Equality and inequality: theory and practice

This book is the outcome of a project sponsored by the Indian
Council of Social Science Research which also made financial
contributions towards the preparation of the individual papers
which constitute its chapters. I would like to thank the Council on
behalf of my colleagues and on my own behalf for its generous
assistance.
The idea behind the book came from Mr J.P. Naik. Having
failed to bully me, he succeeded in coaxing me into undertaking
the project. It grieves me that he did not live to see the book
completed, for he was more confident than I was at first that it
would in fact be completed. By the time the manuscript was ready
for the press, he was already critically ill, but it was characteristic of
him that when I wrote to him about it, he replied by return of post
that he was getting better and that he would translate the book into
Marathi.
My colleagues showed much patience and forbearance even
when I pushed them hard about deadlines and insisted on cuts in
order to keep the size within limits. I have learnt much from them,
and I would like to thank them all for their kindness and their
courtesy. I am much obliged to Mr Vinay Srivastava, Lecturer in
Sociology, Hindu College, for preparing the Index.