I was reading the papers the other day. The economists have said we are doing very well. Our per capita income is great etc. etc. I wondered if the economists have understood the actual reality of Indian life.
The macro economics and the micro economics have developed theories that say everything is fine. And then I began reading these micro-macro scholarship. Every book that I read ultimately went to some Harvard or Cambridge Professor.
These Professors live in a society that respects working for the growth of 'something' other than their personal 'something.' Their books are well written, drawing illustrations from their societies. Every thinker acknowledges the previous scholar with respect. Whether it is Marshall or Robbins or Keynes we can see how they have contributed to their subject and how there is an academic atmosphere that encourages growth.
In India these theories are borrowed by our academics and fitted into our social structures. We can't blame them, as each of these books must have fought so much of academic bureaucracy, imperialism, narrow mindedness, laziness and lack of will. Indian academic world is against academic growth and favours plagiarism, laziness and self-development frilled with power politics. The real work of the academics is to play the game of superiority: who can have maximum power?
Research and scholarship are doubted as means to more power. People get nervous at the mention of academic journals or any such objective work. 'Work for the salary and leave the rest to the West,' is the attitude. Don't do any extra reading or thinking, people advise. We have built thousands of Colleges and hundreds of Universities which do not believe in studying our environment to form theories. Hence our real socio-economic situation lies 'un-studied' and 'un-understood'.
Our academics must study Indian indigenous finance systems, savings in gold, establishment of good will in local business, kanthu vatti system, and other innumerable financial systems that are practiced successfully. These financial experiences are not found in the books on managerial economics.
Indian academic world has to move out of personal politics and build an atmosphere of scholarly atmosphere. What is really interesting is to see these 'educated' people attacking Indian politicians as 'corrupt.'
Our society produces or continues to produce middle class intellectuals who are more interested in taking 'more' money home with 'less' work. They are every where: in politics, academic world, social service etc. etc.
May be every society is the same. Or, may be self-centredness is the way human species have survived this long!
Whatever it is, let us copy the West to make our living and then blame the West for dominating us.
The macro economics and the micro economics have developed theories that say everything is fine. And then I began reading these micro-macro scholarship. Every book that I read ultimately went to some Harvard or Cambridge Professor.
These Professors live in a society that respects working for the growth of 'something' other than their personal 'something.' Their books are well written, drawing illustrations from their societies. Every thinker acknowledges the previous scholar with respect. Whether it is Marshall or Robbins or Keynes we can see how they have contributed to their subject and how there is an academic atmosphere that encourages growth.
In India these theories are borrowed by our academics and fitted into our social structures. We can't blame them, as each of these books must have fought so much of academic bureaucracy, imperialism, narrow mindedness, laziness and lack of will. Indian academic world is against academic growth and favours plagiarism, laziness and self-development frilled with power politics. The real work of the academics is to play the game of superiority: who can have maximum power?
Research and scholarship are doubted as means to more power. People get nervous at the mention of academic journals or any such objective work. 'Work for the salary and leave the rest to the West,' is the attitude. Don't do any extra reading or thinking, people advise. We have built thousands of Colleges and hundreds of Universities which do not believe in studying our environment to form theories. Hence our real socio-economic situation lies 'un-studied' and 'un-understood'.
Our academics must study Indian indigenous finance systems, savings in gold, establishment of good will in local business, kanthu vatti system, and other innumerable financial systems that are practiced successfully. These financial experiences are not found in the books on managerial economics.
Indian academic world has to move out of personal politics and build an atmosphere of scholarly atmosphere. What is really interesting is to see these 'educated' people attacking Indian politicians as 'corrupt.'
Our society produces or continues to produce middle class intellectuals who are more interested in taking 'more' money home with 'less' work. They are every where: in politics, academic world, social service etc. etc.
May be every society is the same. Or, may be self-centredness is the way human species have survived this long!
Whatever it is, let us copy the West to make our living and then blame the West for dominating us.
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