From: "Radhakrishnan Nair" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
(Rui Collaco wrote: Hehehe, there are no limits on ridicule by some people. Mr. Nair, would you
kindly care to explain, to the benefit of all ignorant people, like myself,
in what manner and in what measure were the Portuguese and the Goans who
worked for their administration plundering India's wealth?)
Mr Collaco, do you honestly think that the Portuguese were ruling Goa for charity -- doing us a favour by being our colonial masters?
Honestly, I do not believe they were ruling Goa for charity - that's a silly idea. But any expert on the Portuguese empire will tell you that, for the most part of their 451-year rule, Goa was a burden for Portugal, not an asset. Portugal had large possessions in Africa to explore, Goa had just a symbolic and emotional value. As long as there was an empire, Goa had to remain part of it, for political reasons, but economically speaking Portugal had no interest whatsoever in Goa. Has anyone ever heard of a Portuguese company operating in Goa? I see that you have no knowledge about Goa's recent history and about the Portuguese in Goa, other than what you perhaps read in the textbooks, which is understandable since you are not from Goa. However, you would do well to get yourself informed and documented on these issues, before uttering your categoric statements on the Portuguese looting India, etc.You must also be aware that not all that you hear in Goa is factual, there's a lot of misinformation and plain anti-Portuguese brainwashing in the Goan media. That's ironic, because I don't find an equivalent anglophobia in the rest of India.
(Rui Collaco: Of course, leave alone the Dempo, Chowgulle, Timblo and Salgaokar families. They were just patriotic Indians whom the Portuguese allowed to come to Goa, to earn a decent living from their sweat and toil!)
Why drag the names of successful businessmen into this controversy? They got rich by exploiting the system and buttering the right side of the bread -- both Portuguese and Indian. Why didn't you succeed, Mr Collacco? No point in weeping over spilt milk!
It is just a way of showing who got rich under the Portuguese, it was the ...Indians, and I can see your discomfort with this fact. You would be at a loss to find the name of a single white Portuguese who got rich in Goa in the 20th century. As for myself, well, I couldn't succeed, Mr. Nair, as I wasn't born yet when India invaded Goa. But, by european standards, I assure you I am successful in Portugal. I am not rich, but success in this country is not measured by the wealth you amass, it's got to do more with your standard of living. It appears that for you only millionaires are successful people! Perhaps that's part of the Indian psyche....
(Rui Collaco: Just to be brief on this pathethic issue, let me tell you Mr. Nair, the
wealth of India is being plundered even as we exchange e-mails by your
elected politicians and corrupt officials, massively!)
I agree with you. Please suggest a way to stem the rot! Btw, don't your Portuguese politicians rob you people?
Where there are humans, there is corruption. Of course we also have corrupt politicians and officials, but corruption is investigated and prosecuted in this country. Important people end up in jail, when proved guilty. In any case, its scale is not comparable to that of India, no way. Portugal is among the least corrupt countries, according to the international ranking by transparency International (please check www.transparency.org/corruption perception index CPI-2003).
(Rui Collaco: If anyone amassed wealth during the Port. regime it was the Indian merchants
and the local Goan elite before them, definitely not the Portuguese! It is
easy for a serious person to find this out. But then again, getting rich
honestly does not equate to "plundering India's wealth", except for some
confused minds!)
Are you sure that the Portuguese gained nothing from the nefarious activities of Indian merchants and the Goan elite? Then the Portuguese were an incompetent lot, no doubt about it. Please tell me how to find this out. There is absolutely no way to get fabulously rich "honestly", Mr Collacco -- except, maybe, by winning a mega lottery twice or thrice! Behind every dazzling wealth there's a crime -- maybe more than one crime. I've no confusion in my mind about it at all!
Regards, RKN
There's a lot you can read about the history of the Portuguese empire, written by experts, Indian, Portuguese and from many other nationalities.
Your theory about getting rich is amazing! By your own assertion, the successful businessman of Goa are crooks and criminals. So are the Tatas and the Birlas and all the billionaires of India. Are things really that bad in India?
In this country, some people can get very rich honestly. One example is Mr. Belmiro de Azevedo, founder of "Sonae", who built and industrial empire from scratch in less than 20 years. No one ever accused him of committing any crime. By the way, would you tell me what are the crimes committed by Bill Gates on his way to success and fortune?
Rui Manuel Colla�o
Lisbon
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