Functional Dysfunction: Mumbai’s Political Economy of Rent Sharing

This article analyzes the political economy of Mumbai through the lens of rent sharing and institutional dysfunction. Chattaraj and Walton argue that many governance failures in Mumbai persist because they serve functional political and economic purposes for influential actors. The paper examines how informal arrangements, fragmented governance structures, and competing interests shape urban development, infrastructure provision, and public service delivery. The authors contend that understanding the distribution and negotiation of rents is essential for explaining both the resilience of dysfunction and the prospects for reform in rapidly urbanizing cities.