Prelude

Abstract

This chapter takes a fresh look at the land question in India. Instead of re-engaging in the rich Marxian transition debate, this volume goes beyond that debate to critically examine theoretically the centrality of land in contemporary development discourse in India. But this chapter shows that land in India is sought increasingly for nonagricultural purposes, resulting in inequality and thus class and caste-based conflicts. The chapters collectively address interrelated questions on the role of the state involved in the process of dispossession of land from peasants and tribal communities arguably for developmental purposes. This chapter provides new analytical insights into the land acquisition processes, their legal-institutional and ethical implications, and captures empirically the multifaceted regional diversity of acquisition experiences in India.