Whose India Is It?
The Unequal Republic The forests belong to corporations. The rivers are opened for business. The mountains are mined. The cities are sold as dreams. And the people? They are told to be grateful. India is the world’s largest democracy, yet democracy means little when economic power, social privilege and political influence remain concentrated in the hands of a few. The country’s greatest inequality is not simply the difference between the rich and the poor. It is the difference between those who have the power to decide and those who are forced to live with those decisions. A farmer can cultivate the land but struggle to control his livelihood. A worker can build a city but remain unable to afford the city he built. A young person can be told that education is the road to success while watching opportunities disappear behind economic privilege, social networks and unequal access. And this inequality is not only economic. The upper caste inherits privilege. The poor inherit insecuri...