A Business History of India
Enterprise and the Emergence of Capitalism from 1700

Studying firms and entrepreneurs over three centuries, this book unravels the historical roots of the impressive business growth witnessed in contemporary India.

Tirthankar Roy (Author)

9781316637487, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 5 April 2018

310 pages, 27 b/w illus. 3 maps 7 tables
22.8 x 15.2 x 1.5 cm, 0.5 kg

'… this book is rooted in a balancing of knowledge of primary sources and the author's past research with wide-ranging secondary scholarship.' J. Lally, The English Historical Review

In recent decades, private investment has led to an economic resurgence in India. But this is not the first time the region has witnessed impressive business growth. There have been many similar stories over the past 300 years. India's economic history shows that capital was relatively expensive. How, then, did capitalism flourish in the region? How did companies and entrepreneurs deal with the shortage of key resources? Has there been a common pattern in responses to these issues over the centuries? Through detailed case studies of firms, entrepreneurs, and business commodities, Tirthankar Roy answers these questions. Roy bridges the approaches of business and economic history, illustrating the development of a distinctive regional capitalism. On each occasion of growth, connections with the global economy helped firms and entrepreneurs better manage risks. Making these deep connections between India's economic past and present shows why history matters in its remaking of capitalism today.

Preface
List of figures
List of tables
List of maps
List of boxes
1. Introduction
2. The baseline at 1700
3. Indian Ocean sphere, 1700–1850
4. Capital and empire, 1850–1930: trade and finance
5. Capital and empire, 1850–1930: industry
6. State and industrialization, 1930–1950
7. State and industrialization, 1950–1980
8. Revival, 1980–2000
9. Capital and globalization, 2000–2015
10. Conclusion
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Business studies: general [KJB], Economic history [KCZ], Asian history [HBJF]