Not offered 2007-2008
ECON 240T Colonialism and Underdevelopment in South Asia (W)*
How did colonialism shape the evolution of the economies of South Asia? There is much controversy on this issue, beginning with whether the colonial economy really represented a
radical break from the past. With this as our starting point, we will discuss major themes in
this literature including the theory of "drain" (of economic surplus from the colonies),"deindustrialization" due to competition from cheap British manufactured goods, the impact of
colonial legal institutions and land tenure arrangements, and colonial policies with respect to
education, infrastructure, trade, and financial markets. The course will conclude with an
assessment of the extent to which the economies of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh still
reflect their colonial past, and the consequences thereof.
Format: tutorial. Requirements: papers.
Prerequisites: Economics 110. Enrollment limit: 10.
A. V. SWAMY