$-Trillionisation of State Economies

Uttar Pradesh is drawing a roadmap to quadruple its SGDP in the next five years to $1 trillion. The goal is ambitious and the jury is out on its viability, but this is the most sensible thing to do in the present circumstances. The working of the roadmap, despite all the difficulties it would bring in or the lacunas it would have, would lead to clearing out much of the messy cobwebs all around, which make doing businesses and even simple living very challenging. Other bigger states must follow the suit if they wish to work in the national interest and make life worth livable for ordinary folks.

Why do I write on such topics?

I repeatedly post on such themes. Why do I do so, or post such things at all? I reason and find that it does not count at all; it is absolutely inconsequential.

But, as I reason, I believe too. And, I believe that any expression does have some cascading effect. However, this is not to say that what I say is worthwhile; rather it may not be of any worth at all. But, the thing is that I take the citizen, who is me, seriously. If I do not respect this citizen, how do I expect the republic to be a reality than remain a notion? I know self-respect is a debilitating burden, but the burden is worth bearing.

How does a true republic manifest itself amidst us? It manifests through the respect and trust we have for ourselves and in our relations with fellow citizens. Ironically, we lack in this abysmally. I see it invariably that it hurts people if one treats them with the respect of equality. Equality is rather the lone form of respect but people are genetically disinclined to see this as respectful. Whenever we meet any person, our immediate reaction is to place the person as a superior or an inferior. We do this placing even among our close relations and friends. I know that subjecthood is too deep-rooted but we can at least think about getting rid of this. 

We need to be serious, we cannot afford things doing otherwise. 

Niraj Kumar Jha

Reflection and Expression

A distinction can be made between reflecting and expressing and should be made. If such a distinction is kept in mind, it would be helpful in improving public discourse. Mostly, people while writing or speaking in a solemn mode, try to impress others. In such endeavours, they rely mindlessly on the words of people who they perceive as greats or high-sounding phraseologies. This may be called reflection: one simply reflects without understanding or adding to the idea. They seek to bask in the reflected glory and expect others to praise the light they seemingly emanate. These do contribute to the public good, but very little, and on the flip side, these mislead. For instance, one can be reminded of this: 'The executive of the modern state is nothing but a committee for managing the common affairs of the whole bourgeoisie.'

The expression occurs when you speak your own heart and mind, you speak of your experiences: of your pain, agony, happiness, and excitement; of the treatments you get at the hands of others: good, bad, or ugly;  of the realisations of what you do to others. These are vitals of life but tragically we refrain from speaking about them. An expression may be called writings and speeches which expresses you, a living being, a feeling being, a sensible being. 

Yet, expressions again can be differentiated from egoistic hyperboles; those coming from persons who have the airs of personifying wisdom, and when they open their mouths, only gospel truths come out. The expression must be identified with the words of human beings, not with those of superhumans. 

Niraj Kumar Jha 

Being Doctrinaire

The humble general knowledge books, which we often buy lovingly for kids, are the most powerful instruments of indoctrination.

 

Niraj Kumar Jha

Socialism and Welfarism

Socialism and welfarism are essentially the same. It took the former form in the orthodox East and the latter in the liberal West.

 

Niraj Kumar Jha

Is there a tabula rasa?

The human mind being a tabula rasa, I think, is a myth. The human mind has been in making since the very origin of the species. Human beings are past bearing animals. The nature of their being gets itself into being through various means including genetic coding, speech, and memory which is passable. The master had said, men are social animals. Society does the second wombing to human beings and nurses them to human essence, as the first gives them the human form. Society is the continuity of the past. There is no tabula rasa.

$42-bn investment from Japan

Japan has proposed to infuse its capital to the tune of $42-bn in India. This is indeed a very welcome thing to happen for two reasons. First is the very basic thing, and that is,  Japan is a friendly and democratic country.  Secondly, basically, foreign capital is meant for setting up large industrial units and business operations. That is its direct benefit as it adds to the national GDP and provides employment to the scores of people. These big units also cause the mushrooming of numerous ancillary units largely set up by domestic entrepreneurs. Thus, it catalyses domestic industries and businesses to grow. Along with this direct benefit the breadth of good it does to any country is difficult to map. I mention a few of them: it means an infusion of high-end technology and knowhow, managerial and business skills, more efficient work culture on the one hand and on the other, it also means better provisions for the countrymen in terms of commodities and services, and more moolah out of exports. More generally, the intensified economic activities of scale and surpluses so created lead to the betterment of public life. A country in which foreign capital is invested on large scale is cared for by the international community too as they have a stake in the stability of the country.  Capital irrespective of its origin, domestic or foreign, does other things more profoundly but unseen, and that is: it promotes rationalism and humanism in any society. Internationally,  it cements differences and engages countries in cooperative relations.  It is better we become more capital friendly overcoming the EIC syndrome and the Bolshevik trained psyche. 

Niraj Kumar Jha 

On Most Needed Thing Being Done

All people must applaud and support, in whatever way one can, the goal set up by UP, i.e. to make the state a $1 trillion economy in five years. The Chinese economy is five times larger than ours and we need to cover the gap as soon as possible. If the larger states compete among themselves to reach this $1 trillion target first, India would achieve its $5 trillion target within no time and move ahead for becoming the $10 trillion economy. Doing so is a strategic necessity.

We Indians have been a suffering people for a prolonged time. During colonial rule, we fell to subhuman conditions. We are still among the poorest of the poor in the world. We still do not have clean water to drink and go to bed hungry. There is no curse worse than poverty. And, without being overall rich we cannot hope to be individually rich. We must wholeheartedly support such a mission.

Many may think UP is setting a misplaced target, rather it should focus on the social sector services like health and education. This is a mistaken idea. On the contrary, if the government targets to expand its economy four times within 5 years, as the case is, it cannot do it without fixing everything, health, education, roads, ecology, social harmony or anything one can imagine in a great hurry.

Let me also add that Indians have been relentless in supporting pro-growth agenda and have been ruthless in rejecting antimarket forces for the last two decades.

I was thinking about writing such a post, i.e. UP targeting a $ 1 trillion economy, but meanwhile, I see this piece of news. Kudos to the UP government.

Niraj Kumar Jha