1st Edition

Social Income and Insecurity A Study in Gujarat

    254 Pages
    by Routledge India

    254 Pages
    by Routledge India

    Economic liberalisation associated with globalisation is causing a pervasive growth of economic insecurity experienced all over the world. This is placing urgent demands on policymakers to rethink old policies and institutions.

    This book sets out a new approach to the assessment of income dynamics, based on identifying the diverse components of people’s income and entitlements. It defines ‘social income’ as a broader concept of household income which includes state, community and private benefits. It shows how those components should be measured and provides a composite picture of the structure of incomes and support systems of different societal groups. It recognises how the structure of income, as well as its distribution, has been linked to policy and development dynamics. It starts from a premise that unless the totality of incomes and income support systems is taken into account, academics and policymakers cannot expect to develop appropriate interventions.

    This perspective is developed though a detailed household survey conducted in rural and urban areas of Gujarat in 2007–2008. This provides an up-to-date picture of how institutions, NGOs and the state system are operating in the context of rapid restructuring of village life in India.

    List of Acronyms and Abbreviations Preface Acknowledgements 1. Social Income, Globalisation and a World of Unending Uncertainty 2. Social Income in Gujarat: A Distinctive Development Model? 3. Money Incomes in Gujarat 4. Enterprise Benefits in Social Income: An Unhealthy Dualism 5. Community Benefits under Stress 6. State Benefits: The Inefficiencies of Targeting 7. Private Benefits: The Operation of Market Forces 8. Financial Crises: Coping with Income Insecurity 9. Restructuring Social Income: Universalising Security, Strengthening Community Appendices. Appendix A: The Survey Methodology Appendix B: Measuring Social Income Bibliography Index

    Biography

    Guy Standing is Professor of Economic Security, University of Bath, UK.

    Jeemol Unni is RBI Chair Professor in Rural Economics, Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA).

    Renana Jhabvala is the National Coordinator of Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) and President of SEWA Bharat.

    Uma Rani is Senior Development Economist, International Institute of Labour Studies (ILO), Geneva.