Review: Children without Childhood

Author(s): C. S. L.
Review by: C. S. L.
Source: Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 15, No. 23 (Jun. 7, 1980), p. 1007
Published by: Economic and Political Weekly
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4368748
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ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL WEEKLY June 7, 1980

is lacking. Therefore, with the flow of

of special interest to livestock planners

data from new sources there is enough

of working legislation with a separate

and economists, its methodological

scope for further modifications in

inspectorate exclusively for child-

aspects may be of interest to students

Mishra's analysis. The book is the result

labour; (2) in case of small-scale and

of planning in general. It is a truly

cottage industries, the adoption of

of sustained research on the subject

pioneering work in the much-neglected

regulatory and promotional measures;

for the last 15 years. While the book is

area of livestock economics.

(3) involvement of social and voluntary

organisations must help the effective

enforcement of legal measures in

unorganised sectors; (4) vocationalisaChildren without Childhood

tion of education; (5) strict enfor-

cement of Minimum Wages Act.

C SL

While suggesting these measures the

Child Labour in India by Sumanta Banerjee; Anti-Slavery Society,

author is aware of the fact that they

Child Labour Series, 1979 pp 48.

can only minimise hardships but not

get rid of them. Unfortunately, this

THE Anti-Slavery Society has brought

fall back on while working for legisla-

10ook will be read and appreciated by

out as a part of its Child Series, a

tion on child-labour.

those who are aware, if not factually

monograph on Child Labour in India

In the given circumstances, it would

informed, about this problem and will

oy Sumanta Banerjee. In less than

not be possible to work for the eradinot reach those organisations, in-

fifty pages, the book is able to tell us

cation of child-labour altogether. Such

dustries, journals and persons to whom

the most essential things one ought to

a sweeping reform may have repurcusthe International Year of the Child only

know about child-labour in India. The

sions like the over-enthusiastic familymeans more Bonny-baby Contests and

author takes a realistic approach to

planning programme during Emergency.

more products aimed at child-

the entire problem and does not view

Hence the author suggests five shortconsurners. That has been the fate of

child-labour in isolation and get lost

term measures: (1) strict enforcement

most well-written monographs.

in words of sympathy. The author

rightly believes that given the current

economic and social situation and the

Development by Investment
poverty it generates, child-labour can-

not be avoided.

Tom Timberg

The monograph gives details about

legislation and the ineffective imple-

Regional Economy of West Bengal: A Study in Urbanisation, Growth

mentation of laws because of the fact

Potential and Optimisation of Industrial Location by S Ganguly;

Orient Longman, Calcutta; DD 314 + x, Rs 80.

that every industry has its own law

regarding child-labour. It is difficult

THE volume under review is largely a

avenues for the use of bank finance.

to work for improving conditions of

reworked report of a Planning Com-

There is no consideration of the

labour when all children in various in-

mission funded industrial-economic

obstacles to the expansion of these

dustries are not under one legislation.

survey of six south western West

sorts of enterprises. For example,

The unorganised more than the

Bengal districts (Birbhum, Purulia,

there is reference to the shortfalls to

organised sector has attracted majority

Burdwan, Bankura, Hooghly, and

be expected in electric generation, but

of children because they can be hired

Midnapur). Though the study itself

no sense of the oritical obstacle it now

at very cheap rates with no rules to

was completed in 1971, Ganguly has

appears to pose to industrial activity

protect them or ensure their safety.

made some attempt to use 1971 Census

in the state of West Bengal. (This kind

Children employed in match industries,

results to give it a greater currency. It

of point is always easier to make out

fireworks industries and various

contains ample data on the infrastruc-

of hind than foresight, of course.) In

cottage industries sufer the most but

ture (transportation, power, etc), in-

reverse, there is no consideration of the

are the least protected. As for children

dustrial enterprises, and urbanisation in

obstacles' to full productivity that have

engaged in agricultural work, there is

the districts - records and projects

been reported in the larger industrial

no law at all to protect them. Often

their trends and draws conclusions

units in the area (labour problems

at the age of 6, a child becomes an

about what sort of projects and lacks

being only one) - and might be seen

adult contributing to the family

need to be taken up. It is a solid if

as disincentives to further large-scale

income. Sumanta Banerjee is right

occasionally murkily written example

investment, as well as limiting the

when he says that childhood is a term

of its genre and suffers from the

spread effects of the large-scale enter-

that does not apply to many children

generic faults.
prises.

in India.

It lists a large number of potentials

All of these are points that would

Two case-studies of the brick-kiln

for industrial development with no

seem to need addressing before we

industry and the zari embroidery in-

discussion of the magnitudes of the

assent to what seems to be the essential

dustry have been taken up. The health

markets and the actual economic

thesis of the piece -that all that is

hazards, the poor pay and the burden

potential of the enterprises. We are

required is an investment of sufficient

of responsibility on young children is

told that the whole range of small-scale

amounts of capital in the various

enumerated precisely without any

enterprises in the region are suffering

,projects suggested for an optimal

frills. It would be worthwhile if every

from lack of capital - and thus in the

development of the region. This

industry that employs children in all

hands of mahajans who finance them

presumes that there are no exceptional

the states is taken up for special study

- without a sense of the relative

obstacles to productivity, no overall

and similar monographs are brought

returns they present, and thus whether

diseconomies to the country, and no

out. It would be valuable material to

they do in fact present preferential

other complications present.

1007

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