Unpolitically Correct: The Politics and Economics of Governance

India is staring at frightening inequality, with 1 per cent of its population holding the lion’s share of wealth. In Unpolitically Correct, former senior bureaucrat Satya Mohanty provocatively questions if inequality is inevitable and whether the poor are made to pay the price of an avowedly pro-rich policy sweep. This book takes an iconoclastic and irreverent look at thoughts, beliefs, practices and their impact. The author challenges the view that our economic policies are progressive and instead suggests that they are designed to create a designated class of winners and losers. He examines issues related to inequality, health, education, banking, insurance and employment from a radically different perspective. He dissects the narratives perpetuated by successive governments as well as a part of academia and the media. He busts myths about our economy and wealth creators. Mohanty warns us about the dangers of overlooking the visible signs of a sustained economic slowdown and also the increasing fiscal stress on both central and state finances. He tells us how overemphasis on privatization without prioritizing efficiency and equity can have disastrous consequences. Overall, the book offers a different approach to the politics and economics of governance, one that can put India on the path of equitable growth.