Delayed Economic Reform Killed 14.5 Million Children | Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar | Cato Institute: Commentary

Delayed Economic Reform Killed 14.5 Million Children | Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar | Cato Institute: Commentary:

"Had reforms started in 1970 rather than 1980, India would have grown faster. In this fast-growth scenario, i assume that per capita income growth in the 1970s would have been what was actually achieved in the 1980s: growth in the 1980s would have been what was actually achieved in the 1990s: and growth in the 1990s would have been what was achieved in 2001-08.

I calculate the rate of change of infant mortality, literacy and poverty with GDP since 1971. I then apply this rate of change to the fast-growth scenario. This reveals what infant mortality, literacy and poverty would have been with faster growth.

In a fast-growth scenario, infant mortality would have been less every year, and in 2008 would have been 27 deaths per thousand births, against the actual 54 per thousand. The cumulative number of 'missing children' turns out to be a massive 14.5 million."

Very sad and something that deserves to be remembered. Could do the same calculation on any of a number of countries.