or Powell's or me• • •
"Mike and Jon, Jon and Mike—I've known them both for years, and, clearly, one of them is very funny. As for the other: truly one of the great hangers-on of our time."—Steve Bodow, head writer, The Daily Show
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"Who can really judge what's funny? If humor is a subjective medium, then can there be something that is really and truly hilarious? Me. This book."—Daniel Handler, author, Adverbs, and personal representative of Lemony Snicket
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"The good news: I thought Our Kampf was consistently hilarious. The bad news: I’m the guy who wrote Monkeybone."—Sam Hamm, screenwriter, Batman, Batman Returns, and Homecoming
January 02, 2009
Next World Order?
By: Bernard Chazelle
Strange op-ed in the Times by Gurcharan Das.
CHINA and India are in a struggle for a top rung on the ladder of world power
Both countries are world powers. If the writer means struggle between them, that has already been settled. China is between 2.5 and 3.5 times richer than India.
[W]hy is it that it’s the Indian economy that has become the developing world’s second best?I have no satisfactory explanation for all this, but I think it may have something to do with India’s much-reviled caste system. Vaishyas, members of the merchant caste, who have learned over generations how to accumulate capital, give the nation a competitive advantage.
Not surprisingly, Vaishyas still dominate the Forbes list of Indian billionaires.
The author is not praising the caste system. Just like people who point out the economic benefits of slavery are not advocating it. What they are doing, however, is rather unclear.
80% of Indians live on $2.5 a day (PPP), a higher percentage than in Sub-Saharan Africa. Income inequality is rising, so let's all rejoice in India's stellar performance on the Forbes list of the world's richest.
The idea of becoming a military power in the 21st century embarrasses many Indians.
Because it was not one in the 20c?
When you have millions of gods, you cannot afford to be theologically narcissistic. It also makes you suspect power.
Having many gods makes one suspicious of power. The Roman Empire is a good example.
Indians expect to continue their relentless march toward a modern, democratic, market-based future. In this, terrorist attacks are a noisy, tragic, but ultimately futile sideshow.
Muslims, Pakistan, poverty... all a sideshow next to the relentless march toward a market-based future.
— Bernard Chazelle
a simpler answer to how india has grown hugely with much less central planning or industrial development is "we speak english."
Posted by: hapa at January 2, 2009 10:08 PMfor instance, as the most populous member of the anglosphere, we can get ourselves published in english-language newspapers of record without much effort, as a favor.
Posted by: hapa at January 2, 2009 10:11 PM"Having many gods makes one suspicious of power. The BJP is a good example."
Updated that for you Bernard.
Posted by: Rojo at January 2, 2009 11:19 PMlooks like Mr. Das took 'the lexus and the olive tree' to heart.
also, it's only the urban elite/upper class that are any good at english to claim a competitive advantage. of course this is a large population in itself, but pales in comparison to the have-nots Dr Chazelle mentions above.
Posted by: almostinfamous at January 2, 2009 11:22 PMI bet WE OWE both China and India a great deal of money. I wonder if the Vaishyas sold US a big sub-prime and can WE re-negotiate?
Posted by: Mike Meyer at January 3, 2009 12:03 AMMr Das oughta go back to writing novels...
Posted by: En Ming Hee at January 3, 2009 03:21 AMHaving many gods makes one suspicious of power. The Roman Empire is a good example.
Best arresting quote of 2009 (so far).
C
Posted by: Poicephalus at January 3, 2009 10:51 AMFrom whatever little I know, CASTE sysem was NOT hereditary. When it became so, I would have to research. Individuals were given a caste according their work not vice verse.
www.donboscoindia.com/english/resourcedownload.php?pno=1&secid=242
http://www.geocities.com/lamberdar/_caste.html
And these are Gandhi's views on Caste and Class, not always consistent.
http://blogs.salon.com/0003282/
http://www.gandhiserve.org/information/brief_philosophy/brief_philosophy.html
I have my personal views on differnt communities in India ( no offence meant to any Indian reader).
1. Some communities in India DO HAVE a knack for business and they succeed. They prefer to be their own bosses and do not like to take orders from anyone, e.g. Gujaratis ( I am one ), Sindhis and Marwadis.
2. Great creators of art, literature, moviemaking belong to the Bengali community.
3. Northwest communities ( Punjabis, Pahadis i.e. mountain people make great soldiers.
4. South Indians are great with numbers ( human computers ) with great intellect.
5. People from the west coast e.g Maharastians, are great administrators.
This is NOT TO SAY, these are exclusive domains but these are my personal observations and I am saying it as a compliment to these communities.
CHINA and India are in a struggle for a top rung on the ladder of world power
I wish India was busy taking care of its polpulation at the lower rung of the ladder, trying to solve Kashmir dispute and improving relations with Pakistan and China was not busy denying Human Rights to its population.
Indians expect to continue their relentless march toward a modern, democratic, market-based future. In this, terrorist attacks are a noisy, tragic, but ultimately futile sideshow.
I guess, the author is limiting his vison to a certain class of Indians only! Though the poverty rates have declined by 6% according to World Bank and disparity is not as gross as in other countries, ppeople belonging to the lowest 10% in economic class do not have much of a future. Obviously, he is not a muslim and not poor so he has not seen things from the other side of the fence!
http://nitawriter.wordpress.com/2007/06/05/difference-between-rich-and-poor-indians/
Posted by: Rupa Shah at January 3, 2009 01:19 PMWriters employ "much-reviled" in order to cast suspicion on the obloquy itself, usually in the service of power (as it's usually some sin of the powerful that is widely reviled).
Posted by: Mark at January 4, 2009 06:43 PM
