Indian Economists Research Articles

Relationship between Farm Size, Productivity, Input Demand, and Production Cost

Since release of first Farm Management survey data in late fifties, probably single issue most intensively investigated by Indian economists has been, the relationship between farm size and farm productivity. Most of major works dealing with this topic, published before 1968 have been critically reviewed by Bhagwati and Charkravarty (1969) and those published before 1974 have been discussed by Bharadwaj (1974). This unprecedented interest in subject is quite natural, because a comparative analysis of economics of small and large farms has important implications for policy issues like land ceiling and land redistribution.

Economic History of India (1526-1900)-A Bibliographic Essay

Indian Economic History is a neglected branch of both Economics and History. Indian economists have generally concentrated on the problems of the present, ignoring the past. They have not given sufficient weight to the fact that whatever be the aspect one may take up, a study of human institutions is essentially a study of continuities and, therefore, it is indispensable to dig the past as well.

Indian Agriculture-Problems and Programmes

EW countries today are untroubled by agricultural problems. In 17India, however, such questions assume particular urgency because, if they are not soon alleviated, millions of people must die from starvation. Since, quite apart from considerations of humanity, the social, economic and political implications of this situation are arresting, it may be of interest to describe certain of the major agricultural problems confronting India as a whole and at the same time to suggest possible means of easing them. The basic problem is one of insufficient production for a growing population.' Sterling balances that might otherwise pay for imports of capital equipment with which to increase productivity are today earmarked for food imports.2 The central government has, therefore, undertaken an extensive grow-more-food campaign, whose effectiveness is threatened by various factors ranging from inertia on the part of the peasants to organized opposition from large landowners. There is also the danger that efforts to increase output may be hampered by ideological considerations-whether identified with Gandhianism (village sufficiency), nationalism (attainment of a stable peasantry) or democracy (as opposed to Communism)-or by misjudgements of other kinds. Thus, certain Indian economists, who are so steeped in Western literature that they tend to ignore Asian conditions, are hopeful of building a strong cooperative movement, as in Sweden, where the farmer is as efficient a producer, with the aid of cooperatives, as his counterpart elsewhere on a collective farm. Where peasants are literate,