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Monday,
October 7, 2002, Chandigarh, India  
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Barriers to growth Ballistic antics
A close look at US foreign policy |
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Cop at large!!
Galbraith attacks ‘conventional wisdom’ A Netherlands film in focus at film festival
Too much
gyming creates unhappiness
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Barriers to growth AT the Planning Commission meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Vajpayee made two things very clear. One, there is no question of the government going back on the disinvestment policy. Rather, he said, it would “actively pursue” disinvestment of public sector units (PSUs). Two, the efforts to woo FDI will continue, but not at the cost of national interest or by hurting the domestic industry. That should effectively silence the anti-disinvestment noises made of late by some of Mr Vajpayee’s colleagues. One need not remind Mr George Fernandes and the other ministers with little control over their vocal organs that airing differences in public on vital policy issues sends wrong signals and negates the principle of collective responsibility. However, the Defence Minister’s suggestion for a “mid-course review” of the economic policies pursued by the NDA government does merit consideration. That should help clear doubts voiced in some quarters about the selloff of PSUs and speed up the almost forgotten reforms launched more than a decade ago. The draft Tenth Plan has set an ambitious target of realising Rs 78,000 crore from PSU disinvestment.That indicates PSU selloff is a part of a long-term policy. A review can also help speed up those components of the reforms now lying in the cold storage. The power sector reforms have virtually come to a halt after the Enron fiasco. The ticklish issue of labour reforms has been much talked about, but little has been done to simplify the legal framework and make hiring and firing easier. These two measures — the resolution of the Enron imbroglio and an amendment to the labour laws — alone can accelerate the FDI inflow into the country. The other issues highlighted by the Prime Minister and the draft Tenth Plan like reforms in governance, fiscal prudence, creation of 50 million jobs in five years, reduction in the Central staff, potable drinking water in all villages and all children in school by 2003 are all familiar promises which few believe would be realised. Plan after Plan has failed to achieve the set growth targets. This time again there is a talk of 8 per cent growth target. In fact, the whole concept of planning for five years is questionable in a globalised economy when international developments like a war and economic conditions beyond the control of the planners like the state of the US economy have a significant bearing on the domestic economy and can derail policies, no matter how sound on paper. Following a simple economic principle of demand and supply would have prevented the country from being stuck with huge, unmanageable foodgrain stocks. It is better to move fast with a process of quick decision-making on carefully crafted short-term and long-term goals with adjustments as and when required. It does not speak high of a government to dither on implementing an economic agenda on which there has been a broad political consensus. A minister or two can put a question mark on a policy broadly agreed upon. |
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Ballistic antics IT was not exactly tit for tat, but the launch of missiles by Pakistan and India on the same day last week (Friday) at least qualified to be called a missile salvo. Two can play such a game. Since both of them have been testing their missiles repeatedly, it is difficult to say whether the egg came first or the hen. That is why the world in general has criticised them both for this provocative gesture. It is another matter that India puts the entire blame on Pakistan and the latter reciprocates the motion. This is the second time this year that Pakistan has test-fired ballistic missiles. It had conducted several tests of its long and medium range missiles in May. On the other hand, India tested Trishul only in September. The pot can call the kettle black, but the sum total is that now the possibility of an early resumption of dialogue has receded greatly. India is right in commenting that the missile test is more for impressing the Pakistani electorate than for checking its technical aspects. Elections are drawing near and what could be a better way to dazzle the ignorant voters than to display the military muscle. However, outsiders are not quite that gullible. When Pakistan says that Hatf-IV is an indigenous missile, it is correct only to the extent that the nametag is 100 per cent Pakistani. Even in that the Pakistani authorities are unable to make up their mind whether to call it Hatf-IV or Shaheen-I. The best option for them would be to continue to call it by its original Chinese name, M-9, with due acknowledgement to North Korean experts who provided additional input and helped them reverse-engineer it. The ballistic missile is already tested and Islamabad is only re-enacting the charade as a showpiece. In sharp contrast, Akash is a genuinely Indian baby. The most sophisticated medium-range surface-to-air missile is the culmination of years of research. It is urgently needed to replace the existing systems which are already obsolete, but happen to be way behind schedule. Kvadrat (SAM-6) with the Army and the Pichora (SAM-3) with the Air Force have already outlived their utility. Akash is not the best option but it is going to be a considerable improvement on the equipment currently doing duty. Many more tests will be required before it is given the green signal. While the war of words between the two neighbours seems destined to continue, even escalate, over the timing of the tests, one hopes that there will be no occasion for either of the two to put the deadly weapons to use. The relations between the two are too tense to permit any adventurism. |
A close look at US foreign policy WHY think deeply about what ails America’s foreign policy? Find a scapegoat, “smoke out the bad guys” and retire peacefully to bed. All is well as long as you keep the public ignorant of why the world hates the Americans. Monster Mom is “Toogood” a melodramatic diversion to forget temporarily the escapade to oust the anti-US menace, Saddam. The Americans have a short memory, indeed, and love to move from one sensational event to another more intensified one. Consequently, it becomes difficult to impart political or social messages to an insensitive public that subsists on the simulation of reality. But such a mindless and ham-headed public is ideal for manipulation with rhetoric as ridiculous as that of President Bush who calls his nation and its inhabitants “the best” or wants to put an end to Saddam’s regime because “he tried to kill my dad” and it is a patriotic duty for every American to oust him. “Manufacturing consent” is not difficult in this country. The average citizen remains oblivious and incapable of comprehending or responding to the infuriating and blatant manner in which the USA has responded in the post 9-11 scenario to adversaries whose policies go against her. Juggle the Taliban with Mr Hamid Karzai in Afghanistan as the preference for him is understandable because of his convivial relationship with oil companies and his easily manipulable stance owing to his lack of any local political affiliations. The whole democratic travesty in this country is seen in the selection of lackey-delegates by no other than the USA. Take the case of Palestine where the democratic process is declared illegitimate as long as the choice of officials is not made on the approval of Mr Bush. Iraq must have a new regime though it poses no danger to any other country; client regimes, even though dictatorial, are acceptable as long as they serve the interests of western powers. Mr Hugo Chavez of Venezuela must go because he is instrumental in raising public opinion against the oligarchy as well as his attempts at bringing a union of oil producing countries and those that have no such natural resources. Regime change and ensconcing buddy capitalism anywhere in the world is the sole impulse of a foreign policy that does not mind democracy going to the dogs. Politics and the lust for power blends a lethal potion. The naive Americans wilfully remain uninformed of all that they have done to the world. No one can legitimise the 9-11 attacks, but is it not apparent that reprisal is merely a small measure which has emerged out of the US adventures around the world and her awfully bruised credibility . On the one hand, Secretary of State Colin Powell gives the assurance that cross-border terrorism is detectable and measures will be taken to bring it to an end; but soon after this speech given at the Asia Society, the incorrigible general of Pakistan declares that nothing unsavory is taking place on the border, and Mr Bush has been informed accordingly. For General Musharraf, the palpable doings of Al-Qaida in Pakistan are a sin qua non of Washington’s continuing dance with the dictator in Pakistan. He has strategically manoeuvred himself into a crucially indispensable position by preventing any other nation from filling the slot of a collaborator of the USA who can wage a war against the jehadis. The Taliban and Al-Qaida must continue to remain active in Pakistan if General Musharraf has to have Mr Bush behind him. This, therefore, becomes a paradox: a fight against terrorism with the aid of the Pakistan President means falling into the hands of a trickster whose very political existence depends on the survival of these terrorist groups. And as long as Mr Bush and Mr Powell continue to ignore this fact, their credibility and sincerity behind operation “Enduring Freedom” remain in doubt. The nuclear threat by Pakistan was ignored by the USA in spite of its stand on non-proliferation that is integral to her political ideology and the so-called New World Order that she feels she is the master craftsman of. Was it not obvious that the USA kept quiet when Saddam bombarded her ship accidentally and then went on to use poisonous gas against Iran? In that case, the strategy was to chastise Iran; now it is to punish the terrorists who hit at her mainland, not realising that their fight during the last one year has not in any way reduced the terrorist threat. In fact, her bullying tactics have triggered off more venom against her than ever before. Keeping in view these events in the recent history of western interference in other nations, it must be emphasised that the view about the pastness of colonialism runs the risk of obscuring the continuities and discontinuities of imperial influence. Though formal imperialism has definitely come to an end with decolonisation, its firm entrenchment is the next logical step in its evolution. The continued and severe economic crises, the sale of millions of dollars worth of weapons to Hungary, to Pakistan, to Iran or Afghanistan, large-scale unemployment, the emergence of fascism in Europe and deep alienation from the new political structures sufficiently demolishes the optimism of a “New World Order” and points only towards one fact: that imperialism is here to stay. It is important to come to grips with the vast differences between the inadequacy of the subject and the power of the metropole. The culture of imperialism is not an event of the past, and much still remains in the legacy of colonial history, culturally, economically and politically. This is amply clear in the multi-million assistance offered to Indonesia and the Philippines to wage a fight against proactive Islamic groups in the on-going war against terrorism. Giving aid to the Philippines to fight against domestic terrorism or to see to it that the Abu Sayyaf group is taken care of because of its affiliations with the Taliban or that the vast Muslim population of Indonesia does not get swayed into any anti-American propaganda, the USA is willing to spend millions to make sure that the terrorists do not get a refuge anywhere in the world. But the corollary to this is nothing if not a covert interference and propping up of pro- US regimes around the world. Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia are not far behind in experiencing US infiltration into domestic politics. From North Africa to the Indonesian archipelago Washington has tightened its grip in the wake of 9-11. The International Criminal Court is proving an anathema to the USA and to counter its reach, it has warned that no assistance would be given if Americans serving in different countries are penalised in any way. The Bush administration has adopted a new anti-terrorism law that allows the President to take any appropriate action he deems fit to free American “peacekeepers” held in custody by this court. This does not exclude military action. East Timor is finally a member of the UN, but will it make any difference joining a moribund body overwhelmed by the USA? Public opinion across the world reacts strongly to American unilateral dominance of world politics. Film and media personalities, trade unionists, writers, academics, left-wing leaders and religious groups have staged a massive anti-war demonstration in Hyde Park. The many kilometres long procession, the biggest in recent European history, is a harbinger of the fast gathering dissent against President Bush and Prime Minister Blair within their very own courtyard. A friend in the USA writes to me, “Today the whole of America is gripped by 9/11 fit. From morning to night sheeves of paper and hours of airtime are devoted to reminisce and to resolve. But to what purpose? The world still struggles on, people still die, especially with American weapons. I am writing this while gazing through my daughter’s 21st floor apartment window at the Empire State building close by. Protect this symbol of US might, but keep on pounding the rest of the world, particularly the Third World. This seems to be the new mantra. And the liberal Left looks helplessly on! Men like Chomsky are totally blacked out of the media. Not a squeak about him.” The situation does look very bad right now, but we must look at the resistance that is growing as the first steps in a long journey. For the first time, we have the prospect of a truly global, truly international resistance movement, and that is tremendously exciting even in this time of extreme difficulty. The entire Islamic world is being brutalised. Even the liberals one meets believe there is a tangible threat to the country. What does one do in such “resistance” to argument? The writer is Chairman, Department of English, Panjab University, Chandigarh. |
Cop at large!! DURING a social occasion a friend commented: “You policemen have no grey matter. Instead, you guys have only khaki matter”. It was an attempt to sound humorous so we obliged him and all had a good laugh. But I found traces of jealousy in his statement. I shall tell you why. Lord Hanuman is the favourite God of majority of policemen. And why is that? Because Hanuman comes closest to the values and virtues that every cop aspires to possess. He has a formidable exterior but exhibits unquestioned loyalty, devotion, courage and resourcefulness. People with lots of grey matter would probably question Lord Hanuman’s actions — each one of them. But we adore and worship him. The modern man in khaki is loyal to his boss, takes pride in his resourcefulness and when it comes to courage he uses his discretion, after all the times are changing. These are the qualities that make him what he is. Let me exemplify. Some time ago I was the Superintendent of Police of Kulu district. Every summer I used to get a lot of visitors. Once, one of them who was based in Delhi, wanted to eat fresh trout. The frozen variety marketed in the capital had failed to enthuse him. He informed me that Kulu was trout country. I had no notion. I had spent considerable time in the district but was too busy policing to know about these fishy things. Anyway I had to live up to the age old maxim “Atithi Deva Bhava” and hence the trout had to be arranged. So I did what most policemen do. I called up the Station House Officer of the area best known for the icy streams where trout breeds. This chap had become so famous for supplying this fishy produce to all who mattered that he was affectionately called SHO Trout. The order was placed. The first visitor to my office that day was a gentleman who bred and sold trout fish for a living. And thanks to its exorbitant prices in Delhi, the living was far from modest. During the course of the small conversation we discussed only fishy business. I was informed about the market, the feed and mostly how the government had failed to help entrepreneurs like him. Before he left in his big swank car he dropped the ultimate pearl of wisdom — the tastiest trout is eight inches long, no more no less. I casually told my steno about this latest revelation. He took no time in informing SHO Trout. The fish arrived the next day and the same evening we heartily enjoyed the fishy meal amidst praise for Kulu and that it was sheer bliss inhaling fresh mountain air and eating fresh trout, so very different from big city life. I slept well after thanking Hanumanji for small mercies. A few days later SHO Trout appeared at my office. After discussing crime and criminals I asked him about the set-up and the staff. To which he remarked: “Janaab, the staff these days is utterly hopeless and unintelligent.” I was surprised and demanded to know more. He said “When Janaab wanted to have trout, I deputed one of my better subordinates to get some. And he proved to be a disaster. Then I decided to go personally, armed with a measuring tape. I placed eight of my men with fishing rods on the job. Each fish that was caught was measured accurately. Seven and a half inches — back to the icy waters. Nine inches — the same treatment. It took my band of nine, the whole day to catch six good pieces.” Needless to say they were all eight inches long, correct to the next millimeter. Praised be Lord Hanuman, this is an example of what it means to be a cop — resourcefulness and absolutely unadulterated loyalty to the boss. If you are a cop, you live such events every day of your life. And as for you my friend who art so proud of your grey matter, I am certain you would not mind a shade of resourceful khaki in your definition of grey. But you shall not be as lucky.
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Galbraith attacks ‘conventional wisdom’ RECENT reports had said Galbraith looked frail, and he has certainly not been too well. But when this was being explained to me in advance, he grabbed the telephone and boomed: `Keegan, I’m on the mend.’ And certainly, when we spoke, his form of 93-year-old frailty seemed pretty robust. (He is 94 next week.)
He began with a paean of praise for Adam Smith, who, he said, had been ‘too fully captured by the right-wing’. In Galbraith’s view ‘much of what he said had large encouragement for the careful and intelligent Left. He was ruined to an extent by his acolytes, many of whom had never read him.’ Thoughts of Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments moved Galbraith to the ethics of the present. ‘I have written a long essay, “The Economics of Innocent Fraud’’ about things that, for self-interest or convenience, we hail as the truth but have no particular relevance to reality.’ With an eye on the Bush administration Galbraith said one minor example of this was relevant now: ‘You can’t stimulate an economy by reducing taxes on the rich. That is popular for what it does for those who get the money, and not for what it does for the economy.’ He has always been superb at attacking `conventional wisdom’, a phrase he coined, and his current target is worship of the US Federal Reserve. America is ‘having a somewhat painful recession, with no remedial action in sight of any consequence. The administration, in summary, has two lines of action: one is tax relief for the rich. The other is reliance on the Federal Reserve. It is at least consistent. Both are without effect.’ This celebrated author feels his greatest achievement was not his books but his time as head of the body responsible for US price controls during the Second World War. He contrasts the success of this with the inflation that took place after the First World War, when the Fed was in charge. ‘Historians never mention inflation as they did after World War I. But if - and I think this is the basic rule of all public service - if you succeed your work is forgotten.’ Then came the rapier thrust: ‘One of the most important things we did in those years was to set aside all reliance on central bank policy.’ There will be more about the excessive reliance placed by governments and economists on central banks in the new book. `But it will not be without admiration for Alan Greenspan. We’ve never seen anything like his theatrical skills.’ And European central banks? ‘I’ve never been a close student of monetary policy in Europe, apart from the inescapable history of the Bank of England.’ We returned to the present day. ‘This is a very disagreeable time, and its burden is falling as usual on those least able to carry it. You pick up the newspaper any time, and on the financial pages you’ll read of the constructive action some company or other is taking: in a commendable step it has just laid off 10 per cent of its workforce. There is no reflection on the discomfort that might follow from being so assigned to leisure, or what it might do if their children are going to college.’ Galbraith has always written beautifully - a source of admiration and sometimes acute envy among fellow economists - and still speaks in measured, rounded sentences, choosing his words carefully, sometimes going back to substitute le mot juste. ‘Being so assigned to leisure’ is a classic Galbraithian use of irony, and reminded me of his book, The Affluent Society. ‘Things are bad enough,’ he said, ‘so that I haven’t noticed any great revival of interest in that book. Perhaps I should have a new edition with a new title. It could be “The Depressed Economy’’, and it would face the fact that only a reduced colony of booklovers could afford to buy it.’ Which brought us to Galbraith’s masterpiece The Great Crash, 1929. Surely there had been a revival of interest in that? ‘The Great Crash has been in print since the mid-fifties, and it still outsells all of my other books’ (he has published 30). `It has a wonderful, built-in salesmanship: any time anyone complains as to what he or she is suffering in the stock market there is someone who always says, “If you think that is bad, why don’t you read Galbraith on 1929’’?’ This reminds him of when he used to peruse bookshops to see how his latest was doing. He noticed that one title was never on sale in the old La Guardia airport in New York. ‘One night the woman in charge asked me what I was looking for. I was a little ashamed, but came out with the title, The Great Crash. She never hesitated: “That certainly is not a book you could sell at an airport’’.’ Galbraith is one of the diminishing band who knew John Maynard Keynes - ‘one of the great figures in our life, and certainly in mine. One of the unwritten paragraphs in his life is advice I had from him on economic action in World War II.’ Galbraith said one of his achievements at Harvard, `with others, of course’ was bringing Keynes to the US. Public servants used to come from Washington to join the discussions. ‘There was some seminar on the General Theory almost every day. It was also helped by Joseph Schumpeter, who was by far the most articulate critic [of Keynes].’ Galbraith recalls how his wife, who was working on a doctorate on comparative literature, became fed up with the way no day ended and few began ‘without seminars with someone or some group on Keynes. She concluded she must read the General Theory. In the introduction Keynes explains there are some matters he hasn’t thought through. She closed the book and decided she would wait until he had finished the job.’ After discussing Keynes, Galbraith, the great professional, turned to ask me: ‘You got enough?’ I did not wish to tire the great man, and nodded. ‘I conclude with the most compelling footnote on The Affluent Society,’ he added. `Just before it had been published I had been persuaded by the Carnegie Corporation to tour Latin America. While we were on this journey The Affluent Society was published and went to the top of the best-seller lists... When we reached Montevideo (Uruguay) the news had even come to them. My sponsors were impressed, and telephoned my publisher in Boston for more information. On the line, two similar words got mixed up. A large picture appeared on the front page of the major daily. The caption was, “JK Galbraith, Leading American Communist’’. It was just after the McCarthy period. That paper never got back to Washington.’ Galbraith has advised many presidents, including Roosevelt and Kennedy. He was ambassador to India under JFK, and jokes: `First he would call me up to ask what to do. Then to tell me what he was doing. Then he would not call me at all.’ Even the mightiest are sometimes ignored.
By arrangement with The Guardian
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A Netherlands film in focus at film festival IT was a virtual treat for cinegoers, congregated at the ongoing 33rd International Film Festival at Siri Fort Auditorium, as they got to see "Nynke," a Netherlands film directed by Pieter Vernoeff. "Nynke" is a film about a woman, Sjoukje, who dreams of a special life with a special man. Her marriage to poet and lawyer Pieter would appear to be the fulfilment of that dream. But things work out differently. Her husband soon gets caught up in the socialist movement early in their marriage. Sjoukje is forced to take on the role of mother and wife. But the film takes a twist when her husband falls in love with the housekeeper. Sjoukje asks for a divorce and leaves home with her two children. Apart from "Nynke", the Bengali and Hindi versions of "Devdas" made by P.C. Barua in 1935 were also screened. The others in line include "Bemani", "Life as a fatal sexually transmitted", "Beneath Clouds", "Dany", "A few Things I know about", "Pushpaka", "Itai Futari" and "Letters to Elza". Award-winning films and blockbusters like "Dil Chahta Hai", "Chandni Bar", "Lagaan", "Gadar-Ek Prem Katha", "Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham" and "Raaz" will be showcased in the Mainstream Indian Cinema and Indian Panorama sections. With seven days more to go, the International Film Festival of India promises a lot more for film buffs, both Indian and foreigners.
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Too much gyming creates unhappiness EVEN as more men are taking to the gym in order to increase their musculature, some may be at risk of developing muscle dysmorphia, a syndrome which makes them unhappy with their body, warn researchers. Muscle dysmorphia mainly affects men who are highly muscular, but see themselves as puny. This leads them to work out more and more in a bid to achieve the size and shape they believe they should be. They may also be at high risk of using steroids in an attempt to boost their physique. The syndrome is different to other forms of body dysmorphic disorder, because instead of being highly dissatisfied with a particular part of their body, someone with muscle dysmorphia is unhappy with their whole body. Dr Precilla Choi of Victoria University, Melbourne, says: “If more men are taking to the gym in order to increase their musculature, some may be at risk of developing muscle dysmorphia.” And adds: “In a changing culture where men’s bodies are becoming more visible alongside an increased acceptance of physical exercise as a desirable activity, MD in men may be one negative consequence of physical exercise behaviour, particularly weight training, being motivated primarily by physical appearance. “How to prevent this and, if it occurs, what to do about it are important questions for both researchers and practitioners. Dr David Veale, a UK expert in treating body dysmorphic disorder, said of muscle dysmorphia: “People are recognising it more. It really depends on a person’s level of preoccupation as to what handicap it places on your life.” ANI Prediction of child’s birth weight Expectant mothers go in for an ultrasound in order to know about the birth weight of their unborn baby, among other things. But a new US study, published in the September issue of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine simple, claims that a simple, six-step formula is more accurate than ultrasound for the purpose. Researchers from Duke University Medical Centre used the formula, based on six variables (gestational age, maternal height, maternal weight, third-trimester weight gain rate, number of prior children and foetal gender), to estimate birth weights for 244 babies and found that on an average, the predictions were accurate to within eight per cent. By contrast, ultrasound predictions vary from 8- 16 per cent.
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I stood speechless with shame when my name thou didst ask. Indeed, what had I done for thee to keep me in remembrance? But the memory that I could give water to thee to allay thy thirst will cling to my heart and enfold it in sweetness. The morning hour is late, the bird sings in weary notes, neem leaves rustle overhead and I sit and think and think. *** Let all the strains of joy mingle in my last song — the joy that makes the earth flow over in the riotous excess of the grass, the joy that sets the twin brothers, life and death, dancing over the wide world, the joy that sweeps in with the tempest, shaking and waking all life with laughter, the joy that sits still with its tears on the open red lotus of pain, and the joy that throws everything it has upon the dust, and knows not a word. *** On the seashore of endless worlds children meet. The infinite sky is motionless overhead and the restless water is boisterous. On the seashore of endless worlds the children meet with shouts and dances. *** They build their hours with sand and they play with empty shells. With withered leaves they weave their boats and smilingly float them on the vast deep. Children have their play on the seashore of worlds. *** They know not how to swim, they know not how to cast nets. Pearl fishers dive for pearls, merchants sail in their ships, while children gather pebbles and scatter them again. They seek not for hidden treasures, they know not how to cast nets. Rabindranath Tagore, Gitanjali *** The sea surges up with laughter and pale gleams the smile of the sea beach. Death-dealing waves sing meaningless ballads to the children, even like a mother while rocking her baby’s cradle. The sea play with children, and pale gleams the smile of the sea beach. Rabindranath Tagore, Gitanjali |
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Name: Prof John Kenneth Galbraith