ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Licence Raj

Okay, so imagine you have a bunch of toys, but your mom says you can only play with one toy at a time. That's kinda what the Licence Raj was like.

In India, a long time ago, the government said that people needed permission, or a "licence," to do certain things. Like, if you wanted to open a store or a factory or sell things, you had to get a licence first.

But getting a licence wasn't easy. There were a lot of rules and regulations to follow, and it could take a long time to get permission. So, it was tough for people to start new businesses or make things.

This meant that the government had a lot of control over what people did and could only do certain things if the government allowed it. This also meant that there weren't many choices for people to buy things, which made things more expensive.

The Licence Raj lasted for a long time, and many people didn't like it because it made life difficult for them. But eventually, the government realized that this system had a lot of problems and it was holding back the country's development. So, they made some changes and started letting people do more things without needing a licence.

Nowadays, there are still some things that need permission, but it's not as strict as it used to be. People have more freedom to start businesses and make things without having to go through a lot of bureaucracy. And that's good for everyone!