India in crisis

Seth's thesis is that the present Il crisis is essentially political. om this one fact stem India's multiple crises-crisis of economic stagflation, unemployment, and in creasing norms, pauperization; crisis of values, and standards of conduct; crisis of decision-making; and, above all, the cultural crisis of the power elite. The result is that all the three important institutional arrangements of running a state-the government, regime, and the system are in an advanced stage of deterioration because the distinc tion between politics, power, and purpose is lost. And the current chaos is the death rattle in the throat of a dying system.

At the root of it all, the author confidently feels, lies black money which gives rise to black politics. Since this state of affairs, Dr Sethi argues, has been brought about by the elite-political, bureaucratic, and business-either it is they who can reform themselves, or they, along with the system, sooner or later, must face the wrath of the masses. The great advantage of this book, apart from the fact that it is certain y the first one to make an in-depth analysis of the contemporary deplo rable political scene, is the author's firm grasp of political affairs and economics. Not only does he dissect the political motives behind the elite's actions but also gives econo mic reasons for why they must con tinue to behave the way they do unless fundamental changes are made in the system.