Read on Twitter
Why liberals are making a mistake in confusing farm “freedom” with open markets. A thread drawing from my book #WhyIAmALiberal. Liberals like Sharad Joshi have long called for open markets and just prices for farm sector. But today an authoritarian state faces a trust deficit 1/5
This is because freedom is indivisible. The “Kashmirisation” of India with rights muzzling, internet shutdowns a norm, does not create a belief in “reforms”. The Modi state is widely perceived as practising authoritarian cronyism rather than creating a level playing field 2/5
The suggestion is made by “market liberals” that protest for a “wrong” cause is unjustified. But freedom can only have meaning when the right to protest applies to even some people who think a cause is justified 3/5
The essential quality of reformist legislation is allowing dissent and disagreement to be expressed institutionally, in parliament, through standing ctties. When such institutional disagreement is denied, dissent inevitably goes to street 4/5
“Market liberals” and “civic liberals” both believe that freedom can be compartmentalised according to their convenience. Unless a free society and free economy coexist , there can be no genuine freedom. 5/5
