Population Problem – Western Paranoia & Eastern Gullibility!

“In 1972, the Club of Rome’s The Limits to Growth (Universe Books) suggested that at exponential growth rates, the world would run out of gold by 1981, mercury by 1985, tin by 1987, zinc by 1990, petroleum by 1992, and copper, lead, and natural gas by 1993. The end was nigh.” – From the Reason website.

Sleepless nights & billions required

Bill Gates cant sleep at night. He is a worried man. He is spending billions (ok … ok … not billions for now … just hundreds of millions) to solve this problem. Ted Turner is equally worried. Ted Turner ‘thinks’ that people will eat people - instead of food, which will become scarce. He has already given away billions – and waiting in line to give away more. David Packard (of Hewlett Packard) was an equally worried man. His foundation has given hundreds of millions each year.

What’s worrying them? Linux? Naah Why worry? Is anyone else making money?. Mobile phones OS. That is Nokia’s problem. Google? They are a long way off. Let them get closer.

So, what is it? It is the thought of all the Asians, Browns and the Blacks in the world having sex. And the children they will have. The Packard family, Bill Gates, Ted Turner are not alone in having the population crisis and the people bomb on their mind.

Kill The Problem At The Root

Before the chemical process for synthesis of chloroquine phosphate (for malaria treatment) was invented, the most popular synthetic compound was quinacrine. Quinacrine fell out of favour as patients did not tolerate quinacrine well and after a course of quinacrine, acquired a yellow complexion. Choloroquine phosphate became the anti-malarial drug of choice.

What happened to quinacrine. The world forgot about it. Except a small Swiss company, Sipharm Sesseln AG. This company was making quinacrine for two Americans – Stephen D.Mumford, and Elton Kessel.

What were these two doing with quinacrine.

They want to change the world with quinacrine – by sterilising women in the Third World.

“This explosion in human numbers, which after 2050 will come entirely from immigrants and the offspring of immigrants, will dominate our lives. There will be chaos and anarchy,” said Stephen Mumford.

They had read Paul Ehrlich’s The Population Bomb. They were worried. Just imagine living with Blacks, Indians, Vietnamese, Banglas, etc!

Urgh! And urgh again! Yech … yech …

How much money did Mumford and Kessel make? Nothing at all! They were true believers – in their own race. They just wanted to use this cheap drug technology to stop reproduction of other races.

They were funded by rich anti-immigration individuals in the US – and they used a untested and unapproved method of sterilisation. When poor women came for health examination (especially pelvic), these two and their associates, injected quinacrine, which causes an internal bodily reaction which impairs subsequent reproduction. This method may also cause cancer, heavy menstrual bleeding, pain and fever. Very soon they notched up impressive numbers – more than 1,00,000 such sterilisations in Vietnam, another 1,00,000 in India, and another 1,00,000-2,00,000 in the rest of the world.

This story won awards. The writer’s name – Alix M. Freedman. When this story broke out on WSJ, there was heat. To certify the safety of this procedure, anti-immigration groups put up a an Indian doctor.

What did the manufacturer have to say about the risk of the product? Sipharm Sesseln AG President Fritz Schneiter told her (Alix M. Freedman) “But it isn’t our role to check if this is safe or not. We aren’t the conscience of the world.”

Where did this madness begin. There are many threads to this story.

One thread …

In the beginning

In 1937, this young ‘genius’ (supposedly) scored 800 all correct answers in his GMAT test (reputedly, a first in the history of GMAT) – and joined Harvard Business School. Harvard milked this story to sell its struggling business school. In the next 60 years, (as the urban legend goes) only 3 others scored 800 points – all Indians (confirms IIT, Mumbai website).

During WW2

The young ‘genius’ was Robert S. McNamara (ironically, S. stands for Strange). During WW2, he was a part of the Statistical Control Office. Statistics is what the legendary Edward Deming used to increase production and improve quality during WW2 in the USA. Robert McNamara, Col. Charles B. “Tex” Thornton and 8 others were a team that were in-charge of war transportation and logistics. They made these ‘boring’ jobs glamorous – and used their academic excellence to create an aura around themselves.

At Ford Motors

After WW2, this team joined Ford Motors. The Ford PR team promoted them as the Whiz Kids, the American press lionized them, even as Ford’s business results were ordinary. This Ford connection was to prove relevant to McNamara’s activity later, we will see. The Ford in charge of the company was Henry Ford II, a direct descendant of the racist Henry Ford, who bankrolled Hitler and funded research into Eugenics – whose most famous practitioner turned out be Joseph Mengele.

The Kennedy Presidency

In 1961, Robert McNamara became Secretary of Defense under President John F. Kennedy. Kennedy’s presidency was marred by more scandals than any other. Joseph Kennedy, JFK’s father made his fortune from bootlegging, many Wall Street Scams – and reputed shorted the market, which resulted in the Great Depression. On the other side was the inspired leadership of Ho Chi Minh.

The story picks up speed

In 1954, the Viet Minh defeated the French Army at Dienbienphu. Eisenhower outlined the infamous Domino Theory – based on Anglo Saxon paranoia that the whole world was against them (unfortunately, not true) and an assumption that Asia was retarded and incapable of making a suitable political choice – and that the Anglo Saxons knew better. The French handed over their mess to the Americans and walked away in 1956. And thus started McNamara’s War.

Fools Rush In Where Angels Fear To Tread

Kennedy-McNamara turned this into a war. Lyndon Johnson (on advice of McNamara) increased American involvement against the Vietnamese – without permission from the US Congress, which is essential as per US constitution. Then began the lies, duplicity, covert operations – directly monitored by McNamara. No wonder, McNamara boasted that “each hour of testimony requires 3 to 4 hours of preparation.”

The Vietnamese had the support of the Russians and the Chinese. American troops increased to 500,000 in this unconstitutional (and hence, illegal) war. Cost to the USA – more than 200,000 dead or disabled. Cost to Vietnam – incalculable.

What McNamara Learnt From Vietnam

Americans lost the Vietnam War. Against a determined enemy (like the Viet Cong), the technological edge that America had was not very useful. Worse, American technological edge, was only temporary. The experience of the Vietnam War, preyed on McNamara’s mind. The Vietnam War brought home the reality that India and China could raise an army bigger than the entire population of United States.

McNamara’s unique contribution to the Vietnam War was ‘body count’

he was so impressed by the logic of statistics that he tried to calculate how many deaths it would take to bring North Vietnam to the bargaining table … (later) he wanted to know why his reckoning had been wrong, why the huge casualties that he had helped inflict had failed to break the will of the men in Hanoi …

His ruminations about this began at the Americans’ April meeting in Washington, where he, Cooper and General Vesser agreed that casualties did not seem to weigh heavily with North Vietnam …. “Was there any consideration of the human cost in Hanoi as they made these decisions?” McNamara asked. “Is the loss of life ever a factor?” He noted that while 58,000 Americans had been killed, the most authoritative estimate — in a September 1995 article by General Uoc — put the number of Vietnamese deaths at 3.6 million. “It’s equivalent to 27 million Americans!” McNamara exclaimed.

To explain this to himself, he remembered … There were some people to whom life was not the same as to us, he reasoned as he stood one evening in the hotel lobby. (Ellipsis, bracketed text mine).

He was right. Only he could have killed an equivalent of 27 million Americans – and still talk about the value of life, with a straight face. For American neo-colonial objectives.

Against America’s temporary technology superiority, the population superiority that the Indians and the Chinese had was permanent. India’s subsequent rise in technology (with engineering skills in software, pharma, automobiles, etc.) and the Chinese rise in manufacturing proved some of McNamara’s ‘fears’ true. McNamara’s legendary quantitative skills made him a convert to The Population Crisis propaganda.

The Population ‘Crisis’ Ideology

You win, we lose.

That is what Lester Thurow proposed in his book, The Zero Sum Game. The ‘rise’ of India and China is a threat to America – and the West? In Anglo Saxon terms, the ‘rise’ of India and China is a zero-sum gain.

If India and China prosper, the West will lose, goes the paranoid thinking. Contributory growth as opposed to supplanting growth is an alien concept in Anglo Saxon strategy. Hence, the theory that population is the biggest problem for India and China – was ‘created’ as a development strategy.

How the Developing World was sold this dud

Initially the Carnegie Endowment and the Ford Foundation worked with USAID, (part of the US Government) to sell this theory – specially to the Chinese and the Indians. Since, there was no ‘apparent’ economic or political interest of the Americans, this paranoid construct was given respect as a theory. This lack of ‘apparent’ self interest also helped the ‘Ugly American’ (The Ugly American, by Eugene Burdick William Julius Lederer) to cover his face.

Next, the American economic aid started coming with the ‘population control’ strings attached. It took a while for the dots to start getting connected. At the first whiff of a scandal, USAID, Ford Foundation and Carnegie Endowments handed over this project to the UN, World Bank and IMF. This gave the Population Control programme, the respect it did not deserve.

Paul Ehrlich, Robert McNamara, Club Of Rome – False Doomsdayers

Paul Ehrlich’s The Population Bomb (1960 coincided with the start of Robert McNamara’s World Bank stint. Together, the “smartest man” (Lyndon Johnson’s description of Robert McNamara) and Paul Ehrlich did a hatchet job on this. Economists Herman Kahn and Max Singer (of the Hudson Institute) did come out with a alternative model which disproved this theory. Yet in the midst of the din, the furore and the determined PR push by various UN bodies, the World Bank and the IMF, poor Third World countries never examined this theory critically.

The Western world synchronised and the infamous Club of Rome’s The Limits to Growth predictions were released …

“the world would run out of gold by 1981, mercury by 1985, tin by 1987, zinc by 1990, petroleum by 1992, and copper, lead, and natural gas by 1993. The end was nigh” intoned the The Club Of Rome (from Reasononline …).

This psuedo-academic report was jointly authored by heavyweights – Donella H. Meadows, Dennis L. Meadows, Jørgen Randers, and William W. Behrens III.

The venue for the release of this report was carefully chosen – Smithsonian Institute, to give it an air of solidity and authority. This report itself was released with much fanfare, publicity and PR. Yale economist Henry C. Wallich noted,

“the quantitative content of the model comes for the authors’ imagination, although they never reveal the equations that they used.”

Economist Julian Simon rubbished this theory and made the famous Simon-Ehrlich US$100 bet – against the population doomsdayers. Julian Simon won the bet. Of course, he may bet either because he believed in the continued dominance of the western mode of exploitation or the inability of the rest of the world to stop this exploitation.

The bottom line was that these economists (the Ehrlich’s, The Club Of Rome, The McNamara’s, etc.) wanted the poor of this world to feel guilty about sex, about electricity, about having cattle, drinking milk and eating food.

Western critics (like critics Hermann Kahn and Max Singer) of the population theory were saying “Why bother? Our technology and military, economic might ensure that they (the poor) never lay their hands on the goodies!”

Popuation Crisis and The Population Problem

Nothing but re-packaged Eugenics programs of Pre-WW2. Hitler made these programs notorious. Hence, family planning and population crisis and population problem became other names for the same programs that killed more than 10 million Jews, Roma Gypsies and others. The repackaging and reselling was supervised by World Bank – under Robert McNamara.

McNamara’s two wars – on Vietnam and population control (of India and China) have both been a disaster. Strange, that a ‘genius’, supported and backed by the world’s only ’superpower’ and the largest economy, could not achieve much against backward and developing nations like Vietnam, India and China.

What Is The Impact

The Chinese Communist dictatorship rammed this policy down the poor Chinese throat – and still does. Vietnam has made its citizens into guinea pigs. India was ideologically committed to this and practically did little. Call this ambivalence – except for a brief while during the 1975-1977 Emergency. During the Emergency phase, Sanjay Gandhi in India very much did, what had happened in the US and Europe earlier under the Eugenics laws. Forcible sterilisations and human rights abuses. The ethical ramifications are real and present.

The greater damage in India (and in the rest of the world) is the disrespect it has created for humanity amongst the administrative class and the advantaged. The population problem is ‘others’ – and western altruistic ethics and racist ideologies sanction solutions for the ‘greater good.’ Indian ethical system and constructs approve of purusharth पुरुशार्थ – धर्म dharm (righteousnss) arth, अर्थ (wealth), काम kaam (desire, including sexual desire) and मोक्ष moksh (deliverance, freedom, liberty at various levels, political, social, from life and death, from death by a thousand cuts) and disapproves violence against the living as they are vaasudevaiya kutumbakam (all living are God’s creation). The other damage is the to the self esteem of country.

Of course, once a population gets on this train, it is difficult to get off. In another 25-40 years, China will face the reality of slowing population growth, an aging population, increased health costs, increased capital spending to increase productivity. In short, the insurmountable problems that Western societies and Japan are wrestling with.

In India three aspects have kept this policy from being implemented. Children are seen as nandlala नंदलाला and balagopal बालगोपाल (instead of naughty children controlled by satan, shaitan) – popular expressions of respect for a new life. Combine this with the democratic backlash against the population policy in India in 1977 elections, and you have a case of lost political will. What has driven the final nail in the coffin is the healthy disrespect (some would even say contempt) for western ideas that non-English speaking Indians (which is more than 90% of India) have for western ideas.

The Economics of Population Control

The population theory does not stand up to any economic logic. Humans beings are the biggest factor in the production process. How can people become a problem? More people mean more production, bigger markets, lower costs, larger tax base, et al. False data, false assumptions, false propaganda (deliberate use of an oxymoron to make a point) have all been used to ’sell’ this theory. Lower population growth is increasing health costs, aging populations, decreasing competitiveness. The Western societies were able to progress over the last 100 years at the expense of developing world.

The fight between these western proponents and western critics of the population control theory was not about equity or about ecology. The proponents were working hard to ensure that the poor did not demand or ask for resources.

The critics (cynics) were in fact saying that the poor were too weak to challenge the powerful rich countries – and what the west must do to keep them weak.

The Green Arguments & Population Control

By the later 1990’s the Green lobby, global warming, Ozone layer, environment had become an issue. The Kyoto protocol negotiations began. As usual, the Western world (led by the Anglo Saxon Bloc) dumped this problem onto the developing world. Secure a greener earth – at the cost of the poor.

Cattle in India started getting blamed for global warming (Indian cattle fart too much!). UN and FAO got involved in this psuedo scientific study.

While 10% of the earth’s population, in the developed world (largely the western world) does not adequately price or cost the ecological damage they cause, into their production, the post facto price is borne by the rest of the world (90% of the world population). This damage is then inversely blamed on increasing population of the under-developed world!

An exquisite instance of acrobatics in inverting logic.

Amartya Sen, Gandhiji, Food, Population and Greed

In a landmark study in famines, economic policy and food availability, (by) Amartya Sen says,

“There has been a good deal of discussion recently about the prospect of food supply falling significantly behind the world population. There is, however, little empirical support for such a diagnosis of recent trends”. Further, he goes onto say, “… famines can take place without a substantial (decline in) food availability decline is of interest mainly because of the hold that food availability approach has in the usual famine analysis…” (Italics and ellipsis mine).

Gandhiji had something to say – “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed”.

The West in its greed wants to leave nothing for others – and this entire population conspiracy has been invented so that the victim delivers himself on sacrificial altar of western greed.

History of Population Control – Many Fathers

Another thread. Malthusian stories and Social Darwinism.

Population pressures leading to destruction and chaos was still-born concept – propagated by Thomas Robert Malthus from (yes, you guessed it right), an Anglo Saxon economist whose theories have remained just that – malignant theories. One of the landmark studies on this is by Paul Jalsevac in his study, “The Inherent Racism Of Population Control.”

But more insidious was the Eugenics program. This psuedo-scientific program was initiated, yes again, by another Anglo Saxon, Sir Francis Galton (related to Charles Darwin, the British co-originator of the Evolution Theory). The Eugenics programme was designed to create a ’superior’ race of people – and ‘eliminate’ defective people and births. It gained many high profile adherents – and finally responsible for many medical, psychiatric and political abuses.

Eugenics In The USA

It attracted big ticket backers. John Harvey Kellogg (of Kellogg cornflakes) was an early sponsor and formed a “partnership” with the Race Betterment Foundation. Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) established the Station for Experimental Evolution at Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, in 1904 – a centre for Eugenic research. In 1937, before, the start of WW2, when it became apparent that Hitler had hijacked Eugenics and where Eugenics was going, the Carnegie Foundation changed direction – and renamed the Eugenics Record Office to Genetics Record Office. After WW2, in 1952, the USA needed some ’special weapons’. The Carnegie Foundation stepped in to assist the research. What were these ’special weapons’ - new birth control methods.

Henry Ford was a supporter of Eugenics – and one of the most notorious Eugenics practitioner was Michael Teitelbaum – who worked with the Ford Foundation till the 1970’s – shaping population policy matters for world consumption. Clarence J Gamble, (of Proctor & Gamble) fame, advocated population control amongst the poor, Puerto Ricans, Negros – as they were a problem. The wives of Edward Henry Harriman, (financier and railway tycoon) and HB Dupont, were some of the others who participated in the Eugenics projects.

Today, the newly renamed Planned Parenthood Federation of America receives funding from the US Government, billionaires like the Hewlett family and the Packard family, Ted Turner of CNN fame, Bill Gates of Microsoft amongst others.

Three generations of imbeciles are enough

These abusive actions were possible due to legal sanction by the US Courts. A celebrated Supreme Court judge, Oliver Wendell Holmes, decided that

“…the public welfare may call upon the best citizens for their lives. It would be strange if it could not call upon those who already sap the strength of the State for these lesser sacrifices …” (Italics and ellipsis mine)

of getting sterilised, lobotomised, committed to mental asylums on flimsy grounds, become guinea pigs for dubious medical research.

This judgement’s admirers were found all the way till Germany. Was Oliver Wendell Holmes very far from Nazi Germany? Not if you consider the Binding-Hoche study (Karl Binding was a lawyer and Alfred Hoche, a doctor). The Binding-Hoche study suggested that the German state had already lost its best people during WW1 – and hence the country was filled with ‘human ballast’. To remedy this situation, they suggested that these ‘inferior elements’ should be eliminated – much like what the American Chief Justice said. During the Nuremberg trials, the Nazis did cite the US practices of sterilisations, lobotomies, euthanasia as a defence.

Yes, instead of acting as parens patriae, which would be the first duty of the court, the US Supreme Court colluded with the executive to deny basic rights to the incapable, in the land of the free. This was much like slavery was approved by the US Supreme Court in the Dredd Scott vs Sandford case. Chief Justice Taney not only ruled that slavery was legal, but barred slaves from approaching the US Supreme Court.

Eugenics In Europe

The most notorious on Eugenics in Europe was Hitler who killed 60 lakh Jews and another 40 lakhs of Gypsies and assorted segments of the population. Montagu Norman, the Chief Of Bank England, who supervised the economic drain from India was another famous follower of Eugenics. Much before these practitioners of Eugenics, were others. Such racist concepts were tried by Germany – in Paraguay. Germany decided to breed a race of superior White Germans, in the colony of Nueva Germania. Heading the Nueva Germania project was Elizabeth Nietzsche – brother of Frederick Nietzsche.

In Britain, Julian Huxley, grandson of Thomas Henry Huxley, first head of UNESCO, brother of Aldous Huxley, joined the population propaganda machine. Julian Huxley called himself a ’scientist’ and

“advocated a much greater use of … Eugenic Insemination, … deep-frozen sperm banks containing donations by eminent men, Nobel Prize Winners … from which a prospective mother could choose … Huxley hoped that many of the users of such a sperm bank would opt for intelligence and he calculated that if the mean IQ of the population could be raised by as little as 1.5 per cent this would lead to a 50 per cent increase in the number of people with an IQ of 160 or more …” (from the galtoninstitute website).

This kind of psuedo-science was used by UN and the various population control propagandists to further their agenda.

This Doesn’t Happen Now

A law inspired by Eugenics was in force and utilised in the state of Orgeon, till 1980. 33 states in the USA approved eugenics laws during 1900-1925. An estimated 60,000-1,00,000 people were forcibly sterilised using these laws. Switzerland repealed forced sterilisation laws against the Romani Gypsies only in 1972.

New names for old ills continue. The new exercises in this could be the SARS and the Bird Flu. A few humans or birds die (due to respiratory complications) and entire continents are devastated. Is this another form of ‘conditioning’ for future bio-terrorism or bio-warfare? These new kinds of global hysteria use ‘neutral’ bodies – like the UN and World Bank to whip up fear, rumours and over reaction.

You still don’t believe that this happens even now?

The largest donors to the population control organisations in the last 10 years are (hold onto you chair or whatever) Bill Gates (of Microsoft-Windows fame), Ted Turner (of CNN-Time Warner) and David & Lucille Packard Foundation (co-founder of Hewlett Packard). It is re-run of the same story. Population Control is funded by the rich (in the USA) as they feel threatened by the poor of this world, especially if the colour of the poor is different.

Post Script

On February 16, 2008, I read a post in Business Standard, one of India’s leading business newspaper. It carried a preview of a book by Nandan Nilekani, a business leader and director of Infosys. Nandan Nilekani says, his book traces (apart from other subjects) how India has “gone from seeing population as a burden to population as a source of human capital.” That is the good news.

Farcically, in the same breadth, Nandan also overestimates the importance of English. Is he implying that without English, India would have been backward like – China, Japan, Germany, Russia, Italy, Korea. In fact dear Nandan, show me one country that has become significant using some other country’s language – in the last 4000 years of history. Look again Nandan, Take A Secondlook. By 15th August, 2008, Nandan Nilekani, was invited to write for Economic Times. This time around, Nandan did not make too much on the importance of English language. Attaboy, Nandan!

The tide is turning. One month after this post(dated Jan 30th, 2008), China decided to take a secondlook at their population policy (on Feb 27th, 2008, link embedded). And on 4th March, Economic Times, India’s leading daily informed,“China takes second look at one-child rule, 4 Mar, 2008, 0231 hrs IST, AGENCIES.” In case the link does not work, click here China Takes Secondlook At One Child Policy.

An alarmed USA Today, wrote China ‘Considers changing one-child policy’. But the New York Times re-assured its readers that “this change the country’s one-child-per-couple family planning policy would not change for at least another decade.” The International Herald Tribune also repeated this reassuring report. The China Daily, at its website also released a similar report.

Indian Defence Industry – Backward? Non Existent?

Backward & Non Existent?

Backward? Yes. Existent?  Just about.

The entire business model of the defence industry is licenced manufacture from other countries. Fifty years ago that was a revolutionary step. Today it is regressive and raises many questions and does not answer any.

There are two schools of thoughts on this. One thinks that India is doomed and we just cannot do it. To support their position, they point to the budget over-runs, delivery delays and indigenisation. Under-budgeting explains both time-and-cost over-runs. The indigenisation levels are another subject. No one – but no one, in the world, makes everything indigenously. The decisive aspect is reliability of supplies during wartime. That is a matter of judgment and finances. This group’s motivations are doubtful – and they are frequently accused of acting for vested interests.

The second school paints a rosy picture – and the picture is definitely NOT rosy.

Easy Way Out?

India has been for the last 20 years the one of the top 3 armament purchasers in the world – along with China. India’ s defence purchases exceed US$10billion every year. In the next few years, India is expected to buy US$40 billion of armaments. After that kind of spending, what will India be left with – debt and aging pieces of scrap metal.

The Problem

One single issue. Poor funding.

Two thirds of domestic development budgets are taken up by wages and other set up costs. Development activity takes up only 1/3 of the budget. DRDO which is made up of academics and scientists have been a rather poor track record in getting the GOI to understand funding, costs, time frames and monetary elbow room to explore alternative development paths. What they need are good salesmen.

Frugal Engineering

Carlos Ghosn, the current chief of the Renault-Nissan combine used the term frugal engineering to describe India’s prowess in world class products at Indian costs. He followed up his talk with his walk. He has inked three deals with Mahindras for the Logan and other similar products; with Bajaj Auto for a below US$3000 car; and with Ashok Leyland for low cost commercial vehicles (in short, cheap trucks).

While other competitors had doubts about the Nano, and Osamu Suzuki and John Elliot, (is Elliot spelt like idi**) were doing a joint production of Nano comedy show, Ghosn was also (possibly) the only one who saw the threat of the Tata-Nano.

Defence Engineering

Indian defence designers and scientists have also done a similar job in defence production.

The Akash missile development project cost less than Rs.500 crores – which is about US$100 million. For that kind of money, international arms suppliers do not give the time of the day.

The 126 aircraft procurement under process is a prime example. The estimate started at US$6.5 billion. Recently it was estimated to cost US$10 billion – and the final bill may cross US$14 billion. With the right (domestic and international) partnerships (for sub assemblies like engine, avionics, airframe, tooling, etc.) and adequate and timely funding, the development cost will be US$ 2 billion. Production costs will be less than US$4 billion. (my estimates). IAF /DRDO estimates for the LCA are lower (I think that is more due to eagerness overkill) than realism.

The Arjuna battle tank development cost of less than Rs.350 crores – over a period of more than 15 years. That is less than US$100 million – over 15 years. What are we talking about? With (not so amusing) low budgets, what elbow room do those designers and scientists have to explore and develop alternatives? If they have delivered a working model, with production plan in place, it is the cheapest battle tank development in the world. With timely and adequate funding, these development cycles and design variations can be speeded up.

India plans to buy 6 numbers of C-130 Hercules transport aircraft at a cost of US$1 billion. The C-130 aircraft has now been in production from 1955, for more than 50 years (yes, for 50 years, with technology refreshments). This C-130 aircraft has now been in production for more than 50 years. A clean slate development of such an aircraft, with frugal Indian engineering, costs less than 100 million to develop. Production cost will not be more than US$200 million.

Can India continue to starve our engineers, designers and industry of funds, orders, business – and lavish spending on foreign industry. These dual standards are costing the Indian tax payers big money – and more importantly, compromising India’s defence preparedness. And the the defence forces face the prospect of fighting a war with inadequate armament and training.

Can we do it

Fortune 500 companies entrusted the biggest software problem the world had, the Y2K problem, to the Indian software industry. We had it licked in less than 3 years time. The Indian Government trusts foreign companies – but not Indians companies with defence production. How much more short sighted and regressive can they get?

The ISRO Antrix commercial space launch business is now beginning to challenge world leaders – and developed at Indian costs and world class technology.

The Brahmos collaborative development is another success story.

India needs to develop greater capability – in house, in time and based on global perspectives. This shopping around gets us the contempt (or the patronising attitude) that we deserve.

India – Beyond Individuals

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in righteousness, O descendant of Bharata, and a rise of evil — at that time I manifest myself. To deliver all those who believe in goodness and to annihilate the evil, to reestablish righteousness, I will appear, in millennium after millennium.” Bhagwad Geetha IV, 7-8.

Who was Kalidasa? No one quite knows. After composing some of the best lyrical poetry ever, (in Sanskrit), little is known about him. His life lives in his works. Who was Ved Vyasa – the writer of Mahabharata? Or for that matter Valmiki! No one knows. About any one of these people.

Yet, whenever, India had needed, inspirations have come. To lead us … असतो मा सद्गमय From untruth to the truth … तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय … From darkness to light … मृत्योर् मा अमृतं गमय … from termination, to eternity …

Tipu Sultan unceasing opposition for more than 30 years (The Mysore Wars – 1767-1799) to the foreign rule before the 1857 War made the British rulers cautious about waging war in India. Immediately thereafter was the challenge of the Sikh qaum – led by Ranjit Singh. The death of Ranjit Singh in (1839) gave them another opportunity. Then followed the Afghan wars and the Sikh Wars (between 1839-1850). In 1857 was the India’s first war of Independence.

From 1857 to the 1900, the British colonial government decimated Indian leadership. Bahadur Shah Zafar was sent to Rangoon. Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi. Ahalyabai Holkar. Tantia Tope. Leader after leader came to the fore. And India continued to redefine itself.

From feudal and hereditary leaders, the leadership slowly changed. From political to social. In parallel. In 1828, Raja Ram Mohan Roy formed the Brahmo Samaj. In 1875, Swami Dayanand formed the Arya Samaj. On 24th December 1892, Swami Vivekananda reached Kanyakumari – after travelling across India. He was entertained by rajas and the रंक (commoners) of his day.

Then followed the political leadership. Dadabhai Naoroji’s (Congress President in 1886, 1893 1906) research and quantification of the British Loot from India started a new set of leaders against colonial rule – and a new definition of India. Tilak’s demand for ’swaraj’ and ’swadeshi’ goods unnerved the colonialists. The colonial British Government deported Balgangadhar Tilak to Rangoon. He came back stronger than before. In other countries, when old leaders and rulers were removed or replaced, those countries descended into dictatorship, confusion, poverty. In India, we had wave after wave of leaders – and each time India moved forward. In a direction which has no precedents in world history.

What Happened In Other Countries

Why do Australia and Canada still acknowledge the British Queen as the head of the state? Spain has Juan Carlos I as its king! Did you know that Belgium has Albert II as it King? And Queen Beatrix rules over Holland (The Netherlands). King Akihito is venerated by the Japanese – and is the head of the state. Sweden is ruled by King Carl XVI Gustaf. Luxembourg has the Grand Duke Henri as its equivalent to a King! King Harald V lords over Norway! Queen Margrethe II rules over Denmark. The world still has quite a few monarchies – especially in the OECD. Why?

France removed and guillotined the monarchs – and they got Napoleon Bonaparte, as dictator! Russia tried – and they got 70 years of communist dictatorship. Italy asked King Victor Emmanuel III to go – and got Mussolini. The British exiled the Kaiser of Germany – and the Germans had to put up with Hitler thereafter.

Britain terminated the Turkish Ottoman Empire – and Turkey got a benign dictator, Mustafa Kemal Attaturk, and then not so benign dictators – and is yet to recover! East Europe (Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Albania, etc) promptly started fighting with each other, within and without – after the kings were removed. China became communist after the last emperor – and still has a communist dictatorship. Iran, Egypt, Iraq, Libya, most of Africa, South America – same or similar story.

This history is why Canada and Australia cling to the skirts of British Monarchy.

Republican Democracy

America became one of the first successful Republican democracies – from 1789, when George Washington became the first elected President of USA. (70 years later there was a Civil War). America survived.

Israel, (propped up by massive US aid) is another country which has been a republican democracy for more than 50 years. Switzerland (with guaranteed neutrality from the European powers) is another in modern history to survive 50 years of republican democracy. Srilanka has been another country which has survived 50 years as republican democracy – but just about.

India is the youngest Republican democracy – and we have completed a historic 50 years as republican democracy – Jan 26th 1950, till date.

Gandhiji’s Conquest

But before the republic, came the unification of India – the crowning achievement of Gandhiji. Not the political union (achieved by Sardar Patel) – but the ideological union!

Garibaldi (united Italy), Bismarck (united Germany), Simon Bolivar (liberated and united South American countries) were unifiers who succeeded with the help of armies.

Gandhiji (armed with a walking stick) unified a larger India (and Pakistan) without an army. An India and a Pakistan – bigger than what the largest empire in the history of the world, the British Empire could not conquer with its armies.

One Clean Break

To make a one clean break from the feudal-colonial past – and succeed! That is a dream – never before in the history of the world. India made history – by surviving for 50 years with a republican democracy.

In 1947, India was a feudal society with more than 500 Kings and (some) Queens at the time of Independence. (No, the British did not rule over all of modern India). Large parts of India also had to change from a colonial mindset.

How Is India Unique

However, no other country has 15 official languages.

Switzerland has only 4. Sri Lanka’s Sinhalas do not want to accept Sri Lankan Tamils as full and equal citizens – hence the 20 year old civil war.

Social Equality

The liberation of Blacks in the USA is a 1970s phenomenon. It took non-violent protests (Martin Luther King) and violent threats (Malcolm X) for some kind of real emancipation and equity to come in.

Blacks in the USA legally got full and equal liberty only in 1964 after President Kennedy’s Civil Rights Act of 1964. Earlier in 1954, President Eisenhower had to send in the army (the National Guard). In the Cold War scenario, under international media glare, during the Little Rock School stand-off, Eisenhower (a Southerner himself) reacted. The Mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas closed down the school rather than de-segregate. De-segregation (between the Blacks and Whites) happened clearly and fully only by 1970-75. Non-violent protests by Martin Luther King (inspired by Gandhiji’s) till 1968 and violent threats by Malcolm X thereafter, made desegregation a reality. Not to forget Martin Luther King’s assassination in 1968. The eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation during the Kennedy years produced the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

But, Gandhiji’s first step, after coming back from South Africa, (many decades before India’s Independence, Unification and the creation of the Republic) was to start social reform against untouchability.

Enforcement – or Help

India and America, created their own constitutions without external enforcement. Republican democracy in Germany was imposed by the Allied Powers – hence their record is blemished.

Religions

In most countries, religion divides. In India, we are different. India has the world’s second /third largest Muslim population. The Indian Christian population is equal to that of most majority-Christian countries – excluding just a few big one like USA, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, etc. Buddhists number nearly 50 lakhs. Sikhs, Parsis (Zoorastrians), Bahais, follows their own religion. Iranians, Armenians, Jews, Chinese have come to India – when persecuted in their homelands.

Racism! Anyone?

No, thanks!

India has the Caucasoid stock – spread over the North and West India; Australoid stock spread over South India and the Mongoloid stock spread over of East and North East. There is also a very small sprinkling of the Negroid stock – less than 1%.

The Challenges Ahead

The challenges ahead are defence and economics.

India’s defence unpreparedness is beyond comprehension. Worse, is the lack of threat perception. Indians (sadly and truly) limit their threat perception to the Pakistanis – and the Chinese. with the world’s largest private reserves of gold India becomes a target. The resultant global and emerging threats are unrealised. We spend billions of dollars on buying arms all over the world – but our domestic arms industry is starving.

The second is economics. The world trade systems, financial agreements, currency management continue to drag down India – and many other countries. Navigating these uncharted waters successfully is the other.

And I am sure that another set of new leaders will arrive and take India forward to another level.

Sooner – not later.

Republican Democracy – The Mirage!?

Is monarchy dead?

Are there any real life monarchs left in any ‘advanced’ countries? What role do they play? Will a modern country follow these monarchs? Surprisingly, Europe has not removed any monarchs in the last 50 years. The world still has quite a few monarchies – especially in the OECD.

Why do Australia and Canada still acknowledge the British Queen as the head of the state? Spain has Juan Carlos I as its king! Did you know that Belgium has Albert II as it King? And Queen Beatrix rules over Holland (The Netherlands). King Akihito is venerated by the Japanese – and is the head of the state. Sweden is ruled by King Carl XVI Gustaf. Luxembourg has the Grand Duke Henri as its equivalent to a King! King Harald V lords over Norway! Queen Margrethe II rules over Denmark.

Why so many monarchs

After all monarchy is relic – an institution that should be dead! Right?

Monarchy is not cheap. Monarchs are expensive to maintain. Monarch’s can also be embarrassing – especially the family. Just look at Princess Diana! Her saga of bedroom romps and adultery became a reality show – before reality shows were born (Endemol, the Diana estate is coming after you!). If they are figure heads, why waste time – and money!

The Difficulty Of Removing Monarchs

France removed and guillotined the monarchs – and they got Napoleon Bonaparte, as dictator! Russia tried – and they got 70 years of communist dictatorship. Italy asked King Victor Emmanuel III to go – and got Mussolini. The British exiled the Kaiser of Germany – and the Germans had to put up with Hitler thereafter. Spain reverted to monarchy after the end of Franco’s dictatorship.

After WW1, the Anglo-French alliance terminated the Turkish Ottoman Empire – and Turkey got a benign dictator, Mustafa Kemal Attaturk, and then not so benign dictators – and is yet to recover! After the demise of the Turkish Ottoman Empire, the Middle East was saddled with artificial kingdoms which have hot-spots of terror and instability.

East Europe (Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Albania, etc) promptly started fighting with each other, within and without – after the kings were removed. China became communist after the last emperor – and still has a communist dictatorship. Iran, Egypt, Iraq, Libya, most of Africa, South America – same or similar story. The Nepalese have got their history wrong. Just look at Afghanistan next door – after the King Zahir Shah was removed.

This history is why Canada and Australia cling to the skirts of British Monarchy.

RK Laxman on the New Republic ...

Republican Democracy

The modern desirable is Republican democracy – and every country wishes for one! Very few succeeded. A republican democracy does not have a titular king – hereditary or otherwise. The head of the state is elected – directly or indirectly.

America became one of the first successful Republican democracies – from 1789, when George Washington became the first elected President of USA. 70 years later, the strains were showing – North versus South. America was on the verge of Civil War – the main cause of which was the desire of the Southern states to remain independent (due to tariff issues) or at best as a loose confederation – not a federal union (actually slavery was a side issue).

Israel, (propped up by massive US aid) is another country which has been a republican democracy for more than 50 years. Switzerland (with guaranteed neutrality from the European powers) is another in modern history to survive 50 years of republican democracy. Sri Lanka has been another country which has survived 50 years as republican democracy – but just about.

India is the youngest Republican democracy – and we have completed a historic 50 years as republican democracy – Jan 26th 1950, till date.

Gandhiji’s Conquest

But before the republic, came the unification of India – the crowning achievement of Gandhiji. Not the political union (achieved by Sardar Patel) – but the ideological union! Garibaldi (united Italy), Bismarck (united Germany), Simon Bolivar (liberated and united South American countries) were unifiers who succeeded with the help of armies.

Gandhiji (armed with just his walking stick) unified a larger India (and Pakistan) without an army. An India and a Pakistan – bigger than what the largest empire in the history of the world, the British Empire could not conquer with its armies. Gandhiji’s country model for India was unique and different – unlike the Western country model.

One Clean Break

To make a one clean break from the feudal-colonial past – and succeed! That is a dream – never before in the history of the world. India made history – by surviving for 50 years with a republican democracy.

Famine, War, Religion, Language - Could India survive?

In 1947, India was a feudal society with more than 500 Kings and (some) Queens at the time of Independence. (No, the British did not rule over all of modern India). Large parts of India also had to change from a colonial mindset.

The language conundrum

However, no other country has 15 official languages. No other countries even had the courage to think of that.

Various US state governments outlawed all languages – except English. This was finally set aside after the matter reached the US Supreme Court (read Meyer vs Nebraska). The USA gathered some courage to start timidly with more than English only after seeing India’s success with 15 languages.

Switzerland has only four. Sri Lanka’s Sinhalas do not want to accept Sri Lankan Tamils as full and equal citizens – hence the 20 year old civil war.

Leadership

The British Colonial administration tried to take control of India by removing an entire generation of royalty – Bahadur Shah Zafar, Tipu Sultan, Rani Lakshmi Bai, Tantiya Tope, Rani Ahalyabai et al. This should have left India rudderless, with a vacuum at the top – based on European history.

But what was unprecedented in the modern world history, was a new band of first-generation political leaders who cut their against the British. Balagangadhar Tilak, GK Gokhale, Motilal Nehru – and of course, Gandhiji.

And after 1947. After the departure of the British. Gandhiji was assassinated in 1948. Sardar Patel was no more by the end of 1950. Ambedkar in 1956 and in 1958, Maulana Azad passed away. Thus apart from Nehru, the entire leadership of India was no more, 10 years after Mountbatten’s departure.

Universal Suffrage

In India, universal suffrage in 1950 started from the the very first election in sovereign India.

Universal suffrage came to the USA, Britain, France, Belgium, Canada, Australia after a long struggle. The USA had to pass the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920; Italy in 1945; Canada in 1940; France gave women the right to vote in 1945; Switzerland in 1971 gave its women the right to vote in all elections. These “advanced” countries, gave women the right to vote after a long struggle. India’s respect for its female citizenry is best demonstrated by universal adult franchise from the very first day – without any female activism.

How could India manage this?

Social Equality

Black emancipation in the USA is a 1970s phenomenon, 30+ years ago event – and not 200 years ago as this article in New York Times seems to make out.

It took non-violent protests (Martin Luther King, inspired by Gandhiji) and violent threats (Malcolm X) for some kind of real emancipation and equity to come in. In the Cold War scenario, under international media glare, during the Little Rock School stand-off, Eisenhower (a Southerner himself) reacted.

Reluctantly,in 1954, he sent in the National Guard to Little Rock, Arkansas for some kind of de-segregation. The Mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas closed down the school rather than de-segregate. The eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation during the Kennedy years produced the Civil Rights Act of 1964. For a 100 years after the American Civil War, the Black people in the USA were still subject to 2nd grade treatment – any measure of liberty came only after 1964.

But Gandhijis’ first step, after his return from South Africa, (many decades before Independence, Unification and creation of the Republic) was to undo the social calcification (resulting in untouchability) due to 200 years of colonialism .

Enforcement – or Help

India and America, created their own constitutions without external enforcement. Republican democracy in Germany was externally imposed – by the Allied Powers. Singapore has used extreme laws to disallow any other party and leaders to pose a challenge to the ruling party and get elected. When Japan took the first step away from LDP rule, with a non-LDP government, after 45 years of LDP rule – it took Japan 20 years to recover.

How long would India last ...?

Religious Divide …

India has the world’s second /third largest Muslim population. The Indian Christian population is equal to that of most majority-Christian countries – excluding just a few big one like USA, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, etc. Buddhists number nearly 50 lakhs. Sikhs, Parsis (Zoroastrians), Baha’is, follows their own religion. Iranians, Armenians, Jews, Chinese have come to India – when persecuted in their homelands.

Racism, anyone?

No, thanks!

India has the Caucasoid stock – spread over the North and West India; Australoid stock spread over South India and the Mongoloid stock spread over of East and North East. There is also a very small sprinkling of the Negroid stock – less than 1%.

Hence, to have a functioning republican democracy without a break for more than 50 years puts India in a different league.

The Challenge Ahead

The challenges ahead are defence and economics.

India’s defence unpreparedness is beyond comprehension. Worse, is the lack of threat perception. Indians (sadly and truly) limit their threat perception to the Pakistanis – and the Chinese. With the world’s largest private reserves of gold India is a target – all over again. The resultant global and emerging threats are unrealised.

The second is economics. The world trade systems, financial agreements, currency management continue to drag down India – and many other countries. Navigating these uncharted waters successfully is the other.

Does India have the intellectual leadership and strategic intent to create solutions?

Post Script

Interestingly, Arun Maira, wrote in Times of India, on 20 Feb 2008, one month after this post, ” Our Constitution gave the right to all adults, regardless of race, religion, sex or income to vote. It was a very bold step. Blacks in America got their rights later, and women in India got the right to vote even before women in some Western European countries did.” He continues, “Therefore, we must give thanks to those who brought us safely from independence to 1991 and built our foundations.”

Unfortunately, he goes on further to say, “The only inclusive national party we have perhaps is the Congress party, which helped create the country we now celebrate.” His advice is that one party, the Congress, should give India a vision. It does not matter, which party he selects. India’s vision, my dear, Mr.Maira I thought was made by all of us.

8 months after this post, another writer, whose usual inclination is Westward, Jaithirth Rao, an MNC-banker, examines, the entire monarchy and republican debate – without once talking about modern India’s success. As above, he talks about the Afghan history. Further, he says,

“societies which have multiple fissures and fractures along ethnic, religious and social lines are far better off with a constitutional monarchy where the sovereign is a convenient and comfortable symbol transcending different groups within the country and providing a unifying symbol. ”

So, Mr.Rao, would you like to examine, question and understand how India is the longest surviving republican democracy – with its fissures and fractures.

Gurcharan Das, comically asserts, that India’s democracy and the Republic “is a British legacy. Before that we were a collection of communities and kingdoms.” The concept of Bharatvarsha in the Ramayana and Mahabharata are also British. Chanakya’s ‘aryadhwaja’, Shankaracharya’s ‘chaar dhaam’, are all a British legacy.

While Britain has been unsuccessful in creating a national identity for itself, (it may break into Scotland and England) is of no relevance to Shri Das. The fact that no other British colony was successful in becoming a republican democracy is also irrelevant for Monsieur Das. But, for Shrimaan Das, banging his head at the altar of British Greatness is an act of faith. Your multinational roots show, Das Mahoday!

Gold Production & The World Financial System

Too many Tsunamis

Every 10-25 years, the world seems to go from one financial crisis to another. Trucks full of economic analysis follow each crisis – and everyone agrees after each meltdown, that there will not be another catastrophe. What the poor (and not so poor) economists don’t see is that the Anglo Saxon bloc with 80% of the world’s gold production in a choke-hold does what it wants.

Why has this system been such a failure? Simple!

The Bretton Woods system.

The world after WW2, has been governed by a financial system that has been a failure – the Bretton Woods Agreement, a millstone around the developing world. As WW2 came to a close, British-American economists came together and devised this system. The Bretton Woods system was technically created by more than 700 delegates from the 44 allied nations. But the match was fixed.

It was designed by the Anglo-Saxon countries (America, Australia, Britain, Canada), for the benefit of the Anglo Saxon countries. Did anyone notice how much Britain resisted and finally did not join the European currency Union. This system has swamped the world with accelerating inflow of dollars (American, Australian, Canadian) and British pounds. Producers and exporters are left with vast reserves of a depreciating currencies.

Bretton Woods also gave rise to the the Bretton Woods twins (the IMF and the World Bank) which are run and managed by the Anglo Saxon countries. The ABC countries, their client states like Japan, OECD, etc. have 65% of the voting rights. With this huge voting majority, less than 5% of the world’s population (of the ABC countries) decide how 95% of the world lives.

The Bretton Woods twins (the IMF and the World Bank) been significant failures. Aid (spelt, ironically, very similarly to AIDS) projects are approved – which are tied to imports from these Anglo Saxon countries.

Highly paid (mostly western) consultants are paid by aid recipients from debt funding – who recommend more debt and more imports which creates greater indebtedness and rising interest payments which need more aid for which more highly paid consultants are required. At the other end, some of this aid, finally ends up with corrupt bureaucrats and politicians – who tax the citizenry more to pay increasing debt.

Bretton Woods – Broken Promises

The promise of the Bretton Woods system was stability. USA promised the world that they will redeem the dollar for gold – at a rate of US$35. This was supposed to be done out of the London Pool system. Within 20 years, the first promise was broken. Redemptions of dollar for gold to individuals was stopped in 1968 (March15th).

The Bretton Woods system worked for 20 years because Indians were not allowed to buy gold. India’s finance minster during that crucial period, Morarji Desai, (allegedly on CIA payroll during Lyndon Johnson’s Presidency 1963-1968), presented a record 10 budgets, between February 1958, up to 1967. His break with Indira Gandhi began when the Finance portfolio was taken away from him. Morarji Desai’s ban on gold imports allowed the sham of Bretton Woods to continue for 20 years. His adamant attitude on gold cost the government popularity and electoral losses – and the Indian economy and Indians much more. Was it a co-incidence that many of the RBI functionaries later got plum postings at LSE (IG Patel) and BN Aadarkar (IMF)?

In 1971 (August 15th), the world got the Nixon Chop - where even Governments could not redeem dollar holdings. The dollar was put on float. In little time, dollar value depreciated from US$35 per ounce of gold to US$225 per ounce – 80% reduction in value of dollar value. Foreign reserves of poor countries got eroded. It was a gigantic fraud on the world – especially the poor, developing countries. And the fraud continues.

Some Western countries, especially France redeemed their dollar holding with gold before the float.

Behind Bretton Woods – Gold

The world believed that only the Anglo-Saxon Bloc could deliver. Why?

In 1944, the Anglo Saxon Bloc (countries, colonies and companies) controlled more than 90% of gold production and reserves. The largest private gold reserve in the world, India was still a British colony. Hence, it was fait accompli.

Things are still the same

The Anglo-Saxon bloc of ABC countries is still the largest gold production bloc in the world. The Anglo-Saxon Bloc (countries, colonies and companies) still control more than 80% of world’s gold production – and significant natural resources, like oil. They administer 3 out of the 5 largest countries in the world. Hence, their currencies still have significant heft. Apart from military power.

Hence, financial manipulation is still easy for them. The USA is trillions of dollar in debt – and Ben Bernanke, the Fed Chief says we can always print more money – or drop it from a helicopter. What happens to the Indians, Chinese, Russians – who stupidly even today believe in the American dollar? Well! Anglo Saxon law says, caveat emptor – buyer beware!! Their latest victims – good old India and China. India and China have significant dollar holdings. The value of dollar had depreciated by 75% in the last 10 years – from US$225 to US$900.

Most of the economic growth in Post WW2 for the poor countries is due to trade growth, de-colonisation, better health care – and decelerating war engines.

What Can Change

India has emerged as the largest (private) reserve of gold in the world. The countries of South Africa, Ghana, Peru, Indonesia, China, Russia, Papua New Guinea account for nearly 50% of the world’s gold production - though gold operations in these countries are controlled by largely Anglo Saxon Bloc.

A currency bloc, underpinned by India’s private gold reserves – and future expansion of the currency system guaranteed by 50% of the world’s gold production is a feasible start point.

This will make the world more equitable and reduce financial volatility. This will also wean the world away from the savagery of the Anglo Saxon bloc countries who have been involved in every major conflict for the last 400 years.

Indians Are Racists … Yes!

Indian Caricatures

Racism In India

Travel in a Indian railway train and you will hear racist comments. Sardars are the eternal butt of racist jokes. North Indians make “Madrasis” the butt of their jokes – and Madrasis joke about North Indians. Maharashtrians crack jokes about Gujaratis and vice versa. Together, the Maharshtrians and Gujarathis joke about the ‘Thambis’, ‘Gurungs’ and ‘Bahadur’.

The whole country makes a joke about Indians versus the world – where Indians come out second best. There are other jokes about (in alphabetical order) Bengalis, Biharis, Christian ‘Pavs’, Haryanvi Jats, Malyalees, Marwaris, Muslims, Parsis, Sindhis, UP bhaiyyas – and nobody is spared. My apologies in case I have missed anyone out! Indian parents joke about their own “dark-er” children.

These jokes can be communal, on colour, history, behavioural traits of certain communities – but rarely on family. Parents, sisters, and wife are off limits.

How is the West different?

The West is very afraid of racism – and they should be. The Western model of genocide and racism, these jokes and ridicule, soon are taken as truth and character assessments are made. The demonisation begins and then the killing starts. The extermination of Native Americans, the Australian aborigines, the persecution of Roma Gypsies, the Jewish demonisation and the holocaust, the Irish, the Poles, the enslavement of the Africans and the subsequent discrimination - and other minorities have been persecuted, killed and massacred. Hence, this Western guardedness about racism.

Protest Against A Weak Anti Racism Bill

Racism is another form!

To see another kind of racism, travel to Hong Kong. Chinese taxi drivers and shop keepers compete for the ‘privilege’ of serving White customers. South Asians are a special target of such racial profiling. People of Indian origin possibly may not qualify to represent Hong Kong in Olympics, as they are not Chinese enough. White customers get lower rates at hotels and shops compared to others. Some Chinese companies parade White, Western investors – and the Chinese investors line up to follow ‘Western investors.’ In modern China, foreign investors are preferred over domestic entrepreneurs.

For a century, British colonial rulers did nothing about social discrimination. Finally, the Chinese authorities – in July 2008, moved to pass a law making such racist behavior illegal. I understand that Macau is also similar. This kind of racism in Hong Kong, is an interesting behavior to examine.

In Singapore, this fawning Chinese attitude is referred to AMTK – standing for Ang Mog Tua Kee syndrome. An innuendo laden phrase meaning ‘White Man With Big Stick!’. Ang Moh is semi-derogatory word for White Caucasions, actually meaning ‘red-haired’. Tua Kee is Hokkien for “big shot”. Literally, “big stick”.

What happens In India?

Do Indians practice Racism in the Western manner – especially the Anglo Saxon manner? But does any Indian community get demonized?

Not any where even close to western benchmarks. Are there pogroms against these sections? Isolated incidents, yes. But not a pattern. Yes, there are isolated villages where ‘harijans’ are killed – and ‘harijans’ these days kill back. Is it state sponsored – like the European persecution of the Roma Gypsies? Most definitely not – like it has been in the West. The British Colonial administration declared various communities as ‘criminal tribes’! But Indians did not use the ‘open season’ to kill or loot these ‘criminals’?

Indian Behaviour

This stems from the Vedic tradition. Indians believe that all are वासुदेवाय कुटुम्बकम ‘vasudevaih kutumbakam’ and ईसा वास्यो मिदं सर्वं ‘isa vaasyo midam sarvam’ (meaning we are all God’s family and God is in everyone and everywhere respectively).

The ‘demon’ Ravana was not demonised in Ramayana. There are numerous ‘causes’ which are given for his behaviour. Various Ramayana writers compete with other to give a balanced view of Ravana’s character. Similarly, in Mahabharata, Duryodhana and Shakuni are given balanced treatment. The ‘demon’ king Bali is shown as a just and fair character – whose only mistake is that he is the king of demons and cannot be allowed to become “too” powerful.

In modern India, when the Janata Party tried to demonise Indira Gandhi (like good Anglo Saxon chelas), they were soundly rejected – and Indira Gandhi won the very next election. Similarly, Gandhiji’s shortcomings and Nehru’s peccadilloes are discussed. India has the lowest prison population in the world – because we do not demonize people. Indian politicians with pending criminal proceedings are elected to the Indian Parliament.

India need not feel so paranoid about internal racism – but should be careful when it comes to the West. Also, Indians need not feel guilty about their own ‘racist’ behaviour and beat their breasts.

Hokkien for “big shot”. Literally, “big stick”.

India’s Biggest Success – Gandhiji

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” – Gandhiji

The Jewish Question

Before WW2, news filtered to Gandhiji,  about Hitler’s persecution of the Jews – from Anglo Saxon sources. Gandhiji had put the British colonialists on the defensive – and the British colonialists attempting to show themselves as betters – compared to Hitler’s Germany, the French or the Dutch colonialists.

Gandhiji’s advice was simple

“… a war against Germany … would be completely justified … But I do not believe in any war … pros and cons of … war is … outside my … province … If I were a Jew … born in Germany … I would claim Germany as my home … as the tallest … German may, and challenge him to shoot me or cast me in the dungeon; I would refuse to be expelled or to submit to discriminating treatment … I should not wait for the fellow Jews to join me in civil resistance but would have confidence that in the end the rest are bound to follow my example. If … Jews … cannot be worse off than now … no … sympathy … in the world outside Germany can (help)… even if Britain, France and America were to declare hostilities against Germany … the calculated violence of Hitler may even result in a general massacre of the Jews …” (ellipsis and bold italics mine).

Jewish Frontier, a New York magazine, riddled Gandhi’s proposal in March, 1939, and sent him a copy. He quoted at length from the attack.

“I did not entertain the hope… that the Jews would be at once converted to my view,” Gandhi replied. “I should have been satisfied if even one Jew had been fully convinced and converted… It is highly probable that, as the [Jewish Frontier] writer says, ‘A Jewish Gandhi in Germany, should one arise, could function for about five minutes and would be promptly taken to the guillotine.’ (from Soul Force By Mahatma Gandhi, Mohandas Karmchand Gandhi)

Louis Fischer further adds Gandhiji’s reply was “… The method of violence gives no greater guarantee than that of non-violence…”

Louis Fischer mentioned the subject to Gandhi in 1946 when Hitler was dead. Gandhiji said,

“Hitler, killed five million Jews. It is the greatest crime of our time. But the Jews should have offered themselves to the butcher’s knife. They should have thrown themselves into the sea from cliffs… It would have aroused the world and the people of Germany… As it is they succumbed anyway in their millions.”

Gandhiji gave similar advice to the Palestinians. Both, the Jews and Palestinians ignored his advice. The rest is history. More than 10 million Jews and Palestinians killed till date – and the killing continues.

100% Success

For all those who claim that Gandhiji’s success was unique should look at history again.

Martin Luther King used Gandhiji’s ideology – and the African Americans have made more progress in the last 30 years than in the previous 300 years. Nelson Mandela’s success is too recent and well known for me to repeat. But his neighbour Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkome did not follow Gandhiji – and Zimbabwe’s state of affairs is well known. Lech Walesa’s success in Poland is there for all to see.

For all those who claim that Gandhiji’s methods required benign despots (like the British colonialists?!) are mistaken. The blood spilled by the British Colonialists in Kenya, Malaysia, Rhodesia, South Africa is unparalleled.

The 200 years of American history of legal, institutionalised white bigotry is unprecedented in scope and magnitude. The White Apartheid regime was no less brutal than Hitler. The Communists brooked no dissent and the totalitarian hold on power was defeated by a Union leader.

Looking at the success of Gandhi-ist struggles the world over, the chances of LTTE success, even if they win the battle against Sri Lankan Government, is dim. Can a nation born out of killings, bombings, terrorism remain peaceful thereafter? Violence begets violence. Success using Gandhiji’s methods are more likely against the Sri Lankan Government.

Afghanistan’s descent into Talibanic regression was certain. The imprisonment of the Gandhian Pathan /Pashtun leader, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan by Pakistan – an American client state left Afghanistan with shallow, uni directional non-leaders. After the deposition of Zahir Shah, the vacuum in leadership did Afghanistan in. Hindraf, is going down the ‘external sympathy’ path that the Jews used and failed. Hindraf, talk to your fellow Malaysians. The Queen is too decrepit an institution to help you.

The One Success

Ho Chi Minh.

Like Haitian generals, time and again, Ho Chi Minh, drove back Western colonials – each time they went back on their word. The French had promised freedom and de-colonialisation after WW2. Thereafter, they tried wriggling. Ho Chi Minh wouldn’t let them move. The French created a mess – before leaving in 1956. Just like Britain did in India (by creating a Pakistan and Kashmir) in Malaysia by dividing Singapore and Malaysia. US decided that they could ‘clean up’ – and make Vietnam into another client state like the other SEATO (now ASEAN) members. 20 years later, the US admitted defeat and decided to slink away. The Chinese decided to take swipe. Same story.

Three of the five permanent members of the Security Council, (supposed Super Powers or mini-Super Powers) tried their hand at Vietnam. All failed. And after defeating these ‘Super Powers’, the Viets did not flex their muscles with any of their neighbours.

Ho Chi Minh’s quiet leadership, his frugality, his unblemished personal life inspired the Viets to take on the world – and win. After becoming President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, he lived in a gardener’s cottage and then a peasant house built on stilts beside a pond. Just like Gandhiji, he died just before seeing his dream came true. Ho Chi died in 1969 – a few years before the last of the colonialists was thrown out.

His was the kind of war that Gandhiji always believed in – ethical, moral. Without hate, rancour, ill-will or subjugative ambitions. Ho Chi Minh was truly the second coming of Gandhiji – the predicted Kalki.

Lage Raho Munnabhai

The commercial success of Attenborough’s Gandhi (made with Indian Govt.s financial help) proved the international appeal and power of Gandhiji’s message. Gandhiji’s relevance to the modern world was well interpreted in the movie Lage Raho Munnabhai. It’s commercial success further bolsters Gandhiji’s enduring message.

Much like Gandhiji said, ahimsa and satyagraha require strength. Few have the strength.

Post Script

A few months after this post, (Summer 2008), the Harvard International Security, Vol. 33, No. 1 (Summer 2008), pp. 7–44, published a ‘study’ – ‘Why Civil Resistance Works’ report by Maria J. Stephan and Erica Chenoweth.

Amazingly, this ‘report’ does not mention the Slave War by the Haiti (even once) which defeated all the European superpowers (France, Britain, Spain) of the time. Of course, the report has an excuse that the period under review is from 1900 onwards – but the most important, significant, freedom war of the last 200 years cannot be wished away.

What about Ho Chi Minh? Not mentioned even once. Vietnam is mentioned in a citation- and not once in the main report. Gandhiji is mentioned once – in the passing. And another time in a reference.

Lech Walesa who started the unwinding of the Russian East European Empire is not mentioned even once. Mandela is not mentioned even once. Martin Luther King is mentioned once.

But the Catholic Gusmao, who received help from the West, is taken as an epitome of non-violent success – is mentioned 9 times.

The two successes that they talk about happened in ‘Catholic’ countries – East Timor and Philippines. The one failure that they analyse is Buddhist Burma.

Interesting.

4000 Years – Hittites & Gandhiji

Separated by 4000 years, what could possibly be common between Gandhiji (2000 years after Christ) and Hittites (2000 years before Christ) – the pre-Greek Indians in the Middle East? Both, the Hittites and Gandhiji, rejected Hammurabi’s “eye-for-an-eye” legal thinking and system – 4000 years apart.

Who Was Hammurabi

Western historians glorified Hammurabi as the world’s first law giver – and Occidental-Levantine (including the Shariat) laws are based on Hammurabi’s legal code of “an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth”. Hammurabi’s laws and edicts were retributive, vengeful and punishment oriented. The focus of Hammurabi’s legal system is to give a ‘fitting’ counter punishment for a defined offense. Roman law calls this lex talionis and the Old Testament advocates an eye for an eye“, (Hebrew: עין תחת עין‎) is a quotation from Exodus 21:23–27.

Results & Consequences

These laws created a system of revenge, fueds and vendettas. The result – a fractured Europe, a rampant history of genocide, a fueding Middle East.

The largest prison population in the world is USA, currently at 2 million. The US has more people in prison than the totalitarian regimes of Russia or China. It also has one of the highest crime rates in the world is also USA. Is there a causal link between the Hammurabic legal systems and the crime it seems to engender.

Massacre & Slavery

This is also the same system that has created, supported, protected the premier slave systems of the world. It is also the same system with a singular record for blood baths and massacres in the history of mankind. This is region and system that gave rise to the three slave religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

The three ‘desert religions’, gained their first converts from slaves, but continued with slavery till the 20th century. The 3 ‘desert religions’ instead of reforming slave societies, just enabled the transfer of slave titles. Freedom meant old slaves became the new slave masters.

Gandhiji’s famous position was “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind” when asked about the Hammurabi’s “eye for an eye” kind of justice.

The Hittite Legal System

The alternate system in that era, 4000 years ago, was the Hittite legal system. We get an insight into the Hittite legal system from (more than) 10,000 clay seals and tablets at Boghaz-koi, unearthed in 1907-08 by Makridi Bey and Hugo Winckler and deciphered by Bedrich Hrozny during 1910-1921. These tablets and seals reveal the legal minds of the Hittites. Hittite law, different from Hammurabi laws, was based on amelioration of the effect of crime and driven less by fear of death and punishment.

The Hittites, Mittanis and Elamites (using Indo-Dravidian languages) were Indo Aryans that dominated Asia from Indian borders to European borders till 500 BC. Kassite, the other major ruling clan in Levant’s geography (apart from the Egyptians) heavily adopted Indo Aryan cultural motifs.

Hammurabi’s main rival in the Middle East arena was Rama-Sin of Larsa (ruler of Larsa) who ruled for 60 years. Raim Sin (1753?-1693? BC) of Larsa, in Sumer (modern Iraq), ruled over Sumer, Elam – present-day Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. Sin is the Assyrian moon goddess (in modern Indian languages, Ram-Sin will be translated to Ramachandra). Ram-Sin assumed the title of ‘king of all lands’, blessed by Goddess ‘Nin Makh’ at ‘Opis’, his second capital in Babylonia. Ram-Sin fought for a long time an inconclusive war with Hammurabi (speculatively identified as ‘Ravana’ of the Indus seals). Ram-Sin, king of Babylonia possibly, was finally able to defeat Hammurabi in the joint action with the chief of Subartu, Hurrian and Mitanni kings. Hammurabi was killed in the fight, speculatively suggested by one of the Indus seals.

Gandhiji – And Hittites?

4000 years later, Gandhiji, described the western civilisation as a “good idea“. Gandhiji’s knowledge of Hittite legal thought would have been (probably close to) zero as the decipherment of Boghazkoi and other Hittite texts was ongoing and incomplete. Elaborate analysis and the commentary on Hittites and Boghazkoi came after Gandhiji’s death.

The Hittite legal revolution 4000 years ago plays out even today.

Go West, young man?

But, modern Indian law makers and jurists look to the West for getting legal ideas. Under the garb of modernisation, Indian law is becoming negative. Apart from not taking up the challenge of repealing colonial laws, the Indian Government has accepted the colonial legal system (nearly) in toto.

The Odious Section 498

Possibly the best example of post-colonial, western-patterned law is the Section 498. A retributive, revengeful law (patterned on western legal models) is now undermining the very structure of Indian society – marriage. Section 498 has has taken away marriages from the social domain into the legal sphere. From being contributory, accommodative, religious and life long, Indian marriage system is becoming extractive, adversarial, contractual, legal and short term. Some in the West do see the value in the Indian system – but India seems to think that West is a way out!

On September 5th, 2008, eight months after this post, the Times Of India reported that the Indian Government may review the section 498 law. The report talked about how

“For long, voices raised against the anti-dowry act were dismissed as those belonging to men desperately trying to retain their dominance over women. But now, an increasing number of women complaining against misuse of the act has forced the women and child development (WCD) ministry to initiate a review of the controversial legislation.

The government’s turnaround comes after an increasing number of complaints came from women themselves — mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law who ironically have fallen victim to the misuse of the two laws.

The statistics are telling. Raksha, an NGO working on marital harmony and child welfare, has analysed figures by the National Crime Records Bureau to deduce that 1.2 lakh women have been falsely implicated under 498A.

‘‘Every 21 minutes, an innocent woman is being arrested. While the number of arrests under 498A are increasing every year, what is not being considered is that the conviction rate in these cases is barely 2%,’’ Anupama Singh, Raksha spokesperson said.

The Indian Legal Alternative

Indian law can take inspiration from the Hittites of 4000 years and offer an alternate model to the world. A Gandhian model. The rejection of Hammurabi’s legal system by the Hittites and Gandhiji, separated by 4000 years, is not a co-incidence. Gandhiji’s response, separated by 4000 years from the Hittites, demonstrate the Indian continuity in thought and action.

The Khilafat Movement

Interestingly, also 4000 years later, when rulers of (the modern day Hittite kingdom in) Turkey, the Ottoman Turks, were being unseated from their thrones, by the British after WW1, it was Gandhiji who objected to the end of the Caliphate- and started the Khilafat Movement. India, itself a colony, took lead on an international issue and made its presence felt.

This break up of the Ottoman rule after WW1, and the installation of puppet regimes, regressed Islamic societies by centuries – at a great cost of millions of lives.

PS – If all else fails, there is the path of political assassination. A few days ago, from Washington, USA, someone Googled to ask “why britishers didn’t kill gandhi“. Perhaps, that was one moment in history, when the political leaders of the Anglo Saxon Bloc were momentarily humanised.
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The Sydney Test – What Is The Issue?

So much heat and so much talk about a cricket match! Surprised?

Well! This was not about cricket and not about winning or losing. This entire match was about 5 things.

It’s about power, you duffer!

The Aussie weight in the cricketing administration is at a historic low and they cannot take that. For Britain and Australia, the loss of cricketing power (especially the administrative power) rankles. Especially, when that power moves to the browns. The rise of sub-continental cricket after India’s World Cup win in 1983, (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka) along with eclipse of the West Indian cricketing prowess has further isolated Australia and Britain.

The subsequent shift of ICC headquarters from London to Dubai completed the loss of power. It is this rankling at the loss of power that drives Australia – to take the match to the very brink of a political disaster.

India Saved Cricket

A comment by Robert Craddock (January 8th, 2008) in Australia says it all. “INDIA must not be allowed to run the game, and the International Cricket Council now faces one of the biggest days in its 98-year existence – when it simply must seize control of the game. … India’s cricketing wealth may be 50 times that of any rival, but that does not give that country the right to run the game.”

If Indians are footing the world’s cricketing bill, does it take away their right to protest? Does that stop them from reasonably demanding a fair hearing – as per Anglo Saxon legal system, which the ICC follows?

Possibly, Craddock’s memory fails him. His memory needs jogging. After the 1983, World Cup, ICC could not find a sponsor for the 1987 World Cup. Hosting rights were awarded to India, no contest. India saved cricket from becoming a museum sport – a dinosaur of a game. Indian spectators, the Indian Cricket board and Indian sponsors pulled out cricket from bankruptcy. We deserve some respect and consideration (and yes, even some gratitude) for giving cricket a second life.

So, Bob, what does give anyone the right to govern a game. Divine right! Colour of the skin? History!! Race. Bobby boy, he who pays the piper calls the tune. Is Robert Craddock suggesting that Indians foot the bill and Australians will run the game.

I dont believe that he is that daft – but then this a uncertain world.

Who knows!.

Double Standards

And if Australians do want to sledge, why do they not accept it? Do the Australians expect sledging to be a one-way street? Symonds can accept sledging from his ‘friends’ and not his opponents. Good news! How come the same Symonds turn around and sledge opponents and believe that the opponents should take it. These illuminate the thread of double standards and racism.

I have not seen any reports or incidents where the Indian team has been reported for bad behaviour in this series. After such sterling behaviour, if all they get is intolerance, ill mannered hosts, opponents who swear like louts – and a team that goes after its opponents like a pack of wild dogs (so well put by Peter Roebuck), what do the Aussies expect. Smiling and fawning Indians? Do they expect that the Indian Cricket Board (which contributes 70% to ICC coffers) to take all the Aussies can give?

This is “dog-whistle” racism – only dogs can hear sounds from a dog-whistle. Others cannot point out the actions or incidents where racism occurs – yet you can cut this racism with a knife.

If the Australian ‘dragon’ does want to indulge in barrage, they must have also done their homework on what works and what does not. So, if Australians have indulged in offensive sledging (which is the purpose anyway), are they expecting Indians to sledge in a mild, gentlemanly manner? Why cant they take it on the chin as good as they give?

Allan Border and Bob Simpson, 20 years ago, threatened Pakistan, with tour cancellation, due to quality of umpiring. That was OK . But Indians are whingers and monsters, if they do it. The issue – quality of umpiring. Why cant they accept that Australia won at Sydney because of favorable umpiring.

Ozzies on Aussies with an Australian viewpoint criticising everybody who points out Australian failures. With a pathetic air of righteousness. Read it here.

Sledging, Banter, Allegations

“What we think is just routine banter, they take offence at,” Border said. It is straight out cultural stuff. “The cultural issues were always there in our day. When we say ‘lucky bastards’, they might take offence at that. It was a simple Aussie term no one takes offence to in Australia.” Alan Border, quoted By Iain Payten in Australia lose public support article.

Well, in India, monkey is not a racist term, or a pejorative, or even a swear word. India’s favorite God is a monkey. So, (as per Border’s logic) Symonds should feel honoured – just like Indians should feel honoured if we are called lucky bastards! Even though none of the Australian gods are “lucky bastards”!

Not men enough?

How is it that Australians want to sledge – and promptly run to their school principal when they get it back? Lucky bastards is more offensive to Indians than a monkey is to the Australians, I assure you. In India, calling people monkey, donkey, pig is normal.

And if it is war (as Mike Colman, says it is) then why cry if Indians give back what they got? Is it that the Australians are not men enough to fight a war?

Envy – Pure and Simple

Symonds told AAP – “We have had a very successful side and I think watching how we celebrate and how they celebrate, I think we have been pretty humble in the way we have gone about it … And personally, I think they have got far too carried away with their celebrations.”

Indian cricketers are treated like film stars and rock stars. They are amongst the richest sports people in the world. And that is something, that the Aussies cannot seem to digest – going by the above comment.

Reverse Sweep

“…the Australian captain asserted he is not Harbhajan Singh’s bunny …”

This was supposed to be a mind game by Brett Lee against Sachin Tendulkar. Only it back fired. And Bhajji made life miserable for Ponting. Was this the reason why the Australians went after Bhajji – like a pack of wild dogs, as Peter Roebuck says.

Eight to One

As any statistician will tell you, when umpiring mistakes go against anyone in eight to one ratio (of the possible 24-28 top order dismissals), it stinks of bovine excrement. Interestingly, all the decisions that favored the Australians were against the Indian top order batsmen or in favor of the Australian top order batsmen.

33% (9 out of the possible 28) wrong decisions cannot be a co-incidence. It is not odds or an even chance. It is design – or a conspiracy. Deccan Herald said Anil Kumble’s side was on the wrong end of eight umpiring mistakes, which had affected the outcome.

A report filed by Alex Brown stands out. Brown’s criticism and reporting is completely devoid of the Indian standpoint. “Each time an Indian cricketer appeals, umpires are now compromised. Enrage the monster, and pay for it with your job” (italics mine) says Brown. Deftly, he changes the argument. Actually, each time an Australian appealed, the umpires raised their fingers. Each time an appeal against an Aussie top order batsman was made by Indians, the umpires turned it down. After 33% wrong decisions and a trumped up charge, Alex Brown thinks the Indian Monster Board is in the wrong.

Hello! Mike Fixer here!

All this logic, if Bhajji has in fact called Symonds a monkey. Is it that a white man’s word to another white man, worth more than a brown man’s word! Mike Proctor seems to think so. And it is the same Mike Proctor who upheld a baseless ball-tampering charge against the Pakistan team – that was finally overturned. Mike Proctor is building an anti-brown record.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul is quoted about how the Australians ‘manage’ to get many decisions in their favour. I wonder how? In 2001, the New Zealanders had similar concerns. New Zealand wrote to the ICC about umpiring in Australia – and they had far fewer decisions going against them.

The betting allegations and whispers during 1998-2000 against India and Pakistan was blown wide open by India where Australian cricketers were also implicated. The only countries to take serious action were India, South Africa and Pakistan. Australia let off Mark Waugh and Shane Warne with a rap on the knuckles.

Just how much more illogical can these Australians get! Do let me know the limits. I will make that many allowances next time around. Please.

Anglo Saxon Politics

This was not about cricket at all. It was another demonstration of Anglo Saxon political behaviour in its distilled form. To the Anglo Saxon Bloc, Sports is racial superiority by another means – and not entertainment or sport. The Boris Spassky-Bobby Fischer chess championships (early 1970s) which were projected as West versus East match by the ABC (America, Australia, Britain, Canada) press and media is a prime instance of this. The regular focus on the Olympics medal tally is another instance. (For further proof, click on this link and read this article).

An aside – Colin Tatz’s Obstacle Race is a book on racial discrimination in sports in Australia. 220 years after Anglo Saxon settlement in Australia, the Aborigines are still deprived of sporting facilities – in sports crazy nation. After unequal treatment, the ruling Anglo Saxon community uses sports to press home the image of racial superiority.

Does this mean that all Anglo Saxons behave in a particular manner? Thankfully, no. This is not to mistake this article as an attempt to tar or brush all Anglo Saxons. But yes, when Anglo Saxons get into power, their training and conditioning makes them behave in this abominable manner.

The Perth test (Jan16th 2008-Jan19th, 2008) showed how much trouble the Australians were actually in. The WACA pitch is an supposed to be an graveyard for Indian cricketers. It was possibly ‘assumed’ by the Australians that if they can ‘manage’ a victory at Sydney, the world record (of 16 continous wins), was broken again.

Sab ki pasand – Nirma.

The Perth Test clearly demonstrated that the Sydney test was won by Indians – umpiring apart. The BCCI should simply ask for the Sydney test to be scrubbed from all record books. After Harbhajan is absolved.

And if Aussie players want to stay away from IPL, it is their loss. No deal. No negotiations.

British Empire & The Anglo Saxon Bloc

“…the great problem of the near future will be American imperialism, even more than British imperialism. Or, it may be, and all indications point to it, that the two will join together to create a powerful Anglo-Saxon bloc to dominate the world.” Jawaharlal Nehru @ Congress of Oppressed Nationalities, Brussels, 1927

The Story Of “Great” Britain

How did Britain transit from a backward nation in 16th century, to a pre-eminent position in the the 20th century?

Two short steps – slavery and colonialism.

The Anglo Saxon Bloc captured, imported, used and killed an estimated 30-40 million slaves. Even with the latest technology, manpower costs are between 20%-50% of agricultural and industrial goods. By using slave labour, Britain and the Anglo Saxon Bloc earned supernormal profits – by eliminating the cost of labour.

Apart from the momentous slave revolts of Haiti and Cuba, about 200 slave uprising and revolts in the USA before the Civil War, cleared the way for end to slavery in the Americas. Similarly, more than 20 slave uprisings in the Caribbean, made slavery impractical – and not the Anglo-Saxon concern for human rights or the oozing milk of human kindness.

It was this determined struggle for overthrow of slavery, the more than 20 slave rebellions between 1789-1833, in the Caribbean – one every 2 years, that ‘persuaded’ the West to abolish slavery. The British search and seizure of colonies enriched them – at the cost of the native populations. A significant benefit of the English language to the Anglo Saxon Bloc is the convenient white wash of history in English language media – and tarring of competitive economies and nations.

Australia

A continent 4 times the size of India – with a population (2.1 cr) slightly bigger than Mumbai. Australia remains one of the largest producers of gold in the world for the last 150 years. This gold exploitation from Australia partly funded British imperialism and colonialism. Like Native Americans in America, and Romani Gypsies, local aborigines, were wiped out from Australia.

By excluding non-whites, they have ensured that this super-concentration of resources wealth and prosperity continues. By token inclusion of Asians, the British-Australian Governments cover their racist economic policies. The co-opted Asians at the social periphery also help the continuation and the justification of Australian policies.

Canada

Slightly smaller (errata - actually, slightly larger) than Australia, and with a population of 3.2 crores, (equal to Mumbai and New Delhi) and three times the size of India. Another major producer of gold and silver. Similar wipe-out of native population as in US of America and Australia and enrichment by exploitation of natural resources. Canada was used by the British during WW2 for safe keeping of British gold.

USA

Another huge landmass but with a better territory to population ratio. A British Colony for close to a 150 years, the gold loot from the Native Americans and new mine discoveries in USA enabled the rise of the British power. Tactics learnt from Europeans, similar to the persecution of Romani Gypsies, Native American tribes were persecuted and terminated, their land acquired and reduced to economic slavery by closing all doors to economic activities. The initial break from European history, with the enunciation of the Monroe Doctrine, by the USA was soon abandoned.

USA by 1890 acquired a taste of colonialism. They ‘bought’ Philippines from Spain, even today maintains Puerto Rico as a colony and (continues to) eyes Cuba. The Brussels and Berlin conference carved up Africa – and there were few places left to colonise.

Modus Operandi of Wealth Acquisition

By a simple modus operandi of sale of natural resources, Britain (and now Australia, Canada and USA) enriched themselves. These few countries: -

1. Consume disproportionate amounts of natural resources. USA, Australia and Canada are amongst the largest per-capita consumers and (also) producers of oil in the world – 60% of the world GDP and Oil. This helps America-Australia-Britain-Canada (ABC) Axis to retain hegemony over large parts of the global economy, politics and trade.
2. Pollute the world, contribute to global warming – and Indian negotiators are happy with a few token carbon credits.
3. This Anglo Saxon bloc has 3 of the 4 largest countries of the world; wiped out native populations in these 3 countries, acquired these countries by force, sequester the world’s natural resources and are united by their will to dominate and exploit the rest of humanity.
4. They control more than 67% of world gold production and more than 80%, if you include Anglo-Saxon companies (like Anglo Gold, Barrick, BHP, Rio Tinto, etc), and the media industry. At the time of the Bretton Woods conference, combined with (colonial) Indian gold reserves, the ABC bloc virtually had the world economy in a choke.

The Bretton Woods Agreement

In 1944, British-American economists came together and devised the Bretton Woods system – a millstone around the developing world. As WW2 came to a close, the world stamped its approval on Bretton Woods Agreement. After WW2, the global financial system has been governed by the Bretton Woods Agreement.

Why? Why did the world believe that only the Anglo-Saxon Bloc could deliver? In 1944, the Anglo Saxon Bloc (countries, colonies and companies) controlled more than 90% of gold production and reserves. The largest private gold reserve in the world, India was still a British colony. Hence, it was fait accompli.

The Bretton Woods system worked for 20 years because Indians were not allowed to buy gold. During that crucial phase, India’s finance minister, was Morarji Desai, (allegedly on CIA payroll during Lyndon Johnson’s Presidency 1963-1968). He presented a record 10 budgets, from February 1958, up to 1967 – with an anti-gold bias.

This system has swamped the world with accelerating inflow of dollars (American, Australian, Canadian) and British pounds. Producers and exporters are left with vast reserves of a depreciating currencies. The Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and other ASEAN countries have lent the USA, US$2 trillion. For the privilege of lending US$2 trillion to the USA, they will lose US$ 300 billion.

War & Multiple Genocides

A defining feature of these colonial aggressions is that the local populations were considered irrelevant, non-existent or at best a nuisance. The familiar routine was: -

1. Limited Aggression.
   
2. Proposal of submission by the ‘natives’ to the aggressor.
   
3. Calibrated increase in aggression (show of force) to force submission.
4. Enforce submission or genocide.
5. Slavery

Theodore Roosevelt pithily opined

“peace and the Anglo-Saxon civilization had to be imposed on the barbarian races of the world just as it had been on the Red Man” (Italics mine).

You can substitute the ‘red’ man for the ‘brown’ or the ‘black’ or the ‘yellow’ or ‘white’ for that matter another ‘pink’ man also.

The Use Of Propaganda

It is this (now racist and at other times a religious, social, political) justifications for exploitation, greed, genocide, that the world keeps trying to rebut – and the ABC Axis keep changing.

For instance, the appointment of David Livingstone to prepare ground for colonisation of Africa. An analysis of slave trade comments,

“David Livingstone had called for a worldwide crusade to defeat the slave trade controlled by Arabs in East Africa, that was laying waste the heart of the continent. The only way to liberate Africa, believed Livingstone, was to introduce the ‘three Cs’: commerce, Christianity and civilisation.” (italics, bold letters mine).

The important things to note were – one the trade. Control of all trade and benefits. Second, to attack trading business interests of other racial groups – like Arabs, in this case. This was important. Or the use of Max Mueller to distort, twist Indian history for colonial ends. Most recently, the demonization of Islam is another well-oiled propaganda success story.

The Use Of Corporations

The use of the British East India Company was an eye opener for the rest of the West. After Vasco da Gama’s discovery of trade route to India (for Europeans) round Africa, the British were the first of the block – with the English East India Company formed in the 1600. The Dutch started soon after with the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (Dutch East India Co.) in 1602. The Danish Opperhoved initially started in 1616 and was reborn in 1732, as Asiatisk Kompagni. The Portuguese organised themselves as chartered company in 1628. The French came with the French East India Co. in 1664. The Swedes joined the rat race in 1731 with Svenska Ostindiska Companiet. The Italians came in as the Genoa East India companies. The Hanseatic League had its own operations.

In North America, the Hudson Bay Company (Compagnie de la Baie d’Hudson in French) was given a Royal Charter in 1670 by Charles II. It practically owned Canada when the Dominion of Canada was formed – and is the oldest surviving company in North America. It monopoly ended only in 1870 – a few years after the Indian Independence War of 1857.

Anglo American Oil Company (subsidiary of Standard Oil) of Iran plotted the the assassination of Iran’s Prime Minister Haj Ali Razmara and the overthrow of the Mohammed Mossadegh regime. Thereafter, it was the puppet regime of Shah Of Iran which terrorised Iran for 30 years that paved the way for return of Ayatollah Khomeini – and Iran’s regression to medieval times.

The Anglo Saxon record

In the last 400 years, they have also been involved in all the major wars that the world has seen. The killing record of this ABC Axis has been unprecedented in the history of the world. The have nurtured many client states – Israel, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia now, which are are at the centre of unrest and global disruptions. With 2 out of 5 security council seats, they can ‘arrange’ another vote for a majority on any resolution – without using veto.

Similarly, they have stacked the deck at World Bank, IMF, UN, OECD, G-8 and others. These organisations follow a simple strategy of co-opting disruptive elements and make these countries into side-shows – and continue with the Anglo-Saxon hegemony.

Sports – As Propaganda & Politics

The propaganda measures by the ABC bloc is unprecedented in human history. Nothing is left – including sports.

An interesting arena for propaganda are Olympics. The Anglo-Saxon bloc is the largest winner of Olympic medals in most years. The USA and Australian focus on sports has propaganda motives. The repeated Olympic boycotts against Soviet Russia in 1956, 1980 etc. had more to do with fear of losing. A win as a pseudo-military victory is best exemplified by Eisenhower’s involvement in the preparation for the 1956 and 1960 Olympics. Soviets Olympic participation for the first time in 1952 sent shivers down the the USA – who did not want to come out second. The Cold War was also carried forward into the sports stadia.

The recent “fixed” cricket match between Australia and India at Sydney, 2nd Jan 2008-6th Jan 2008, is another demonstration. Australia on the verge of breaking their previous world record, “fixed” this match for a win. An improbable 8 umpiring decisions against India (plus an added “implication” on racism against an Indian player?) were “managed” by Australians to keep their “record” intact. The Umpires were all from the ABC Axis and their colonies.

Colin Tatz’s Obstacle Race is a book on racial discrimination in sports in Australia. 220 years after Anglo Saxon settlement in Australia, the Aborigines are still deprived of sporting facilities – in sports crazy nation. After unequal treatment, the ruling Anglo Saxon community uses sports to press home the image of racial superiority.

After India (and Pakistan) dominated hockey for 50 years, the ABC Bloc saw one way out to break this win record. Change the rules. Indians did not see this coming. Using the pretext of making hockey more exciting, the Australians (with some other white countries) modified the game where skills became less important.The rest as they say is history. (Note – On 14th March 2008, India failed to qualify for Olympics Hockey Tournament. Read Joaquim Carvalho’s article on the FIH’s antics during the qualifiers).

Kaiser, Hitler, USSR and The ABC Bloc

WW1 was started by the ABC bloc (and USA had no reason to join the war, except to save their Anglo Saxon brethren) when they supported Balkan separatists who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand and challenged the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Germany supported the ruling family and the ABC Bloc supported the assassins and separatists – and blamed the Kaiser.

Hitler’s rallying cry before WW2 was lebensraum - living space. The ABC Bloc choked the world economy. They tried recruiting Germany as a client state. This recruitment failed. Result – WW2.

Russia was the similar story. For 10 years, the ABC bloc tried destabilising the emerging Russia and propping the Kerensky faction. The beleaguered USSR closed down and the “iron curtain descended”. What followed was the 70 years of confrontation between the ABC and Eastern Europe – with a brief respite during WW2.

Terminal Decline

More interesting than this flash in history’s pan, is the terminal decline of Britain.

In an equitable world, this pre-eminence for the Anglo-Saxon bloc is a non-starter. Are they likely to give up this position of pelf, greed, riches and adulation. Not likely. The chorus of demise of the USA are ill founded and wishful thinking. Military, economic confrontation are unproductive. Gandhiji has some answers.

India’s Role

The alternate world view that has posited against this exploitative model has been the Non-Aligned Bloc pioneered by India – but now abandoned. The Non-Aligned global model needs further development and enabling mechanisms for success of emerging nations. A few successes and the exploitative ABC Axis will collapse.

PS – If all else fails, there is the path of political assassination. A few days ago, from Washington, USA, someone Googled to ask “why Britishers didn’t kill gandhi“. Perhaps, that was one moment in history, when the political leaders of the Anglo Saxon Bloc were momentarily humanised.

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