Economists working with the government: What has changed?

There was a time one looked up to the economists working with the Government of India. In other countries especially the West, the economists working in the University Departments are held in esteem. In India, it was the economists working with the government are held in esteem. Becoming an economist with the government was a sign of one’s arrival in the Indian economic sphere.

Despite the importance of the position, the government economists engaged with the media and other non-government economists over economic policy. It is very normal for non-government economists and journalists to critique and ask questions of government economic policy. There was never any bitterness around these discussions.

Times seem to have changed now.

The current government economists discredit any critique of economic policy. Each time any analysis/report comes up critiquing the economic policy, the economists rush in to disagree and discard the criticism. They purpose of these articles is not to engage but rebut/attack the institution/writer of the critiques. Shoot both the message and the messenger seems to be the mantra.

It is also highly fashionable to draw comparisons with earlier eras and say how bad things were back then. They forget it has been ten years of the current government and people are asking questions on the current economic policy. They also forget how they themselves critiqued economic policy and built their own careers. One is also amazed how the media whose job is to critique economic policy, allow so many one-sided articles.

In all the analysis, the wrongdoings are either conveniently ignored or defended giving random reasons. The other day I read one such economist’s article discussing how electoral bonds were designed to increase transparency. Really!? After whatever has happened? If any other government were behind electoral bonds, would the analysis be the same? Likewise, any criticism over lack of employment opportunities is rubbished despite so many evidences that show India faces a huge employment problem.

There is also a common theme across most of these rebuttals. Most say in unison: there is a domestic and international conspiracy to defame both the government and the country. Really? Before their current role, when the same individuals criticized economic policies of earlier governments, were they defaming the country?

In case of critiques from international corner, if it is praise it is lapped up. But anything negative one again hears the same thing of international conspiracy. It seems the agencies have nothing else to do other than defame India! Moreover, when the same agencies criticized Indian economic policy earlier, the same set of economists used it to frame their arguments.

The economists also never speak for or defend other economists and journalists who are constantly trolled and abused for questioning economic policy. Infact, one sees them join the trolls!

Economic policy should not be limited to criticizing the previous governments and praising the current government. The policy should lay a framework to improve the economic conditions of the people. It should not just agree to the government decisions but caution the government against missteps. That is how we saw things and admired all the economists who have served the governments all these years.

It is completely fine if the economists no more value how others perceive them and wish to just work within the government. However, to see them attack and undermine commentary/critiques of others is plain shocking.