An Alternative Philosophy of Development ─ From Economism to Human Well-Being

While development has been the foremost agenda before successive governments in India, it has been viewed narrowly — from the perspective of economic development and particularly in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This book questions such an approach. It breaks from the conventional wisdom of GDP growth as being a definitive measure of success of a country’s policies and offers an alternative development philosophy.

The author contends that people’s economic and social welfare, life satisfaction, self-fulfilment and happiness should be treated as indicators of real development. The book underlines that in a successful model of development, the country’s economic policies will have to synergize with its cultural ethos and that the objective of development should be Gross National Happiness and well-being of the people.

This book will be useful to scholars and researchers of development studies, economics, public policy and administration, governance, political science, sociology, and policymakers.

B. P. Mathur is a former civil servant and member of the Indian Audit & Accounts Service with extensive experience of working with the government. He has served as Deputy Comptroller & Auditor General and Additional Secretary, Government of India; and Director, National Institute of Financial Management, India. He holds a PhD and DLitt in Economics from the University of Allahabad and has been a visiting faculty member at Panjab University, Chandigarh; Bajaj Institute of Management, Mumbai; Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi and many other national-level institutes. He is presently engaged as an author and social activist with spiritual interests, and is Vice-President, Common Cause.

He has authored several books on governance, finance and economics, besides two novels in Hindi, and is the recipient of the Paul Appleby award for services rendered for public administration.