Loss of Commons and the State: A Study of Special Economic Zones in Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

"The neoliberal orientation of the state in India developed over the last decade has resulted in a change in the way the state engages with issues like common good, public purpose, livelihoods and displacement. Democratic politics around resource use has seen different developments with the state, which has some very powerful tools at its disposal, and acts as a pivotal player even though its role has been changing from that of governance to 'facilitating' developmental policies. The role that the state plays in facilitating the loss of commons in the wake of the recent Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 is what the paper seeks to highlight with special reference to the coastal belt of the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh."