Billionaire Raj -- Thorough, Detailed, Meticulous.

Great research, writing from author, James Crabtree:

He's put grueling effort. He's interviewed a multitude of people for writing this book. Therefore, I want to give credit and appreciate the author.

He gives, an accurate narrative of Political-Business class. The book is dense with many details. This shows author's accuracy and his grasp on India. I'm amused, giggled many times while reading stories in this work.

I am reminded of Yuri Milner, Russian-American Tech Billionaire. His life in 90's in America working in World Bank. He was in Russia. At the right time, at the right place, bought up state companies through his connections.

The terms used in the work are funny, “Goonda Raj.” (Hindi), which means, henchman govt.

What would you learn from this?

-Learn about India from politico-business perspective
-An Outsider would understand how Indian society works
-Laugh from many stories
-Relationship Capitalism
-Might help you to figure out, What you want in your life?

On Life:

Do you want to be rich and powerful? (or)
Live a simple peaceful life in a rural town with your family?
Do you want a life of meaning?
Do you want to live for your family?
Where do you place your identity and meaning?

You Choose your life path: Ad Maiorem Dei Christus Gloriam.

There is no right or wrong in this.

What’s the core content of this work?

A Journey of Modern India from Politico-Business Class perspective

PART 1: TYCOONS
PART 2: POLITICAL MACHINES
PART 3: A NEW GILDED AGE

If you are a serious reader, please do check this work out.

People I would recommend:
-Westerners
-Educated Indians (White Collar)
-Business Folks
-People into Indian Politics
-Outsider who wants to understand India
-Anyone who appreciates Indian History

P.S: I wish, anyone would write works on my state, Tamil Nadu, India.

Deus Vult,
Gottfried ( )

The Billionaire Raj talks about The economy of India and its development path from 1991 to around 2010. I think it’s important to say that from 1947, when India won its independence from Britain, until 1991 it had been a closed, central planning economy. The whole business had been built on a closed and strictly limited system of licences, permits and tariffs. Then, in 1991, India has ended the central planning system and re-opened itself to the world. This is the period of early industrialisation that a lot of countries have gone through. So, it had rapid urbanisation where the agrarian economy becomes an industrial economy. As you might guess, such a change creates great opportunities for huge wealth creation at the top of Indian society. There is also another growth of the middle class as the infrastructure boom progresses and toll roads and ports are built.

It is also wort to say, that at the moment when liberalisation began it has delivered great prosperity, however, the real change in India happened in the middle of the 2000s. It was the period of an enormous boom of global growth which stimulated money that flooded from abroad, but also, it was the moment when we’ve seen the peak of China’s expansion.

Nevertheless, it’s not a classic retrospection of the development path of the Indian economy. The book is divided into around 20 chapters where each of them is dedicated to one super-rich in India or one important person who drives some part of the economy, culture or politics. So the book examines the work of these politics and tycoons and gives some judgements. Throughout the book, there are many analogies to the American economy and its stages. The author draws parallels to the gilded age in the US when top banks and oil & gas conglomerates achieved its dominating roles in the national economy.

In the book, there is a huge amount of anger and outrage at the growing inequalities of the country. It essentially talks about income inequality in India and how despite India’s great economic growth in the last couple of decades it has failed to deliver balanced growth amongst each social...(if you like to read my full review please visit my blog https://leadersarereaders.blog/the-billionaire-raj/) ( )

The Billionaire Raj by James Crabtree presents a well-researched, detailed account of the struggle between the motivation of capitalism and the pull of social equity in modern day India. It uses the analogies of the “Raj” and the “Gilded Age” to provide a frame of reference. The book educates and ends with thought provoking questions for the ending to this "story" is not known. What happens next remains to be seen.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2018/11/the-billionaire-raj.html

Reviewed for Penguin First to Read program. ( )