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India's Fortune
Summary --
Nandan Nilekani has produced one of the best and most thought-provoking books on India in years.
The global economic crisis has revealed the folly of large U.S. budget and trade deficits, as well as of the strong dollar that makes them possible. If it is serious about recovery, the United States must balance the budget, stimulate private saving, and embrace a declining dollar.
Comments
Nandan Nilekani's "Imagining India"
Mr. Nilekani has indeed raised the bar for Indian politicians and challenged them to think much more long term. I do not feel as pessimistic as you seem to suggest in conclusion ("In Practice"). India's myriad of problems and himalayan challenges not withstanding, in the end the wisdom of Indian public and the cultural depth of Indian civilization, not to mention thousands of years of track record make me very optimistic about India's future. And like you rightly suggested, the world's future will change with India.
For those who believe in India and those who rubbish its potential, I have the same message: fasten your seatbelts, Indian age is upon the horizon.
Compared with China,the two
Compared with China,the two countries both have serious problem on the way to power nation.India which will become more population even has less resources than China,so,once India get into the industrilized stage,the competition between them will get much stronger.The competition will exesit in all respects,including market,raw materials and so on,not only economy,but also politic ,culture and territory .If China will compete with America,the two countries have no much economic problems,otherwise they will collaborate as much as they can,we can say more cooperation than competition,two countries have no territory issues,so the contradiction in the milltary is adjustable.
At this moment ,the manufacture industry is not very develpoed , it mainly depend s on IT industry,which means they do not need too many raw materials such as oil and iron ore.We konw India has the surplus of iron ore to export,if it has set up the iron industry like China,we can imagine the impact upon the international market.If India want to develpoe ,it must speed up the manufacture industry,IT industry is not big enough to support the whole economy.So the contradiction will begin to get on the desk.Now,the goods made in China are full of the global market without eqaul counterpart,once the goods made in India pure into global market,then it will jeopardise the development of China which so depent on global market,and India is the only country to have the potential to endanger the China position in this aspect,other country is too small.
More fatal is that the two countries have territory issue,which have led to war .The issue have not been solved ,and now the atmosphere is tensional,the two countries both enhance the arm along the border.We do not have the hope to solve it at this moment.The war maybe break out.
So if India want to become the power nation,it have to learn how to deal with China,if the war break out, its way to power will be dragged.
Chaotic & Ordered: the difference marks it all
The idea of an India that is poised (many commentators tend to liken the Indian situation as such) and the reality of a chaotic country - where the most chaotic of it aspects also mark its democratic credentials - its political class - perhaps speaks a story of its own.
The filtering-down effect of such a chaotic reality - as opposed to order - of its elites that count as policy-makers and determining India's trajectory in other spheres merely underlines the obvious.
Individuals like Nilekani, if and when they come across as a breath of fresh air do mark the exception than the rule. The most interesting aspect would be to make a comparative study of India, the European Union, Japan & the Nordic states from their respective conditions. The periods of comparison can begin from 1945 -1965 and 1985-2005. That should make for an interesting insight. The psycho-cultural aspects can come later since they usually are not considered a marker for most listings of such data that economy, etc. normally generate forth since they barely take into account the quality of life as well as the Human Development indices.
The states that are put forth as companions for comparison should please most Indian patriots and should also be an enlightening experience - in perhaps giving direction to their energies.