Sometimes or perhaps quite often we wonder whether we are doing
everything right although our egoistic mindset refuses to budge even an inch
from the hardcore ideological stand we had resolved to remain. This is true for
most political parties anywhere and perhaps it is this uncompromising stand to
remain steadfast in their own carefully drawn out position that either make
them their own slaves over a period of time or destroy them due to strong winds
of change happening all around them. Since, they do not make themselves
flexible even a little they snap and break down really hard and may find hard
to come back to their lost glory again. In the case of economics which is
heavily mixed with politics it is hard to see a party or the other having
definitive stand on their respective isms. This means that these parties either
remain rightists, leftists, center-right, center-left and so on. They hardly
take a position from where economic policies transcend their political nature
and therefore it is narrowed down to political economics than economics for the
welfare of the population. In other words, you find several political isms
scattered around you, but nothing called humanitarianism. This is the tragedy.
Economics beyond isms
However, of late we do see some flexibility and this augurs well
for any economy. In Kerala for instance, we have seen a new economic advisor
being appointed by the present government and this is a good policy. After all
there is nothing wrong with consulting with experts even if the party has a
Marxist base while the new economic advisor is a highly qualified Harvard
University professor of Indian origin and comes from a capitalistic nation.
The idea of consulting with any expert should not open doors for
undue criticisms, but on the other hand should be seen as a positive step in
bringing about greater understanding of the present and future economic
scenario. At times consultation in a free and frank manner brings about newer
ideas which when intermingled with the society’s existing norms may bring about
greater economic and social order. As
stated earlier, the idea is to have better civilized society and not just play
around with isms only.
It is in this context that there ought to be more logical
interpretation of the society’s needs and wants and better ways of
implementation of these workable models so that there are more employment
opportunities and better social amenities available for the citizens. The GST,
for instance, is sure to be very beneficial for the whole of India in the long
run as the tax structure would be such that there would be freer movement of
goods and services across the country and much less hurdles that most businesses
face in the older system.
Therefore, it is seen that creative inputs from different persons,
groups and organization irrespective of their preferences for isms, may go a
long way in solving many of the ills that the society faces from time to time. The
yardstick for measuring success in the area of social betterment is not based
on the uncompromising adherence to certain ideologies or isms, but to a great
extent on the flexibility offered to view and review the current economic
scenario and to fine tune it with the rapid current economical changes that are
taking place worldwide.
Path to human glory
We are passing through a very challenging economical situation
where there is rapid automation taking place on one hand and the lack of
skilled person for newer jobs on the other. This picture is not
incomprehensible, but certainly out of reach for many in the society as to how
to address the scenario in a better way as we lack the basic inputs as to how
to achieve education and skill development at a very early stage so as to take
up this challenge in the best way possible for the overall development of the
society. The idea of sticking to a particular ideology or ism may have worked
out quite well during the past yet in the current scenario where rapidity of
change is so overwhelming that it is but even more absurd as to not even give a
cursory glance towards it. Why? This is because of strict unwavering adherence
to one or the other isms by political parties.
In this context one thing should be noted and that is surprisingly
it is the capitalistic West where respective governments are spending huge
money on free health care of its citizens while we on the other hand, the
significant majority Indians, rush to private clinics for our health care
paying high fees. This is even more acute where there are no government
hospitals nearby or if you find one then it is overflowing with patients and
facing acute shortage of doctors and nurses and essential drugs.
Why is this so? This is again because we have adopted the skewed socialistic
point of development without the proper understanding that there must be taxes
paid by the citizens and profits earned by both public and private enterprises.
It is this money that can assure the citizens of life time health care and not
otherwise as no government remains solvent without hard cash to do so.
As an example, suppose a family of poor people living in a remote village
that has crude roads only without proper access and people still have miles to
go to get to the nearest clinic, sits circling a female member suffering from
some disease then the possibility of getting cured becomes almost impossible.
The neighbors too assemble around them emotionally and words like ‘tsk, tsk,
che, che and such sounds are heard from others especially the women folks. Some
of them cry loudly, aimlessly and relentlessly while others may remark from the
bottom of their hearts that they haven’t slept a wink for a few days. So, what
of it?
Ultimately, death is surely going to take place due to social,
cultural, religious or economic disorders. Here, emotions are not what that
counts, but rationalizing the existing situation and then try to make
arrangements for the patient to be taken to the hospital as fast as possible. Even
if this results in a failure, as it is sure to be, the act of rationalization
of the cultural, economical actions and religious conducts of human beings and
the civic authorities should be brought in to bear upon the responsibility of
attaining well being in all future events before they ever happen. This kind of
rationalization or re-inventing is done periodically so that maximum benefits
are attained by the society and this is true for all human activities including
cultural, religious, traditional, artistic, commercial and economical reasons
and this is what actually reforms are.
In short, you must reform your own mindset for any positive
feedback to overcome any excesses of negative thinking and resulting outdated actions
committed by humans and be always remain in tune with changing times.
Private or government enterprises
It is quite common to see isms tilting either to full free
enterprises, semi-government style, co-operative kinds or fully owned large
public enterprises. Although, to a great extent isms are propagated by
political class and the die hard followers they too earn a taboo of sorts such
that deviating a bit here and there would mean outrage. This would then bring a
small section of populace to be representative of public anger featuring the good
or bad publicity that comes in its wake because they fear their livelihood or
confusion of what lies ahead in future or whether everything that they had held
as dear has been compromised. Here too it is humanitarianism that counts and
rationalization of human acts, be it of any social, economic or political
reasons, that give the society the necessary life- work balance and ultimately for the future mental and
physical health of its citizens.
In other words, looking at human population as the prime factor
that makes up the society would be in the best interest of all stakeholders for
carrying out social, cultural, religious or economic activities. Even if an
outmoded or negative dictum is in place in the cultural, religious or economic
activities, and is well supported by a significant section of the population,
then it ought to be debated, argued and finally publicized or spread out so
that the pros and cons of the same is well understood by the masses such that
it could be reformed to suit with changing times of the society.
Economically speaking, in so far as the private or semi-government
or government enterprises are concerned they remain at best transitory if need
be and not inclined to a specific purpose for the sake of ism only. This is
because the aim should be for the overall welfare of the population and not for
the sake of isms only. In this context one can even find a greater role for
Public Private Partnership (PPP) although this may not be the norm in all cases
but only for suitable application and implementation of large infrastructure
and industrial projects. Yet here too flexibility ought to be exercised and no
biasness for a particular ideology, but only those that are given the right kind
of flexibility to operate such that in the end results are positive.
What it means in general is that all enterprises whether private or
public or quasi must make profit for proper distribution of the same later. In
fact, this could be attained by government in the form of taxes or other means.
To reiterate this it means that there can be no welfare without having profits
that would later flow in as taxes for the government.
Rationalization of the society’s demand and supply
It is therefore quite pertinent to make theories on economics too
rationally by taking due consideration of what one experienced on the ground
level and what one would like to express it to be the kind it should be. In all
my own theories inductive logic and rationalization prevailed all throughout
due to my own personal ground experiences and personal researches into the ways
and means of the human society. But in all these I threaded into every detail
the human aspect of things without, as far as I believe, any tinge of emotions,
but simple rationalization.
Emphasizing on the humanitarian aspect of economic activities I
could gather a strong base or call it strong premise of argument in order to
create the right type of inductive logic and some math to further my argument
and to make my points clear. Having done this I was myself led to believe that
isms are one way or other a hurdle than a fillip to facilitate my arguments on
such a vast subject like economics with human participants at all its levels. Yet,
I wasn’t misled by emotions as many would when they argue from the points of
view of human beings and this again led me to singularly pursue theorizing on
economic activities to suit the society in general and not for any individual,
group or part of the populace or ideology.
Needless to say, rationalization was foremost in my mind when I
tried to reason with major issues confronting our society and in particular the
Indian society. I hope that not much may have gone in vain. While theorizing I
was also quite aware of the limitations of certain enterprises and the
limitations of ethical conduct of businesses and human beings when confronted
with improper interventions and monitoring by superior bodies or government.
Thus, for me government’s continued monitoring and interventions were needed
for a just society and not the other way around. Yet I also believed relative
undisturbed business practices that companies need to improve their business
and R & D. Having stated thus I am also a firm believer in giving some sort
of support mechanism to small and medium industries in the country for
generation of employment and to compete well with that of larger industries.
I firmly believe that de-monitoring and extreme freedom acts as a
solid incentive to larger businesses to flourish and expand in the way that is
quite analogous to a well armed muscular city thugs taking over the law and order
system into their hands and doing what they feel is the best. Naturally, most
of the people suffer endlessly due to this and is surely not limited to a few
only. Even if there are monitoring and interventions by government and law
there is still ample scope for businesses to flourish with a proper system in
place that do not wobble every now and then on confusing legalities. Yet I was
not always ready to accept the other extreme too when recklessness is unleashed
by people to curb the legitimate activities of businesses. It is of foremost
importance that businesses and commercial activities that are legitimately
carried out survive and flourish so that the government exchequer profit out of
it to carry on smoothly the other works of social welfare without the need for
looking up at heavens for much needed funds.
In the above context I had come to personally experience that isms
have a way of their own to contort and confuse situations and thinking
mechanisms of the people rather than involve in proper assessment of problems
and their solutions. For instance, in Kerala and so also in other parts of the
country a lot of people hide behind isms rather than in doing any greater good
for the society.
To emphasize this point well I know a number of people who owned
landed properties or gold and large deposits of money inherited or otherwise
and who lived a irresponsible, libertine and wastrel life devoid of any public
good in the true laissez-faire manner by doing nothing, but simply by selling
pieces of assets every now and then and trying to live a lavish life style of
their choosing. The matter however doesn’t stop here for these very so called
capitalists when they lose all their assets at the fag end of their career
suddenly turn Marxists without as much as even a little remorse. If you happen
to converse with them they will fume and froth mouthful of scurrilities at
capitalism much to your own bewilderment.
In sharp contrast there are people that have arisen from scratch to
riches in of course unblemished and legitimate ways and have struggled hard to
build enterprises and today are making millions and even billions are strangely
seen to be on the wrong side of social acceptance. Surprisingly, these business
men also employ a large number of people on a sustainable basis. Again, there
are numerous government staffs and bureaucrats who have amassed wealth
disproportionately to their known sources of income and yet enjoy all the
recognition and social importance that others hardly enjoy. Further, there are
groups that consist of employees working hard and some even listlessly in the
private sectors that are always at the receiving end of things as far as the society’s
paradoxically skewed standards are concerned. Surprisingly, they belong to the
largest part of the populace too.
This paradox existing in our society really touched me and
necessitated even more that I look at economics and societal activities even
more rationally.
Economics as social science than art
Economics is not an art but is more of a social science and there
is need for rationalization of approaches towards seemingly less understood
human characteristics. As no two people are the same and so making concessions
is of great importance to analyze and conclude on a pattern so that, if not the
whole population, some relatively large groups are given a general basic
approach level so that they mimic in general the aspiration of the majority of
citizens and define specified objectives that are positive for the society. Even
individual contributions that are positive should be taken cognizant of if they
are of good standard and for the positive development of the society.
This would go a long way in formulating policies and monitoring
situations for commerce and industries and social welfare. In fact, a standard
needs to be set forth in the society to bring varying individuals on a common
platform for discipline and implementing benchmarks in attaining standards for
education, commerce and industries and of course social welfare. There again may
be several groups region-wise or population-wise yet their overall standards of
discipline and monitoring ought to be within the gambit of a superior authority
that passes the final standards.
Characteristics of humans differ and so also each individual
priority differs, yet from society’s point of view it is the positive
commitment and contribution that matters and not any gimmicks or so called negative
group assertions with a distinct bias towards a particular group only. Here, in
addressing issues one needs to rationalize and not just be carried away by
emotions so that what solution is suggested is generally acceptable by the whole
community of citizens.
Economics is not an art because to a great extent it cannot be
carried away by emotions and general welfare of the populace cannot be confined
to emotional outbursts, although initially they may be good, but when it comes
to defining standards and addressing issues pragmatically and soundly it needs
rationalization for each and every act. Though perfection cannot be attained
since it deals with varied human nature and problems it nevertheless has to be
capable of setting a rationale for each act that is for the overall benefit of the
society. In order to do so there must be solid base of premises on humanitarian
grounds for launching arguments that are strong and current relating directly
to larger section of the human society. And then to address these issues the
tools of inductive logic or reasoning that may or may not include mathematical
expressions, as the case may be, has to be theorized to help governments to
formulate proper plans.
To douse the social issue fires that have erupted suddenly, you
needn’t look for the type of containers or isms, but so long as the
humanitarian water is good it would surely help to complete the work it was
meant to do.
