View: For the economy to grow, democracy can’t be in recession SECTIONS Share Synopsis Freedom is indivisible. Freedom cannot be compartmentalised. The authoritarian economic miracle of China may be a role model for some, but in India, given the dizzying diversities of economic life, the evidence shows that economic growth is best achieved in times of civic and social freedom. Agencies The first step to unleashing the “animal spirits” is surely to recognise that fear and control over thought and expression, are the biggest deterrent to those spirits. There are two recent images of global India. The first is India as the world’s vaccine exporter, sending supplies of Covid vaccines to diverse countries from South America to South Asia. The other is the government’s furious line against pro-farmers-protest tweets of music star Rihanna and climate activist Greta Thunberg, cracking down on those who shared a “toolkit”, jailing Disha Ravi and continuing police deployment at farm protest sites.