Intellectual Roots of Independent Regulatory Authorities in America and India

Abstract

The contemporary omnipresence of independent regulatory authorities (IRAs) as formidable structures of governance in different countries has long intellectual roots that helped in their evolution over a period of time. Though such intellectual traditions might have been found in every country, they appear to be more pronounced and definite in the countries where the idea of independent regulatory bodies has been originated and practised more fundamentally than others. In this context, America and India stand out prominently for obvious reasons. For instance, they represent two distinct political systems in which certain variations in intellectual traditions of independent regulatory bodies may be discerned. Further, while the intellectual traditions in America seem to be relatively autonomous vis-à-vis external influences, such traditions in India have surely been influenced by the long years of colonial rule that laid the foundation of the post-independence politico-administrative system of the country. This article seeks to present an analytical study of the intellectual roots of independent regulatory bodies in the two countries in a comparative perspective.