Publisher's Synopsis
This book looks at the broad sweep of Indian history to provide a wide-ranging, novel and controversial interpretation of the evolution of Indian society, its economy and its politics. It argues that to understand India's current economic problems it is necessary to examine the demographic, ecological and political conditions in which the ancient Hindus fashioned a social and economic equilibrium that has remained relatively stable - despite repeated attempts to change it - for thousands of years.;By providing explanations for the resilience of its social and cultural system, the book tries to show how, despite its failure to achieve its full economic potential, India has remained a relatively open and democratic society. It therefore provides an appraisal of the past and a diagnosis of current Indian social and political problems which is at variance with conventional wisdom.;The second volume of "The Hindu Equilibrium" is subtitled "Aspects of Indian Labour". Narrower in scope than the first volume, it is a technical study of Indian labour markets and economic development.