Kaushik Basu highlights the perils of allowing ideology and gut instinct to override careful policy analysis and design.
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Economics
Jul 29, 2026
Kaushik Basu
As politicians encroach on areas that require technical knowledge, the risk of costly policy mistakes increases. The failures of Narendra Modi and Donald Trump show that when it comes to economic policymaking, political acumen is no substitute for a deep understanding of incentives, markets, and institutions.
NEW DELHI — During the seven years I served as chief economic adviser to the government of India and as chief economist at the…
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