India Needs a New Consensus

India has so far been spared the kind of populist revolt that’s testing many rich Western democracies. It’s far from immune, however. This country of more than 1.3 billion people is about to begin its long process of going to the polls (the results won’t be known until late next month). The politicians seeking election ought to recognize that many of the conditions for a similar upheaval are in place — and that the best way to avoid it is to promote growth and opportunity through economic reform.

Sadly, the campaigns to date have put their focus elsewhere. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reminded voters of his tough recent stand against Pakistan, promising to guard India against enemies within and without. The opposition Congress party has pitched itself as the savior of the poor, pledging to provide a minimum basic income for the country’s lowliest citizens. Neither side has had much to say about economic growth, without which most other ambitions are meaningless.