Page 6 - Lessonnote_Indian Sociologist
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A.R Desai- Welfare State
• In an essay ‘The Myth of the Welfare State’--- Desai
provides a detailed critique of this notion.
• Desai identifies Features of Welfare State
positive state democratic state Mixed economy
Criteria to measure the performance of Welfare State
• Ensures freedom from poverty, social discrimination
and security for all its citizens
• Removes inequalities
• Ensures stable development
• Provides employment for all.
Claims for ‘Welfare State’ are exaggerated:
• Most modern capitalist states fail to provide
minimum levels of economic and social security to
all citizens.
• Unable to reduce economic inequality, unsuccessful
at enabling stable development free from market
fluctuations, high level of unemployment.
Desai concludes that the notion of the Welfare state is
something of a myth.
M.N. Srinivas
His writings on the village were of two broad types:
a) Field view- ethnographic accounts of fieldwork
done in villages.
b) Book view- knowledge about such elements is
gained through sacred texts or from books.
• He more emphasised to the field view.
Louis Dumont View of Villages:
