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Wednesday, September 08, 2010
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Last Updated : Thursday, September 02, 2010 Democracy
 
Klepto capitalism is the problem
Published on : Thursday, August 12, 2010
Infosys Technologies’ chairman and chief mentor NR Narayana Murthy was right in saying that netas and babus see no need for transparency and behave like masters. There is no accountability or governance. Hence, he said, The IAS should be abolished and replaced with an Indian Management Service. However, he was unable to see the fundamental issue. Democracy should be made cheaper, so that politicians are not forced to be corrupt, writes R Jagannathan in Daily News And Analysis.
Common Wealth Games: The Politics of Sports
Published on : Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The excitement of the forthcoming Commonwealth Games is building up in Delhi. The spot light is not on sporting performance, but the construction delays, cost overruns, and allegations of corruption. These are symptoms which have affected many other projects.The legacy of these games could be that all such projects would be put under similar scrutiny, writes Barun Mitra.
India's Political Games
Published on : Monday, August 09, 2010
The commonwealth games are just two months away, and the preparations are ridden with corruption and inefficiency. India's political leaders are conditioned not to share the glory of sporting events, and hence it is not a political priority. Such a state of affairs have created incentives for corruption. If commonwealth games don't go well, it will be a source of shame, and if it does, the Government will be blamed for wastage of money, writes Barun Mitra in The Wall Street Journal.
India: Soft state based on hard theories
Published on : Wednesday, August 04, 2010
We shouldn't send an army against the Maoists and Naxalites. We need a much more nuanced approach. Several talks with and commissions for the Nagas haven't resulted in anything worthwhile. Chidambaram needs a hard state, but many like Digvijay Singh and Mani Shankar aiyar have a much more sophisticated stance.Our country can be called a "talking republic". Hopefully, it will always remain so, writes Jaithirth Rao in The Indian Express.
We're All (Still) Socialists in India
Published on : Monday, July 26, 2010
Though Indian politicians talk a lot about reform, they are good at spending tax payers money, mostly because they are socialists. Every political party in India should swear allegiance to socialism, according to the 42nd amendment to constitution.There are around 50 parties represented in the parliament, but people of India do not have much of a choice as there is no liberal political party. The petition filed by Sanjiv Agarwal is a case in point. The petition was withdrawn on the grounds that no political part has opposed the insertion of the word 'Socialism".Political parties should take up this cause, writes Barun Mitra in The wall Street Journal.
Supreme Injustice!
Published on : Friday, July 23, 2010
The judges of the Indian Supreme court felt that the insertion of socialism in the constitution, though important is only an academic issue,and the petition challenging it, should be withdrawn. Only socialist parties can be registered with India's Election Commission.The Swatantra party of S V Raju failed to swear by Socialism they had no option but to take the issue to the court, writes Manuwant Choudhary in Indiavikalp.
Time to make universal franchise real
Published on : Friday, July 23, 2010
Our constitution doesn't grant the right to Vote for NRI's living abroad, though the right to vote is an important ingredient of a vibrant democracy. Indian diplomats living abroad are the only exceptions to this rule. All passport holding Indians should be given the right to vote, writes T S Krishna Murthy in The Economic Times.
We, of the Preamble
Published on : Monday, July 19, 2010
No one objects to socialism if it is about equity concerns. But, it makes sense to oppose it if it means public ownership of means of production. State and the public are not synonymous. Amending the constitution makes sense in certain circumstances, but not always. The insertion of the word Socialist is not an academic question. Sharad Joshi refused to register his political party as of the clause, writes Bibek Debroy in The Indian Express.
A democracy can’t have a fixed ideology
Published on : Friday, July 16, 2010
A democracy can't have a fixed ideology as far as the politico-economic system being implemented is concerned. The founding fathers of the Indian constitution, who were social democrats, thought so. The present situation that all political parties should swear allegiance to Socialism allows no difference of opinion, writes Sanjiv Agarwal in The Economic Times.
Seceding From India's Democracy
Published on : Wednesday, July 07, 2010
The opposition parties of India brought economic activity to a halt in their protest against rising fuel prices. There is a mismatch between India's economic aspirations and political culture. The values of the political class and middle class are entirely different. The middle class is largely apathetic to politics, and mostly don't engage in it, writes Sadanand Dhume in The Wall Street Journal.
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