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Understanding the Phasing Out of Higher Denomination Fiat Currency in India

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By Rahul V Kumar* The Government of India has decided to phase out the existing higher denomination (500 and 1000 Rupees note) currency from circulation. Many have hailed this decision as an important step to eliminate black money from the system. At the broadest level, I put forward a hypothesis that the decision has many possibilities to strengthen the role of the state. A stronger state has its own consequences on individual freedom and liberty. This, in turn, has more potential to create an unstable monetary environment in the long term. Given the distant possibility of a complete wipe out of black money, there are a few immediate considerations that are worthy of analysis. Arbitrary and quick decisions from the side of the government will be carefully observed by the business community. This could lead to precautionary measures adopted by these groups in future to avoid discretionary government decisions like the present phasing out. Arbitrary and dramatic decisi

Re-examining the roots of the stray dog menace

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By Rahul V Kumar* The Problem With the number of stray dog attacks increasing in Kerala, the major debate has been whether or not to eliminate these animals from the street. Animal rights activists vociferously challenge all plans to kill dogs. A humane way is suggested; to sterilize dogs and thereby control the population. There is another group which considers that the government’s lax attitude towards waste disposal has resulted in the menace. They suggest new methods in waste management. A third group considers empowering local area governance structures to deal with the problem. All these are indeed valid points and have been important to analyse the stray dog menace in Kerala. However, the issue of stray dog menace has significant roots in the changes taking place in Kerala’s social and economic features. These changes also indicate significant institutional deficits in accommodating new policies. A Hypothesis The main reason for sudden spurt of stray dogs

The Case of Taxing the Poor Burger in Kerala

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By Rahul V Kumar* There could be several reasons why a 14.5 per cent fat tax on a burger and related products (sandwiches, pastas, doughnuts, pizzas etc) [1] was imposed by the new Left government in Kerala. High on that list could be the possible projection by the media that the government is concerned with the health of its citizens. Given that individuals in Kerala are well aware of the various health concerns as well as emerging issues (fed by innumerable awareness campaigns, health magazines, as well as television programmes in which they directly interact with doctors) a tax on burger seems a tad too stretched to meet the goal of better health. Considering these speculations the government seems to have categorised the tax under the head of revenue generation. However, the implied notion of a tax to promote health looms large over this budgeted move. The question is does taxing to reduce consumption serve the purpose of improving health? It seems to resonate wi

Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections 2016: Continuity of party and practices

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By Sambhavi Ganesh* For a federal unit belonging to a country characterized by a prolonged national movement and the subsequent Congress dominated scenario, Tamil Nadu has surprisingly escaped the national electoral trends by and large. Since 1967, the main political parties operating in Tamil Nadu have been offering an alternative Dravidian ideology in response to the Hindi-Hindu-Hindustani mobilization of much of the rest of India, diversifying the political processes of the country to a significant degree. This article attempts to understand the results of the 2016 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu by exploring reasons for the ADMK’s victory, the DMK’s loss, and some general factors that bring a party to power in the state.  Anti-incumbency rule takes a hit The state has been characterized by a constant swing between All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK/ADMK) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) governments since 1989. Exit polls had largely predi