Poverty Removal Measures of Amartya Sen and the Smithian Dilemma

Ratan Lal Basu

doi:10.32351/rca.v5.115

Authors

Ratan Lal Basu Presidency College, Calcutta & University of Calcutta. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8178-0664

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32351/rca.v5.115

Política de Crossmark DOI: https://doi.org/10.32351/politica-crossmark

Keywords:

Poverty, Inequality, Marxian solution, Amartya Senâ€™s solution, Smithian dilemma

Abstract

The hitherto known history of human civilization has been checkered with glorious achievements and abject injustice characterized by poverty, inequality and deprivation. The most coherent explanation of poverty and injustice is to be found in the works of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels. They associated poverty and injustice with private property, division of labour, exchange, competition, family and the State. Amartya Sen has considered pluralistic democracy as the most desirable form of government which could ensure growth with social justice along with human freedom. Although better than authoritarian forms of governing in many respects, political party based democracies are overburdened with widespread corruption based on criminal-trade union-politician alliance. Sen emphasizes the role of the mass media and awareness of the common people to break through this vicious circle and make the politicians, running the governments, work in a desirable fashion.
Unfortunately this optimistic note of Sen has come up against a serious hurdle pointed out by Adam Smith long ago. According to Smith a psychosis common to most of the people, whatever be their own positions, is that they admire the powerful and the rich (whatever be the means of their achievements) instead of the really worthy ones, viz. the honest and virtuous who has failed to achieve power and wealth. This has, in fact, spelt out a gloomy prospect for the human race.

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Author Biography

Ratan Lal Basu, Presidency College, Calcutta & University of Calcutta.

Is a Ph. D. in Economics (on Arthasastra of Kautilya).
He is a prolific writer -Fiction, Indology, Ancient History, Economics, International Relations, Espionage, Scientific Interpretation of Religious & Mythological Texts, Yoga and Tantra Cult-
He is an Alumnus of Presidency College, Calcutta & University of Calcutta.
He retired as Reader in Economics & Teacher-in-charge of a govt. sponsored college and joined IIMS (Kolkata)-AIS, New Zealand Cross Credit Program as Principal. He is the Treasurer of Bengal Economic Association.
He is an invited author on Indology of Cosmopolis, the bi-lingual (French & English) journal associated with the Encyclopedia jointly sponsored by the governments ofCanada & Belgium.
He is associated as an author with -The Culture Mandala- the journal of Bond University, Australia. He is one of the most notable critiques of the concept of Human Development Index (HDI).

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