Cattle lines are drawn: cows in India

Cows are venerated in India, but precisely how intensely often depends on politics. And being venerated does not necessarily yield a pleasant life for the creatures. Economists rarely consider how policies will affect birth rates and the yet-to-be-born; we examine the thorny topic of “population ethics”. And foreign-language phrasebooks may be in decline but they maintain huge historical value.

For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer