The Process of Planning: A Study of India's Five-year Plans, 1950–64. By A. H. Hanson. Royal Institute of International Affairs, Oxford University Press: London, 1966. Pp. xiii + 560, £5 5s. 0d.

TLDR: The importance of the quality of leadership in the balancing act of federalism is discussed in this paper, where Oakeshott's view of politics in general is expressed as 'in political activity, men sail a boat'.

Abstract: shape the whole book. It is here that we become vividly aware of the delicacy of the federal device, the uncertain direction of a federal system—and hence the crucial influence of what is called 'the quality of leadership', which we may take more broadly to indicate the range of 'resources' and skills which are required to operate the balancing act of federalism. (Since the mobilization and training of political skills is normally done in and through political parties, it is unfortunate that these institutions find no clear place in the 190-page account of'federal political systems' but have to be squeezed into 8 pages within the conclusion.) It was since this book was written that the balance was lost in Nigeria, but the deep agony of that land gives an urgency to the search for the points along the way when a turning was taken that need not have been taken and which has led at the end to the killings and the seemingly irremovable hatred. As one looks back at India, it is difficult to suppress a shudder of doubt: balancing is going to get still harder before it gets easier. At what point should there be compromise on the language issue in relation to civil service examinations, on handling Shiv Sena, on coalition chaos? Has an opportunity been missed to lessen central-state tensions by developing zonal activity and sentiment? Wanted: politicians with cool heads and steady hands. Whatever reservations one may have about Oakeshott's view of politics in general—'in political activity, men sail a