHERS AS BELOW THEM IN DIGNITY & KNOWLEDGE.
THE GOVERNMENT IS TOTALLY CLUELESS AS TO HOW TO MANAGE THE HUGE POPULATION AND ITS GROWING PROBLEMS WHICH ARE RESULT OF LACK OF PROPER INFRASTRUCTURE & FAILURE IN PROVIDING BASIC FACILITIES FOR EASING DAILY GRIND OF THE WORKING PEOPLE IT RULES & COLLECTS TAXES.
IF ONLY THE GOVERNMENT BRINGS DRASTIC CHANGES IN THE CURRENT EDUCATION SYSTEM FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS WHICH FOCUS TO LEARN SELF CONTENTMENT & GANDHIAN PRINCIPALS FOR PEACEFUL LIFE. SECOND IT SHOULD REVAMP THE LEGAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WHICH CAN DISPENSE QUICK & CLEAN JUDGMENTS & PUNISH THE GUILTY WITHOUT WASTING TIME OF THE COURT OR JUSTICE SEEKER. THIRDLY IT SHOULD START COLLECTING FAIR TAX FROM AGRICULTURIST WHO HAVE MORE THAN 2 ACRES OF LAND, SINCE MORE THAN 80% OF LARGE FARMERS ARE CORRUPT POLITICIANS, THEIR FAMILIES, BUSINESSMEN, BLACK MONEY LAUNDERERS WHO EASILY EVADE TAX NET & FILE BOGUS AGRICULTURE INCOMES TO TUNES OF MORE THAN 1 LAKH CRORES EVERY YEAR.

Like (2)

Bharat

Jan 16, 2017

Me Kaul
Writing a book and running the country that too India are tooled apart. I will read your book when added in our condominium library and there after revert back on the subject.
Bharat

Like (1)

Budhi

Jan 16, 2017

People want big government , that is their only hope , nothing else matters .

Like (1)
  
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