Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/34844 
Year of Publication: 
2008
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 3707
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
In the context of strikingly low literacy rates among Indian women and low caste population, the paper explores whether and how far the interests of the marginalized poor are undermined by the dominant elite consisting mainly of the landed and the capitalists. We distinguish the dominant elite from the minority elite (i.e., elected women and low caste representatives in the ruling government) and also the marginalised as measured by the state poverty rate. Results based on the Indian state-level data suggest that a higher share of land held by the top 5% of the population lowers public spending on education while presence of capitalist elite, as reflected in greater degree of industrialisation enhances it, even in poorer states; the landed elite thus appears to be unresponsive to the underlying poverty rate. The effect of minority representation in the government appears to have a limited impact, indicating a possibility of their non-accountability to serve their cohorts and/or a possible alliance with the dominant elite.
Subjects: 
Literacy among women and low caste
dominant landed and capitalist elite
minority elite
poor and the marginalised
education spending
development and non-development spending
India
JEL: 
I28
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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