Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo is a brilliantly written non-fiction book that depicts the segregation of poverty in modern India. Boo chronicles the life experiences of families in a suburban slum, Annawadi, which borders the ever-expanding Mumbai International Airport. It uses informal sector workers as waste pickers and sorters to reveal dangerous working conditions in the informal sector. Annawadi, which Boo calls the Underground City, is subjected to complex layers of urbanization that threaten its existence due to conflicts of interest with the ruling class. Annawadi living standards point to India's rigid development policies that inhibit the social and economic mobility of Mumbai's urban poor. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Boo criticizes government failure in mass education as a source of illiteracy among Annawadi residents. In a poverty-stricken nation like India, education is crucial. However, teachers do not report for work in several public schools in Annawadi. Boo uses Manju's case to portray the failure of the education system. Manju set up a makeshift charity school out of her shack to teach the children of Undercity during her free time. Meanwhile, corrupt politicians take control of bridge schools established by the government and NGOs to benefit the middle class and wealthy population. As a result, the urban poor become victims of the government's structural failures in providing mass education. The criminal justice system in the country undermines the rights of the people of Annawadi. In the book, the police extort prisoners and demand bribes from Zehrunisa to continue running his waste sorting business. Falsely accused of killing his neighbor Fatima, Abdul faces a hostile justice system. The court wants to try him as an adult since there is no record of his date of birth, but Zehrunisa decides to get him a fake birth certificate so she can try him as a minor. Everyone asks for a bribe, including hospital employees, neighbors and the police. It is impossible to know whether the outcome of the trial is a triumph of justice, an accident or the indifference of a judge who is not interested in the details of the case. Many affluent Indians in Mumbai want to eliminate rather than improve the government's social welfare obligations. Boo notes that they rented private security, paid private school tuition, and cleaned the city's water. Wealthy Indians want the government to agree to their demands regardless of the consequences. This notion is evident among influential citizens who dole out opportunities in an insider trade. Their collusion with lawmakers leads to corruption that denies most Indians living in slums an avenue to express their concerns. There is land grabbing by corporate and government modernization projects leaving the people of Annawadi desolate and defenseless. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Mumbai's urban poor will continue to face social and economic hardship due to the government's harsh development policies that rig the system against them. The portrayals in the book are based only on the first-hand experiences of suburban citizens under police oppression, an inadequate education system, and a.