August-September 2008
Critical insights and analyses from India and the sub-continent
|
China and Tibet If Chinese propaganda were to be believed, we
might be led to conclude that China (with its population of over 1.35
billion) were the "aggrieved party" vis-a-vis Tibet; that China was the
"victim"...! Is that really so? Chinese Myths and Tibetan Realities Malaysia - Truly Asia?
Should the people of the Indian subcontinent
admire China's galoping growth or pay more attention to the
environmental and social price that has entailed? A look at some
of China's wrenching dualities: The US-British Imperial Occupation of Iraq Contrary to what journalists "embedded" with the US military might suggest, most Iraqis detest the presence of foreign occupation troops. Read more about how Iraqis are being oppressed in their own homeland by US and British occupying troops. Could the US-British Occupation of Iraq ever be called "Liberation"? Anti-War Sentiments in the Subcontinent Oil Hegemony Re-colonizing Iraq, and Why Oil-Consuming Nations Must Diversify Alternative Energy Solutions A Possible Answer to Global Oil Dependency Examining Western Democracy Although enormous anti-war protests swept through several Western nations allied to the US, pro-war hawks remained undeterred. What can one infer about "Western Democracy" in this context: Western Democracy: Sham or Real? Anti-war activists throughout the world were shocked and dismayed by the last UN Security Council vote against Iraq. This analysis exposes the thoroughly undemocratic character of the UN body, and points to how it is but a tool of US imperial policy: India and the US
International Relations, National Aspirations and Economic Planning In this increasingly uni-polar world, the task of furthering even reasonable and legitimate national aspirations has become exceedingly difficult. Here is a critical look at some of the obstacles in the path of national development in India (and elsewhere in the developing world) International Relations, National Aspirations and Economic Planning Understanding the Complexities and
Contradictions of the Middle East South Asia and the Middle East not only share many historic connections, their lives have become inextricably linked in recent decades. This analysis explores the role of colonial and imperial powers in dividing the Middle East so as to control it's oil wealth. In particular - this article sheds light on how the US and British governments have successfully maneuvered to maintain an iron grip on the control of the world's most important energy resource. It also discusses the plight of immigrant workers that play a vital role in the economies of these repressive 'Oil Monarchies'. Cheap Labor, Oil and War in the Middle East The Crisis in Afghanistan This article (now somewhat dated) was published just before the US launched it's war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. As the specter of intensified war in Afghanistan loomed large, it seemed important to look at the genesis of the Taliban, and how the US's obsession with dismembering the former USSR brought death and destruction in it's wake. Challenging Nuclear Hegemony When India conducted it's nuclear tests a few years ago, it set off a chorus of disapproval in the citadels of global power. The US - which has the world's largest arsenal of nuclear weapons and has been the only nation to actually use them, proceeded to lecture India about the dangers of nuclear weapons and imposed new sanctions on India. Two years after the tests, we offered this in-depth analysis of India's nuclear policy, how it has gradually evolved to a position of a defensive minimal deterrence. This analysis examines India's security concerns in the context of a uni-polar world in which all attempts at universal nuclear disarmament have failed. It also attempts to show how Pakistan's covert nuclear blackmail coupled with its decade-long border war with India impinged on India's decision-makers. Pakistan's Nuclear Blackmail and Western Duplicity As fears of a nuclear war are drummed up in the Western media and reinforced by statements emanating from Pakistan's military government, it is important to examine who might be blame for this tense scenario: Are both India and Pakistan to blame - as the Western media likes to claim - or is it more about the Pakistani leadership's antipathy towards of India and Western duplicity in the matter? Pakistan's Nuclear Blackmail and
Western Duplicity LETTERS Astrology and Education in India A reader's comment Rejecting attempts at introducing the study of astrology in publicly funded educational institutions in India, one of our readers calls for an approach that illuminates the scientific and rational aspects of the Indian heritage while eschewing obscurantism and chauvinistic myth-making. Critical of those who suggest that science and technology in India are gifts of the Western World, this reader stresses the need for Indians to be aware of Indian contributions to the development of science and technology. However, we are cautioned to "learn that history from balanced and objective scholars - not exotic myth-makers and noisy religious revivalists": Addressing the Caste Divide Can Outsiders Help? The recent Conference on Racism in Durban, South Africa has attracted considerable attention and controversy. Can international efforts help solve the problems arising from India's caste divisions? One of our readers sent in this commentary demanding less sanctimonious preaching from the so-called "international community" but practical and concrete steps that could be of genuine assistance. Caste and Racial Discrimination - Can the UN Help? SECULARISM, SOCIAL AMITY Towards a More Equitable Secular Milieu The gruesome acts of arson in Godhra followed by the gut-wrenching retributive violence in Gujarat's big cities and smaller towns has naturally alarmed and saddened many Indians. As we mourn those whose lives were sacrificed in an orgy of punishing rage, it is important that we redouble our efforts to ensure that every community in India feels safe from the threats of religious extremism. Emphasizing the need to isolate those who attempt to use religion as a tool for hate-mongering or anti-national activities, this analysis takes a special look at the Hindutva movement - and how it is likely to be viewed in the aftermath of Gujarat's tragic carnage: The Hindutva Agenda in the Context of the Gujarat Tragedies This second perspective on how to reinvigorate India's secular polity attempts to analyze and critique past approaches to building secularism, eventually suggesting that just as the concept of Swadeshi united India's Muslims and Hindus in the freedom movement, an enlightened movement for social reconstruction may once again enable Indians to transcend religious barriers: Ensuring Secular Harmony in India - Searching for Answers We also look at the question: Was Godhra a Pakistan-initiated Conspiracy? The Result of a Study conducted by an investigative team for the Council for International Affairs and Human Rights concludes: The Godhra train carnage in Gujarat on February 27 was an "act of terrorism planned at the behest of Pakistan to foment communal riots all over the country" Godhra - a Pakistan-initiated Conspiracy? Also see: Although some analysts write as though secularism is a uniquely Indian problem, this opinion piece exposes the sanctimonious double-speak of Pakistani and Bangladeshi journalists when they expound on this subject. More importantly, it documents the systematic discrimination and widespread human-rights violations that have been compelling minorities from Bangladesh to flee into India Secularism in the Context of the Two-Nation Theory MORE ON SECULARISM Some essays by Asghar Ali Engineer, recipient of the 1997 National Communal Harmony Award Perspectives on Partition and Secularism FROM OUR ARCHIVES Kashmir is not Palestine, India is not Israel As the Palestinian people are besieged by Israeli tanks, and as the struggle of the Palestinian people against a hated occupation intensifies, forces driven by a sectarian view of the world have begun to equate Kashmir with Palestine and India with Israel. But nothing could be further from the truth. See this analysis that counters such misguided analogies: Kashmir is not Palestine, India is not Israel
The 2001 Census in India Evaluating the Trends Provisional data from the census has just been released. While literacy has risen to 65.4% and the current population growth rate has fallen to 1.85% per year, there are many disturbing trends in the numbers. Read more in this analysis: (Published 1999)
INDIA's NUCLEAR TESTS India's nuclear tests drew a chorus of disapproval from the most militarized and aggressive nations on the planet. We bring our readers several perspectives on the subject with reactions and comments from all over the world. We bring you views on the grave inequities in the balance of power in the world and India's well founded security concerns. We include both official statements and other statements from a wide spectrum of the political landscape in India. Finally, we bring together a fascinating compendium of reactions from ordinary Indians and international well-wishers who have posted their views on various Internet bulletin board. Internet users have voted overwhelmingly in support of Indian steps to defend it's national security and we have collected the most articulate expressions of Indian self-determination on this issue. India's
Nuclear
Tests - May 1998 PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL CHANGE Avenues for Social Change in India In the last decade, a growing section of the Indian population has been feeling exceedingly frustrated with India's major political parties. Many rightly feel that the political parties are not responding to the public interest. The following essays look at the some of the emerging alternatives: Are NGO's the answer? Can social change come about without challenging dominant ideas, without generating controversy, through action without political analysis and idealogy? Balaji Sampath critiques NGOs and popular movements for social change. We provide an adaptation of his writings on volunteerism and social change: Volunteerism and Social Change Finally, could Marxian theories still be relevant after the disintegration of the Soviet Union? This perspective examines the continued relevance of the Marxist method in developing serious theories of social change. Marxian Theory and Social Change in India
To send an e-mail, write to kalakriti @mindspring.com Also visit our sister-site, South Asian History with important articles on the history of our region. Although the site primarily includes essays on the history of undivided India - some of the material applies equally to India's neighbors in the subcontinent. To South Asian History or Topics in Indian History For a visual glimpse of India's historic legacy, it's art and architecture - see Image India; also see Legacy India For a survey of Indian
sculpture,
visit India
Revealed: A Gallery of Indian Sculpture
South
Asian Voice is edited and maintained
by Shishir Thadani |
|
|
|
INDIA AND THE
SUBCONTINENT Globalization and Inflation
What are the links between globalization and inflation? How has the government tackled the problem? Can monetary policy alone tackle inflation? Globalization and Inflation (recent addition to the site) Inflation and Import Substitution (recent addition to the site) Recently, the government has presented its 60,000 crore farm loan waiver budget. Does this really address the needs of the nation as a whole or is it simply very expensive electoral politics? Farm Suicides and Electoral Populism India's Changing Demographics It is commonly believed that India's tertiary enrollment rate is only 10%. But recent data from Maharshtra points to a much higher rate of 39%. What are the policy implications of such trends? India's Demographic Transformation (recent addition to the site) Expanding Caste Quotas Boon or Bane? Much to the dismay of India's Scientific Intelligentsia, India's Politicians have voted almost unanimously to extend the quota regime in India's institutions of higher learning. Read how this retrograde move is neither effective affirmative action, nor conducive to the scientific and technological progress of the nation: Quotas Versus Merit A Report Card on the Sonia-Manmohan Government: The Sonia-Manmohan Government: A Report Card Problems of Indian Agriculture This essay attempts to situate the problems of Indian agriculture in the context of India's history and geography, paying special emphasis on how colonial rule ruined the Indian countryside. Advocating holistic solutions, it recommends land aggregation to ameliorate the problems of the rural poor. Problems of Indian Agriculture Science and Technology in India India's achievements in the Science and Technology arena are indeed to be commended. But have we overcome the colonial neglect of Higher Education in India? What is the current state of Higher Education in India? Is India an IT Super-Power? How Geographically Diversified is the Indian IT Industry? The Colonial Legacy and India's Knowledge Infrastructure In recent years, influential sections of Indian society have been promoting the notion that in all fields of human endeavour, it is the Private Sector that is most capable and must lead the nation. But is that really true in the case of Higher Education and Cutting-edge Research in Science and Technology? The Indian Private Sector's Contribution to Higher Education and Research Why are some parts of India booming, even as numerous small towns in the Indian hinterland remain mired in the past? Are educational institutions in smaller towns providing the necessary skills and training for a modern economy? What Ails Khagaria? Spreading the IT Wealth What ails the Hindi Belt? Even as other parts of India are showing accelerating growth, why does the Hindi-belt lag behind? Has the Hindi-belt always been a backward region in the subcontinent? Have the region's problems been adequately understood? Are caste-based political mobilizations the way forward? Poverty
and Underdevelopment in the Hindi Belt JAMMU & KASHMIR Baltistan's Linguistic and Cultural Links with Tibet Many hold the mistaken belief that the state of Jammu & Kashmir is a relatively homogenous state. But this paper on the history, culture and language of Baltistan, while shedding valuable light on this region bordering Ladakh, alludes to its considerable diversity. The Language and Culture of Baltistan "Please help
us
restore freedom of expression and political activity to Gilgit,
Baltistan, Mirpur and Muzaffarabad regions of the Pakistani occupied
J&K". A Letter from Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir On the Plight of Pakistan's Shias Also see: Jammu & Kashmir: Self-Determination and Secession ( Many analysts write about the "self-determination" of the Kashmiri people as if they were a monolithic force, and equate the right of self-determination to "Azadi" - i.e. the right to secede. This article examines these demands in light of the state's diversity and historical experience and concludes that the demand for secession reflects neither popular will, nor an expansion of democratic rights.) IN FOCUS: PAKISTAN A History of Pakistan and its Origins A critical review of this new volume issued by Anthem Press which explores several aspects of Pakistan's journey as a nation: Election Fraud in Pakistan A compilation of reports from Pakistan's Human Rights groups, election observers and political parties Elections in Pakistan: Real or a Hoax? Human Rights in Pakistan Ever since the creation of Pakistan, long periods of direct military rule have sharply curtailed democratic rights in Pakistan. Especially chilling has been the legal enactment and arbitrary imposition of Pakistan's Blasphemy Code: Blasphemy Laws and Intellectual Freedom in Pakistan The introduction of Islamic Hadood Laws in Pakistan has also led to widespread gender discrimination and abuse of women. Here is a summary of some of the most onerous human rights violations that take place in Pakistan: Constitutionally Sanctioned Gender Oppression Pakistan's oppression of political activists struggling for political representation, and democratic rights in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir seldom attracts media attention. But Gilgit's leader, Amid Hamza Qureshi opines: "It is a fact that people of this region (Northern Areas) are facing more human rights violations and whenever the official (Pakistani) media talks of repression in (Indian) Kashmir, people with strong hearts laugh at this hypocritical attitude, and people with weak hearts cry." The Struggle for Self-Determination and Democratic Rights in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) Also see this report which looks at the situation for trade unionists, and those struggling to liberate Pakistan's bonded agricultural workers and child laborers: Trade Union Rights in Pakistan PEACE AND COOPERATION Towards Greater Unity in the Subcontinent:Can the Bitter Legacy of Partition be Undone? This opinion piece looks at the potential and the problems: Towards Greater Unity in the Subcontinent CONCERNS
ABOUT DEVELOPMENT POLICIES Civilizational Development, Politics and Culture in Modern Society See this critical look at human development and infrastructure in India (and other developing nations): Human Development and Infrastructure in the Indian Subcontinent A look at the recent census report on religion and demographics which reveals aspects that may come as a surprise to many: Religion and Demographics in India Is "India Shining" - or is it confronted with a precipitous cultural decline? Have post-colonial societies been successful in constructing a vision for the future that extends beyond the immediate interests of their elites? Colonization, "Westernization" and Social Culture India's Missing Civilian Aircraft Industry
Gandhi - A critical appraisal Gandhi's legacy has often been presented as something larger than life. This essay offers a more critical perspective on his ideas, philosophy and role in the Indian Freedom Movement. Gandhi - 'Mahatma' or Flawed Genius? National Leader or Manipulative Politician? Human Welfare, Economic Development and Civilized Society Since the demise of the Soviet Union, issues such as hunger, homelessness, mass education, and poverty have received insufficient attention throughout the globe. Analysts have often argued that rapid economic growth can be a substitute for such concerns. But this essay asserts that concern for human welfare is an essential pillar of any civilized society: Human Welfare, Economic Development and Civilized Society
Economic Growth and Social Well-Being Are Economic Growth Rates always indicative of Standards of Living? The news on the economic front has not been very encouraging lately. Even as concerns about slipping growth rates have been mounting, it might be useful to see if economic growth always corresponds to broad-based improvements in living standards. Can all the different indicators of a society's well-being be encapsulated by statistics concerning GDP growth? Will the current growth trajectory bring about all-around improvements in the quality of life for the majority? Economic Growth and Social Well-Being Unrestricted globalization - boon or hazard? Globalization - i.e external liberalization of the Indian economy has gone hand in hand with the dismantling of the license Raj. This has made it difficult to separate the benefits of de-licensing from the negative consequences of unrestrained globalization. While one may liberate local productive forces, the other may in fact squash or squeeze domestic production. The following analysis examines some of the hype and tall claims made by the proponents of globalization to see if globalization is indeed the panacea for India's ills: Unrestricted
globalization - boon or hazard? Is Privatization the "Solution to all Ills?" Or is it just an artful dodge - a favor to certain vested interests? See this critical view: Recent Indian Media Reports have been exulting over the boom in India's Travel Industry. Yet who is concerned about the state of India's Aviation Industry?
POPULATION AND ENVIRONMENT Managing Environmental Noise in India This article, sent to us by a New Delhi resident suffering from noise-related ailments for many years, points out that while recently publicized research undertaken by the medical community points to serious physiological and psychological damage caused by excess environmental noise in Indian towns and cities, consciousness on this issue has yet to penetrate sufficiently amongst significant sections of the populace. The author calls on the Indian media to raise public awareness concerning this growing health hazard, and hopes that Indian law-makers and law-enforcers will do more to control this modern menace. Decibel Assault - Noise Pollution in Indian Cities Whose Environment is it? As India prepares to enter a new millennium, the degraded state of India's natural environment cannot escape comment or analysis. This analysis attempts to examine the contradictions between poverty, development and environmental destruction in India. The analysis recognizes that the problems of development in India are exceedingly complex. Class inequities, geographical and political limitations greatly compound India's environmental situation. So how are these contradictions to be resolved? The analysis concludes that the environment is everyone's - to preserve and to keep healthy and sustainable. But it is also to develop and share equitably - not an exclusive preserve of the rich and well-heeled alone to enjoy and exploit. The New 'Population Policy' The NDA government presented its new population policy claiming to incorporate new and more effective incentives for population stabilization. But closer examination revealed little to substantiate such claims. Also see: MORE ON THE ECONOMY, LIBERALIZATION Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) - Unmentioned Pitfalls Since the launch of "Manmohanomics" by the
Narasimha Rao government in 1991 - FDI has been touted as the magic
wand that will transform "under-developed" India into an advanced
nation with
a "modern" infrastructure. But is untargeted FDI - Two recent articles by Sucheta Dalal (in the Economic Times and Financial Express) on the Enron Power Co. and Telecom Tariffs expose some of the pitfalls. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Liberalization, Infrastructure and Quality of Life In recent months, the state of our nation's infrastructure has attracted considerable attention. Several "new schemes" have been floated, ostensibly to bring about rapid improvements in the nation's power and water supply, roads and railways. Yet, there have been few tangible results. This article examines the idealogical predilections that have stifled growth in this most important sector of our economy and how that hinders the quality of life of most Indians. Liberalization, Infrastructure and Quality of Life What has been the impact of "liberalization" on the economy - has it led to all-round gains for the Indian masses, or are there hidden and unexpected costs? These, and other related questions are addressed in this evaluation of the decade-long "liberalization" process. Liberalization: where it has lead us and where it is headed
About South Asian Voice South Asian Voice is a non-profit E-zine dedicated to presenting views and perspectives from India and the rest of the Indian subcontinent. From time to time, we will feature news analysis, critical commentaries on public policy and articles outlining historical aspects relevant to the Indian sub-continent. We hope you will find our essays thought-provoking and insightful. If you
enjoyed our site, please click here: @mindspring.com Readers are free to send their comments, letters and articles to South Asian Voice. We will periodically include the most interesting of these submissions on the site. Do tell us how you enjoy the material we present.
|