The Problem of the Rupee, Its Origin and Its SolutionAmbedkar, B. R. (Bhimrao Ramji)
History
The Problem of the Rupee, Its Origin and Its Solution
Ambedkar, B. R. (Bhimrao Ramji)
Currency question -- India
We now see how very wrong the Chamberlain Commission was from every
point of view in upholding the departure from the plan originally
outlined by the Government of India and sanctioned by the Fowler
Committee. But that raises the question: How did that ideal come to be
so ruthlessly defeated? If the Fowler Committee had proposed that gold
should be the currency of India, how is it that gold ceased to be the
currency? It cannot be said that the door is closed against the entry
of gold, for it has been declared legal tender. Speaking in the
language of Prof. Fisher, the movement of gold in the money reservoir of
India is allowed a much greater freedom so far as law is concerned than
can be said of silver. Silver, in the form of rupees, is admitted by a
very narrow valve which gives it an inlet into that reservoir, but there
is no outlet provided for it. On the other hand, gold is admitted into
the same reservoir by a pipe-connection which gives it an inlet as well
as an outlet. Why, then, does not gold flow into the currency reservoir
of India? A proper understanding on this question is the first step
towards a return to the sound system proposed in 1898.
On an examination of the literature which attempts to deal with this
aspect of the question, it will be found that two explanations are
usually advanced to account for the non-entry of gold into the currency
system of India. One of them is the sale of council bills by the
Secretary of State. The effect of the sale of council bills, it is
said, is to prevent gold from going to India. Mr. Subhedar, said to be
an authority on Indian currency, in his evidence before the Smith
Committee (Q. 3,502), observed:—
“Since 1905 it has been the deliberate attempt of those who
control our currency policy to prevent gold going to India and
into circulation.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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