A country, probably the richest in the world until the 18th century. Why did India become poor and why didn’t America become poor? Both were colonized. In the US, we had the colonizers migrated in and developed inclusive systems. In India, the colonizers migrated in smaller numbers and developed systems that were extractive, exploitative. Independence in the US improved the existing systems. In India, they persisted, probably there was no other way, with the extractive systems for longer, preventing to cycle out of poverty, vulnerability, and marginalization, and benefiting the ‘ruling elite’ like the colonizers. Lack of immunity, and the mortality of the colonizers, settling down in more numbers was not thought about. The focus, therefore, was never on good governance. The systems were not promoting growth. Thus, a rich country ended up poor, with less chances of recovery; the recovery paths were slow. New rulers were afraid of losing power and wealth. It required people to protest, revolt, and seize. All this was taking time, with deeper commitment, through a series of longer nuanced battles.
Nobel 2024 Economics Prize winners conclude something like this. Brilliant analyses, diagnostics. Now, we know how we need to cycle our ways forward. Can we?
The Supreme Court has removed the blindfold from the statue of ‘Lady Justice, placed in the judges’ library at the Supreme Court. The sword in the statue’s left hand has been replaced by the Constitution. The statue is now shown wearing a saree instead of the traditional Western robe.
Sankaran’s inspiration gets reinforced in Bukkapuram Nadella Yugandhar, BN Yugandhar. He was the founding executive vice-chairperson, Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty, SERP in united AP. He was our super boss. Secretary to PM – PV; Secretary, RD, GoI; director, LBSNAA; member, Planning Commission; managing trustee, COMMITMENTS, working with PwDs; chair, WASSAN.
Poverty. Can we eradicate poverty? Relief, maybe. Alleviation, maybe. Reduction, surely. Poor can come out of poverty on their own. If there are conducive contexts, policies, and supports. Education, human capital is more important as a driver of reducing poverty of families over generations. Only other thing that is more important is spiritual capital – will, willingness, faith, and hope. Collectivization is another driver. Employment, engagement per se may not take one out of poverty. Decent employment – more than the unskilled, casual – for most of the year, and year-after-year could take one out of poverty. Moving to natural farming is an important driver for improving farmers’ well-being, nutrition and resilience. Water access could also take the poor to escape poverty.
‘Donations, economic growth, and big businesses can take people out of poverty’ may not be true mostly. Conditional and unconditional cash transfers help. Welfare, up to 20% GDP, might also help. Untied aid helps. Self-help, microfinance services help. Agency of women helps. Poverty hurts differentially and needs to be addressed differentially. Localized, customized, and communitized. Increasing the fairshare from the consumer rupee paid in the value-chain is critical. Can this be taken to more than 50%? Can the people get paid their dues as per the true-fair value for their efforts, services? Can we seek progressive taxation, taxing the very rich, paying forward et al? Can we offer rights, entitlements to all in general, poor, vulnerable, and marginalized in particular? Safety nets, caring hands? Universal education, health? Social, hybrid enterprises serving PVM? Collectives? Can we?
Yes, we can. If we coexist, keep flowing with ‘will’. In N? avivarayoga for 7L.
Click here for a compilation of Yogakshemam updates.