The Public Interest

The Public Interest centers on the concept of justice in society as the purpose of public governance and the overarching duty of public servants. In this book, Ghosh focuses on two aspects of societal justice: the welfare of society and the rights, duties, and freedoms of citizens, highlighting that public actions undertaken to realize certain propositions of justice may themselves affect welfare and freedoms. While one can say what justice is not in a given context, the idea of what it is requires an evolved mind, that of the "Philosopher King". The book further expands on the welfare of individuals to identify why economics cannot provide an unambiguous answer to what we mean by societal welfare. It also discusses Marx's concept of the classless society, later developments in Marxism, and influential critiques of central planning and socialism. Covering a typology of rights, The Public Interest provides crucial insights into the notions of rights in ancient India, the rights of women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and children, and the salient question of privacy rights, making it a comprehensive guide to the "ought" and "should" questions in public governance and policy.