Prashant points us at yet another interesting, Desi economic history piece by Gautam Bastian. In it, Gautam quotes a provocative Telegraph OpEd that discusses a surprising diversity in the Desi Intellegentsia’s attitudes towards the market. Instead of the uniform, Pavlovian rejection Uncle Milt experienced, the Telegraph’s Ramachandra Guha points at a specific braindrain of Guju econ knowledge –
Back in the Sixties, it used to be said that India’s most successful export were economists. Our economy was resolutely insulated from the rest of the world, but our economists occupied high posts in famous universities in Europe and America. Later, the joke was amended to say that the reason India’s economy was mediocre was because its economists were world-class. No South Korean was a professor of political economy at Cambridge; no Malaysian had been awarded the Nobel Prize. But their economies grew at an impressive 8 per cent, whereas ours stayed stuck at 3.5 per cent, also known as the “Hindu” rate of growth.My own theory about Indian economists is more specific and hopefully less facetious. It runs as follows; Gujarati economists place faith in the market, while Bengali economists are prone to trust the state. In the Fifties, when P.C. Mahalonobis drafted the Soviet-inspired second five year plan, A.D. Shroff responded by starting the Forum of Free Enterprise. In the Sixties and the Seventies, about the only economist of pedigree advocating Indian integration with the world economy was the Gujarati, Jagdish Bhagwati. He was opposed by an array of Marxists, many of whom (naturally) were Bengali.
As Gautam notes, several prominent thinkers have attacked the the broad question of “if intellectuals are so smart, how come so many have been so wrong about markets?” (Heck, little old me, in my blogging youth tried to add on to Nozick). But by slicing and dicing across socio-cultural lines within India, Guha takes the question in a different direction. While I’d heard the stereotype of Bengali Marxists (keep in mind that my homestate – Kerala – has its fair share as well) I wasn’t aware that Guju’s were responsible for the counter pole. Biz friendly Gujus, eh? I suppose many stereotypes start with a grain of truth somewhere….
What exactly is your point of contention here? India wants to get rid of caste system, it is not easy to do so since it is ingrained so deep in the society.
Again what’s your point?
What? That doesn’t even make sense. You are saying that I should demand for the legal system to be thrown out based your assumption that India doesn’t have the will to enforce it? India doesn’t have the means to enforce its laws, there is a difference.
Anyway, if you can avoid making statements on wild assumptions we can further discuss the point.
That is true, they can’t be equated.
There are some forces still keeping caste alive . . . among them are certainly people who denounce the system while simultaenously engaging in an anti-Brahmin crusade.
Truthseeker certainly seems to have a grudge against Gujratis as well. Wonder what his motive is.
Buddhism certainly is far more humane and rational than brahminism. Buddha rejected brahminism, its cruel sacrifices, its unjust casteism, its absurd superstitions.
If the varna ideal was professionally based and indians today are free to choose their professions then why aren’t all memebers of the military and government called Kshatriyas? Why aren’t all businessmen called Vaishyas? Why aren’t non-brahmins allowed to be temple priests? Why are brahmins who clean toilets still called brahmins rather than untouchables? And so on.
Just amazing. A nation of a billion souls with a large, stable government “doesn’t have the means to enforce its laws”! Surely such a government has no right to exist then.
A handful of brits managed to enforce their laws on 100s of millions of south asians, but the far greater number of native indian babus are utterly helpless. What “means” are they lacking that the British possessed, and that other nations also do?
India has laws against child bonded labor as well, yet India to its shame is by far the world’s worst offender of children’s rights. Tens of millions of little children continue to work as bonded slaves in India, often in the most hazardous conditions. Whats the point of passing all these laws when there is no will to enforce them?
You got them brother! Would you like to raise an army and invade India? You can then rule over it with your wisdom.
I assume you have the answer and will unleash once you are the emperor of India?
Hey, that was the point I brought up here. What are you, a troll? Damn I have been feeding the trolls again!!
Here is the point you were making emphatically: “untouchability has been outlawed by the Indian constitution!”.
Macacaroach!
Buddhism certainly is far more humane and rational than brahminism. Buddha rejected brahminism, its cruel sacrifices, its unjust casteism, its absurd superstitions.
And yet its wiped off the face of India, sans the Mahars of Maharastra and a few whitened desis ashamed of the idolatrous profusion of deities. But then, for the micro-dicked race of dumbass brownz, its probably a fitting fate 🙂 And by the way, even though we have short dicks, we have big tongues, so your claim that we are incapable of pleasuring our women is patently false. lick lick.
Well, Lakshmi Mittal is a Marwari.
to the truthseeker, considering per capita GDP of america as $25,000 how much does a modest house cost in the US? around $2,00,000 i guess. if per capita GDP of Gujarat is $600, the average price of a house in Gujarat is around $10,000. in that case, assuming all wages earned goes behind buying a house, it takes one 8 years to own a house in the US and about 17 years in Gujarat. does it imply Gujarat’s per capita GDP is around $12,500? People in the west earn in dollars and in dollars do they spend, there aint much difference.
Gujaratis are not Only Good Business man/Industrialist but also very good People By nature.They have the attiude of adaption & Flexibility wich I have rarely seen in any Community other than Marwaris.Thats why they are more Sucessful.ujaratis make Punjabi/Soth indian/Thai/Marwari & marathi dishes at their home which is the Best Example.
Also they do lot of for their Respective Societies Like Jains in Gujaratis & Marwaris/Patels/Brahmins etc.. all Community Leader Play Poductive Role For their Respective as well general Communal growth.You will find lots of Trusts run by Gujaratis in the world which is the Best Example.
Gujaratis in Short are more money minded than Business who believe in Proseprity,Growth,Non violence & Productivity.
Dear member quizman, The actual and true story about Harshad Mehta can be seen here Harshad Mehta It has very beautifully described every bit of 1992 scam.