Opening Policy Choices

Abstract

The dominant interpretation of communications policy change in India is a politically powerful argument. It hammers together a number of theoretic and political elements in such a way to resonate well with important political and social groups. Some policy-makers in state agencies want greater flexibility and autonomy from societal groups to achieve greater public policy effectiveness and control, and can see in parts of liberalization a route to this end. Business groups find in liberalization policies an enhancement of their role in development and economic growth versus that of state planners, and the need for greater responsiveness to their needs on the part of some state agencies. Similarly, international investors and traders find justification for their desire to gain access to India's growing consumer markets and to India's workers as a factor of production of goods and services for the global information economy in the claims of the liberalization account.