Best of BS opinion: Govt's revenue challenges, trade policy and more

Here's a selection of Business Standard Opinion pieces for the day

Tax as a policy tool to lower inequality or to bridge the government’s finances are two key topics on the opinion pages today. Former IMF chief economist Kenneth Rogoff makes the case for a progressive consumption tax here and A K Bhattacharya delineates the Indian government’s revenue challenges in a slowing economy here. Elsewhere on the opinion pages, writers examine, the polarisation of political alignments globally, freedom of speech, and trade policy. Kanika Datta sums up the views

Tariff increases in successive Budgets run contrary to the imperative for Indian manufacturing to be globally competitive, argues Jayanta Roy.

A Supreme Court justice defence of citizens’ right to free speech is particularly well timed in today’s context, says the second edit. 

The practice of democratic politics renders extremist political parties unviable, but current trends in democracies from the US and Israel to Turkey and Brazil belie that theory, says the lead edit.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

 

"This government listens to everyone"

 

- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman