Economics Ideas of Professor A.K. Dasgupta

DETAILS : 

• Author : S.C. Shrivastava
  
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Deep & Deep Publications
  
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ 30 April 2006
  
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
  
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 258 pages
  
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 8176297682
  
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-8176297684
  
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 550 g

ABOUT THE BOOK

Economic Ideas of Professor A.K. Dasgupta (frequently catalogued as Economics Ideas of Professor A.K. Dasgupta), edited by the noted academic Dr. S.C. Shrivastava and published by Deep & Deep Publications, is a vital commemorative volume in Indian economic historiography. The book is an edited compilation of high-level research papers originally presented during a specialized technical session of the Indian Economic Association (IEA) Conference held in Kolhapur, which was explicitly dedicated to honoring the birth centenary of Professor Amiya Kumar Dasgupta.

The primary objective of the volume is to systematically preserve, analyze, and contextualize the deep theoretical contributions made by Professor Dasgupta, who is widely revered as the doyen of pure economic theory in India. Rather than presenting a dry biographical timeline, the book evaluates how Dasgupta adapted classical Western economic frameworks to the structural realities of developing nations. The volume breaks down his intellectual legacy across several core thematic divisions:

• The Theory of Economic Surplus: Unpacks Dasgupta's landmark doctoral research conducted at the London School of Economics under Lionel Robbins, exploring his unique refinement of "surplus" as a driving engine for capital accumulation and growth.
• Epochs of Economic Theory: Evaluates his critical historical charting of economic thought, tracking the transition from classical political economy (Smith, Ricardo, Marx) to marginalism and Keynesian mechanics.
• Keynesianism and Less Developed Countries (LDCs): Focuses on his pioneering 1954 thesis, which argued that Keynesian demand-management policies could not easily fix unemployment in developing nations like India, where poverty stems from a structural shortage of capital and capital goods rather than a lack of effective demand.
• The Economics of Austerity: Examines his late-career alignment with Gandhian values and classical concepts of restriction, advocating for controlled consumption and ethical, state-guided planning to achieve equitable societal well-being.

By aggregating perspectives from India's leading contemporary economists, this centenary tribute serves as a critical text for understanding the structural evolution of Indian planning, development economics, and post-independence public policy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Professor Amiya Kumar Dasgupta (1903–1992) was an iconic Indian economist described by Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen as "one of the true pioneers of development economics." Over a career spanning six decades, he taught at Dhaka University, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), and the Indian School of International Studies. He also served as the Chief of the South Asia Division at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and was a founding force behind The Economic Weekly (now Economic and Political Weekly).

Dr. S.C. Shrivastava is a respected Indian economist and academician who has spent years specializing in the history of economic thought and Indian developmental policies. As the editor of this volume, his rigorous structuring ensured that the raw conference papers were refined into a cohesive text that serves both as an academic reference manual and a historical record.