Tracing India's Economic Path: A Critical Assessment of Nehru's Legacy and Its Enduring Impact

Review article based on “The Nehru Development Model: History and Its Lasting Impact” by Arvind Panagariya.

Abstract

This review examines Panagariya's comprehensive analysis of Nehru's economic philosophy and policies, praising the book's extensive use of archival sources to trace India's journey from liberal trade policies to state-controlled industrialization. The book's significant contribution to Indian economic history notwithstanding, Panagariya's tendency to place excessive blame on Nehru alone can be questioned, on account of India's persistent statist tendencies that reflect broader historical forces and the failure of successive leaders to chart a different course.