Vir Snghvi's contention that the old Nehruvian policies are responsible for the current situation seems incorrect since much of the boom appears to be a result of the reversal of some of those policies in the past two decades. And even today many hold the view that the boom would have taken place earlier in sectors such as manufacturing had those policies been reversed earlier. And also that we are still being held back because some of the Nehruvian "the state is a parent" attitude continues.
-gabin On Jan 11, 2008 6:30 AM, shiv sastry <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Sanghvi's logic is flawed and operates as follows: "The Pakistanis were > wrong, > therefore India was correct (as was China)". > > This is rubbish, not to mention the fact that Pakistan's "economy" has > always > "boomed" with the infusion of billions of US$ in aid. That economic boom > has > done little to improve literacy or human development while it has done > plenty > to put Pakistan in the big league as a top rate military nation, with > fabulously wealthy Generals. > > shiv > > > On Friday 11 Jan 2008 2:27 am, Thaths wrote: > > On Jan 10, 2008 3:33 AM, Valsa Williams <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > > *Two Nations, Two Choices Vir Sanghvi > > > < > http://www.hindustantimes.com/Search/Search.aspx?q=Vir+Sanghvi&nodate=1> > > >* > > > > > > But it is the second point that I regard as more significant. In the > > > 1950s and in the 1960s, when India was ruled by a Nehruvian consensus, > > > there were many critics — usually on the political right — who thought > we > > > had got it badly wrong. How did it benefit India, they asked, to > follow > > > some crackpot policy of non-alignment which involved a surreptitious > tilt > > > to the Soviet Bloc when we could so easily be friends with the US, the > > > world's most powerful democracy? > > > > > > *There were only two major Asian countries that rejected the US > > > prescription for development and foreign policy: India and China. And > > > look where they are today. * > > > > Let me get this right, the author is saying India's past socio > > economic policies were right based on an economy that has boomed for > > under a decade? What about all the years when many Indians were > > convinced that our policies were wrong? I contend that the stars have > > lined up in just the right alignment for India's current boom. > > > > If there is any lesson one could learn from our past economic > > planning, it is that the decisions we make today (continuing to use > > English as a link language and a language of government) have > > unintended consequences decades from now (the call center market). > > > > And for those of us who argue that the Hindutva Right is more pro-US, > > let me remind you that it was the coalition Janata government - in > > which Vajpayee and Advani were cabinet ministers - that kicked Coke > > out of the country leaving us with such excellent choices as Thumps Up > > and Campa 77 (ugh!). > > > > My personal bias is that we did make the correct socio-economic > > decisions then. But we cannot claim success for those policies based > > on unintended consequences of those policies. > > > > Thaths > > -- Measure with a micrometer. Mark with a chalk. Cut with an axe!
