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2016 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

2. Caste Networks in the Modern Indian Economy

Author : Kaivan Munshi

Published in: Development in India

Publisher: Springer India

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Abstract

Social networks support diverse economic activities in developing countries, using the information and the social sanctions at their disposal to sustain cooperation and to solve market imperfections. In India, the natural unit around which networks would be organized is the endogamous (sub) caste or jati. Caste networks have, indeed, historically supported, and continue to support economic activity and mobility. While this provides a novel economic explanation for the persistence of caste in modern India, a balanced assessment of the contribution of these networks to growth and the macro economy must also account for the static and dynamic inefficiencies that they generate.

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Title: Caste Networks in the Modern Indian Economy
Author: Kaivan Munshi
Publisher: Springer India
Book: Development in India
Print ISBN: 978-81-322-2540-9

Electronic ISBN: 978-81-322-2541-6

Copyright Year: 2016
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-2541-6_2

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