Humanitarian Economists

Abhijit Banerjee along with Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer have won the Nobel Prize for Economics just like Amartya Sen was honoured with the same in Development Economics. The underlying fact remains that the Nobel Committee has actually honoured the embedded humanity within the trio as it previously honoured Sen. After all, the economics pursued by them is not related to stock market inclined pro-rich growth story. Rather, their economics is fully humanitarian with sole focus on exploring strategies to alleviate poverty, improving children’s education and expanding access to healthcare. Since education and health form the two most important pillars upon which a society thrives and prospers, indifference to these two can never eradicate the curse of poverty from society. The fight against poverty can only be initiated through an able, healthy body and a mind enriched with basic academic/vocational education and skills. Also quality education and health can be ensured in this commercialised society only when people are uplifted from the fangs of poverty.

The highest international honour bestowed to the pursuers of welfare pro-people economics deliver a strong message to governments across the world which accord maximum priority to arms race, nuclear one-upmanship, space missions and sensex swings; playing to the gallery by erecting gigantic statues or lofty flags; and running luxurious trains and providing amenities for the privileged minority instead of urgently addressing the plight of the huge mass of population wallowing in poverty, hunger, malnutrition, disease and illiteracy. By taking the cue from the humanitarian light transmitted by these responsible economists, India and other developing nations should focus on alleviating poverty and ensuring education and health to the deprived. Nothing is more crucial than human capital; proper nurture and utilization of it will automatically ensure the achievement of all other goals of the nation.

Kajal Chatterjee,

Peerless Nagar Kolkata.