In Maharashtra state, nearly one hundred sugar factories are owned and operated by peasants. Large in scale and efficient in operation, these factories are organized as cooperatives, with half a million cane growers as their voting members. In many cases, the co-ops have out-competed factories owned by industrial capitalists. This book describes th

Like any book, this one is part of a dialogue. Over the years, I have asked thousands of questions, of myself and others, and tried to answer some. Out of all this discussion, a written pattern has grown. It is certainly not a definitive pattern. Among those whose words have been woven into it, there are many who might have fashioned it better. There are some who would have selected different colors and textures, or who might have preferred a totally different pattern. I am conscious of their voices and wish that I could adequately present them all. First and foremost are the voices of farmers and other villagers, whose experiences I have tried to understand and represent. A few of them will read this book and decide whether I learned anything from all their patient answers. If they were so inclined, they could tell more about the subject than I ever can.

This book presents case studies concerning the impact of development projects on societies at various levels of affluence and modernization. They demonstrate project variety, and the ecological, economic, political and social contexts within which development is attempted but seldom achieved.