Comments on: Reading Dr Manmohan Singh’s Interview http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/ Issues & insights Mon, 21 Jul 2008 01:15:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Prashant Kothari http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-505 Prashant Kothari Mon, 24 Oct 2005 05:37:05 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-505 Siddarth -- we appreciate your compliments... still early days.. long way to go, but a promising start. A lot of the blog's value lies in the comments -- aergo, the comments are as deserving. Bahut khhub.. Siddarth — we appreciate your compliments… still early days.. long way to go, but a promising start.

A lot of the blog’s value lies in the comments — aergo, the comments are as deserving. Bahut khhub..

]]> By: Siddharth Taparia http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-503 Siddharth Taparia Sun, 23 Oct 2005 22:30:55 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-503 I like this website very much. I think I am hooked to the no-ad, no-nonsense approach and the clear crisp commentary that you guys provide. Keep doing the good work!!! I like this website very much. I think I am hooked to the no-ad, no-nonsense approach and the clear crisp commentary that you guys provide. Keep doing the good work!!!

]]> By: navin http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-188 navin Wed, 31 Aug 2005 22:26:37 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-188 Atanu - "I attribute it to a striking failure of imagination and empathy. The feeling is “Since I am OK, those who set his system in place must not be too bad.”" The above is what REALLY worries me. The lack EMPATHY.. It has strong repurcussions. People don't feel others pain... so don't do much for them and they stay that way. Then its downhill after a point APATHY baffles me to no end. I did a post on the poor being left out of the equation in the marketing of a product that I felt should be looked at in only the commercial angle. Comments to the post were not that encouraging. I felt the same too "failure of imagination and empathy" is Prevalent. The post is here http://blogontheweb.com/navin/archive/2005/07/02/76233.aspx Atanu -

“I attribute it to a striking failure of imagination and empathy. The feeling is “Since I am OK, those who set his system in place must not be too bad.””

The above is what REALLY worries me. The lack EMPATHY.. It has strong repurcussions. People don’t feel others pain… so don’t do much for them and they stay that way. Then its downhill after a point

APATHY baffles me to no end. I did a post on the poor being left out of the equation in the marketing of a product that I felt should be looked at in only the commercial angle. Comments to the post were not that encouraging. I felt the same too “failure of imagination and empathy” is Prevalent.

The post is here http://blogontheweb.com/navin/archive/2005/07/02/76233.aspx

]]> By: Atanu Dey http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-182 Atanu Dey Wed, 31 Aug 2005 02:47:47 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-182 Mohan, I suppose when you write <i>"Without that vision the freedom we enjoy today would not be possible,"</i> the "we" means you and those who get educated and have money to spend and read blogs. Surely that same statement cannot be made by the around 50 percent of children below five who are malnourished, nor by the 250 million or so who live below a <i><b>poverty line that is set so low that you are always chronically hungry at line, leave alone below the line</b></i>. How one can defend the founding fathers of this country on the grounds that they had vision when so many hundreds of millions of lives are lived in dehumanizing poverty is quite beyond my comprehension. I attribute it to a striking failure of imagination and empathy. The feeling is "Since I am OK, those who set his system in place must not be too bad." Mohan, I suppose when you write “Without that vision the freedom we enjoy today would not be possible,” the “we” means you and those who get educated and have money to spend and read blogs. Surely that same statement cannot be made by the around 50 percent of children below five who are malnourished, nor by the 250 million or so who live below a poverty line that is set so low that you are always chronically hungry at line, leave alone below the line. How one can defend the founding fathers of this country on the grounds that they had vision when so many hundreds of millions of lives are lived in dehumanizing poverty is quite beyond my comprehension.

I attribute it to a striking failure of imagination and empathy. The feeling is “Since I am OK, those who set his system in place must not be too bad.”

]]> By: Chirantan http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-180 Chirantan Tue, 30 Aug 2005 21:24:40 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-180 wondering! have all the global media entities come together to form a cartel. How is it that Knowledge@Wharton, Mckinsey Quarterly, Business Week all together -- almost at the same time, come up with issues on India (also China here too).. there should be someone looking at the controls at each of the media houses, and the interests playing there... wondering! have all the global media entities come together to form a cartel. How is it that Knowledge@Wharton, Mckinsey Quarterly, Business Week all together — almost at the same time, come up with issues on India (also China here too)..

there should be someone looking at the controls at each of the media houses, and the interests playing there…

]]> By: Mohan http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-177 Mohan Tue, 30 Aug 2005 15:01:02 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-177 <blockquote cite="I would only wish to stress that persistent chronic poverty, ignorance, and disease are consequences of flawed strategies that the founding fathers in their great wisdom imposed on the nation. The ills that India suffers is an enduring legacy of the policies that they espoused."> Maybe we did not have a wise persons during the freedom struggle. Forgot not we are a free democratic country unlike our neighbours. Even Russia is learning democracy. It is a very hard statement on the founding fathers. Think about the literacy rate, infrastructure, poverty, treat from other countries, communication, industry, agriculture, etc., at the time of independence and some of the tough years that followed. It is not that the founding fathers lacked vision, they had vision for India. Without that vision the freedom we enjoy today would not be possible. It is the people of India who are slowly waking up, not any political party.</blockquote>

Maybe we did not have a wise persons during the freedom struggle. Forgot not we are a free democratic country unlike our neighbours. Even Russia is learning democracy. It is a very hard statement on the founding fathers. Think about the literacy rate, infrastructure, poverty, treat from other countries, communication, industry, agriculture, etc., at the time of independence and some of the tough years that followed. It is not that the founding fathers lacked vision, they had vision for India. Without that vision the freedom we enjoy today would not be possible. It is the people of India who are slowly waking up, not any political party.

]]> By: Atanu Dey http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-173 Atanu Dey Tue, 30 Aug 2005 02:40:57 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-173 Walker, I do agree that the government has a role in providing adequate infrastructure. The question is what role and which infrastructure and what is adequate. For instance, the power sector is dismal <b>because</b> of government involvement in generation, transmission and distribution. Only recently some private sector participation is being allowed in some states because even the government could not continue to deny that they are incapable of providing power. Roads, and ports, and railways: again, dismal performance. Regulated monopolies is the way to go in some cases and in some others have competitive private sector players. I am not opposed to the involvement of government per se. What I am against is the involvement of the Indian government in business. Suppose I am sick and a quack shows up at the door with snake oil. If I reject the ministrations of that quack, you cannot conclude that I am against medicine or against treatment by competent doctors. Since it is impossible to fix the government (which would require a mature democratic set-up which in our case we do not have), I think the alternative in this second-best world is to keep the government as far away from business as possible. I agree wholeheartedly with the last sentence you wrote above:<b> The constraints of politics and ideology along with problems like corruption or a lack of competence can make the government ineffective as an ally of industry.</b> Walker, I do agree that the government has a role in providing adequate infrastructure. The question is what role and which infrastructure and what is adequate. For instance, the power sector is dismal because of government involvement in generation, transmission and distribution. Only recently some private sector participation is being allowed in some states because even the government could not continue to deny that they are incapable of providing power.

Roads, and ports, and railways: again, dismal performance. Regulated monopolies is the way to go in some cases and in some others have competitive private sector players.

I am not opposed to the involvement of government per se. What I am against is the involvement of the Indian government in business. Suppose I am sick and a quack shows up at the door with snake oil. If I reject the ministrations of that quack, you cannot conclude that I am against medicine or against treatment by competent doctors.

Since it is impossible to fix the government (which would require a mature democratic set-up which in our case we do not have), I think the alternative in this second-best world is to keep the government as far away from business as possible.

I agree wholeheartedly with the last sentence you wrote above: The constraints of politics and ideology along with problems like corruption or a lack of competence can make the government ineffective as an ally of industry.

]]> By: walker http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-172 walker Tue, 30 Aug 2005 01:53:39 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-172 (continued).....Having made the point that, on some level, government involvement is necessary for success in the highly competitive steel industry, I am equally willing to concede that government involvement is far from a guarantee of success. There is no question that individual governments vary in their degree of effectiveness. The constraints of politics and ideology along with problems like corruption or a lack of competence can make the government ineffective as an ally of industry. (continued)…..Having made the point that, on some level, government involvement is necessary for success in the highly competitive steel industry, I am equally willing to concede that government involvement is far from a guarantee of success. There is no question that individual governments vary in their degree of effectiveness. The constraints of politics and ideology along with problems like corruption or a lack of competence can make the government ineffective as an ally of industry.

]]> By: walker http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-171 walker Mon, 29 Aug 2005 18:27:59 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-171 Atanu, the Indian steel industry is no longer under state-run, so this is not an issue of classic central planning. Nevertheless if the industry is to enjoy success in international markets the government can't just sit on the sidelines -- laissez-faire has never been a successful strategy in steel. For one, the government has a role in providing for adequate infrastrucure (power, rail, ports, etc.). The industry could also benefit from reliable supplies of the necessary inputs, and the government has a role in securing these supplies. Of course, maintaining a regulatory environment which allows the industry to prosper is also essential. Atanu, the Indian steel industry is no longer under state-run, so this is not an issue of classic central planning. Nevertheless if the industry is to enjoy success in international markets the government can’t just sit on the sidelines — laissez-faire has never been a successful strategy in steel. For one, the government has a role in providing for adequate infrastrucure (power, rail, ports, etc.). The industry could also benefit from reliable supplies of the necessary inputs, and the government has a role in securing these supplies. Of course, maintaining a regulatory environment which allows the industry to prosper is also essential.

]]> By: Atanu Dey http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-169 Atanu Dey Mon, 29 Aug 2005 09:00:56 +0000 http://indianeconomy.org/2005/08/28/reading-dr-manmohan-singhs-interview/#comment-169 Abhishek, while I appreciate your comment, I wonder if we would not land in the fire from the frying pan if Dr Singh were to resign. Roehl, I am all for excusing Nehru for his screw-ups based on the recognition that he did not know any better. But then one cannot eat the cake and have it too; if he screwed up for whatever reasons, then his legacy should not be celebrated with such gusto as if he was god's gift to India and as a consequence his progeny and their assorted consorts continue to mis-rule with impugnity for ever. Walker, whether the country should be in the steel manufacturing business or not is a matter that is best determined by the market and not by bunch of semi-literate bureaucrats in the government. The Indian steel industry is quite capable of making the investments required to produce the steel needed by domestic and foreign markets. If India is a low-cost producer of steel, the private sector can be depended uopon to use the raw materials (domestic or foreign) and meet the Indian market's needs. If India is not a low-cost producer of steel, then again importing the steel needed would be the appropriate response. Once again going the planning route that has proved so disastrous in the past cannot but be a sign of insanity (where insanity is characterized as doing the same thing as before and expecting a different result.) Abhishek, while I appreciate your comment, I wonder if we would not land in the fire from the frying pan if Dr Singh were to resign.

Roehl, I am all for excusing Nehru for his screw-ups based on the recognition that he did not know any better. But then one cannot eat the cake and have it too; if he screwed up for whatever reasons, then his legacy should not be celebrated with such gusto as if he was god’s gift to India and as a consequence his progeny and their assorted consorts continue to mis-rule with impugnity for ever.

Walker, whether the country should be in the steel manufacturing business or not is a matter that is best determined by the market and not by bunch of semi-literate bureaucrats in the government. The Indian steel industry is quite capable of making the investments required to produce the steel needed by domestic and foreign markets. If India is a low-cost producer of steel, the private sector can be depended uopon to use the raw materials (domestic or foreign) and meet the Indian market’s needs. If India is not a low-cost producer of steel, then again importing the steel needed would be the appropriate response. Once again going the planning route that has proved so disastrous in the past cannot but be a sign of insanity (where insanity is characterized as doing the same thing as before and expecting a different result.)

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