Why Are Some Indian states More Developed? Evidence from Existing Theories

• In Event: Decentralization and Sub-National Development

Abstract

The question of why some countries and regions enjoy better living conditions than others has attracted the attention of scholars across the social sciences for decades. In fact, some of the most influential works of political economy of India have revolved around this question. Explanations have ranged from the level in public investment during the colonial period to the role of social democratic parties to the nature of land tenure systems. There is no doubt that these studies provide valuable empirical and theoretical insights and form the building blocks for understanding development in India, but so far these theories have not been put to a broader comparative test. This paper will trace the trajectory of research on comparative sub-national development in India since the sixties, examining a range of disciplinary and methodological approaches. It will also test the validity and generalizability of existing theories through public spending patterns in all major states in the last five decades.

Author

• Poulomi Chakrabarti, Queen's University/ Harvard University