LAW AND THE ECONOMY IN INDIA Paperback

Law and the Economy in India: Before Independence and After" by Tirthankar Roy and Anand V. Swamy offers a comprehensive and critical examination of the interplay between India's legal system and its economic development over 250 years. The book traces the evolution of British-Indian law, highlighting how it was shaped to serve colonial interests, particularly in tax collection, trade facilitation, and regime stability. It then meticulously analyzes how, post-independence, the Indian state adopted a more interventionist approach, seeking economic growth, equity, and poverty reduction, often through policies and laws that have had a complex and sometimes stifling impact on economic progress. This insightful volume provides a unique historical narrative, arguing that an often-inefficient legal infrastructure has been a significant impediment to India's full economic potential, while also acknowledging the legal system's origins in addressing societal issues like inequality and poverty.