Arindam Chaudhury
Appreciating the value of human life
Unlike in the US, authorities in India are indifferent about children who go missing. Such criminal callousness leads to Nithari-like tragedies
State capitalism isn’t bad
The phenomenal success of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has shown that public sector units can be run efficiently and profitably. In the final analysis, it is the quality of leadership and the autonomy which such firms enjoy that sets companies like DMRC apart from loss-making public sector units
Becoming a nation of steel
China and Korea have outstripped India in steel production over the decades, although all of them began on nearly the same footing. If India has to close the gap, it has to address the core issue of competitive productivity. The country’s steel plants have to rise to the occasion
Imperial and impervious
The manner in which two Indians were held hostage by Chinese traders in Yiwu and an Indian diplomat who had gone to help them was denied access to food and medicines tells us a lot about the justice system in China. The system is opaque and controlled by the state. Such a system can’t offer justice
Latin America goes its way
Latin American countries had for long been dependent on the US for their economic growth. They took a beating whenever the US economy did. However, in recent times Latin America has moved away from its dependence on American markets by strengthening trade ties with China and other countries
Fail your way to success
At some point, all of us have faced failure in our lives. Even those whom we now know as winners have had their fair share of disappointments. But what has set them apart from the rest is their refusal to give up. They did not allow failure to become a permanent barrier. That is the secret of their success
Qualities of a true leader
True political leaders are never self-centred. They are always focussed on the aspirations of the people who give them the high status they enjoy in society. They understand the values of compassion and credibility, and shun greed and anger. They are both humane and practical
Blocking the inevitable
Many sectors of our national economy have been thrown open to foreign direct investment. That has not led to the demise of indigenous enterprise. Similarly, FDI in the organised retail sector will not push corner stores out of business. If anything, it will enhance their competitiveness, lead to improved services, better quality and affordable prices for consumers
Back in the USSR, yeah...
The disintegration of the Soviet Union was supposed to bring in real democracy in Russia and the countries that were newly created. But two decades after the collapse of the mighty Soviet Empire, Russia is far from emerging as a full-fledged democracy. The former Soviets are still struggling. In retrospect, the USSR was not a bad idea
Back to post-War Europe
The ongoing Eurozone debt crisis has pushed Europe to its worst hour since World War II with countries on the brink of disaster. Italy, one of the biggest European economies, makes for an interesting case study. Once a highly developed nation, it is today plagued by failing banks, unemployment, rising crime rate and increasing poverty.
