Governance for Inclusive Development in South and East Asia: A Comparison of India and China

China and India are two major political systems in the regions of. East and South Asia, and a comparison of their approaches in promoting inclusive development is illustrative. This chapter is grounded on the fact that the population of the two most populous countries accounts for more than one-third of the global population. Therefore, the plans and practices designed for inclusiveness have significance for improving the well-being of mankind throughout the world, and allow for lessons to be drawn by other countries in the two regions. A comparison of the initiatives in China and India provides a useful insight into explaining the extent of their effectiveness in achieving inclusive development and public engagement. This will also provide an opportunity to examine the validity of the important doctrine of inclusive development. This chapter finds that democracy and participation are important in many other respects, but they may or may not contribute to the goal of inclusive development. It also emphasizes that China’s economic success is not necessarily resulting in inclusive development. It is the institutions that produce smart social policies targeting development goals that matter more.