tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16761020.post3483790050426960764..comments2023-10-20T21:52:36.752+05:30Comments on Cross Connections: Fighting Corruption: The Pitfalls of PopulismFarzana Verseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06891229615361937135noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16761020.post-80472099907865917102011-04-11T12:35:30.948+05:302011-04-11T12:35:30.948+05:30Think Different:
Given your ID, I thought you'...Think Different:<br /><br />Given your ID, I thought you'd understand FUD as a valid counter-idea to <b>anything</b>. <br /><br />While I most certainly do not count myself in the group of change-makers, one would then consider all revolutions (tangible ones) as negative because they asked questions not based on objectivity but their own belief in things. Isn't corruption too based on one's value system? How objective are values? <br /><br />I am glad to put the 'what-ifs' in my arguments because as we watch the events unfold this is precisely what is happening. And I promise I am not sending out ESP signals. <br /><br />Change cannot be perfect, and I have not suggested as much. More than the specifics of the Bill, I was and am interested in how it will unfold and what is validity of the modus operandi used. <br /><br />I cannot give a perfect essay because change by its nature will render it imperfect. Don't I want change? Of course, I do. But not because of a group of people on prime time TV. Change happens every single day, invisibly. And as I have already stated, we need to know which other group is replacing the system. <br /><br />I think the other comment has made some sensible points. <br /><br />Hitesh:<br /><br />True on all counts. And thank you for putting it so cogently. <br /><br />Welcome to the world of FUD-dy duddies :)FVnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16761020.post-55409549371288636672011-04-10T12:05:33.110+05:302011-04-10T12:05:33.110+05:30I do believe you need to root out corruption at se...I do believe you need to root out corruption at several levels, which no one is interested in doing. <br /><br />In these western wealthy countries, there is plenty of corruption in their sacred money temples. But, they can always raid the brown, yellow and lesser white people to keep their own fed so no one complains. It is the same for upper crust of Asian regimes (From Mubarak and Qaddafi and China's Princelings to our own Bureau/Autocrats)<br /><br />All we need is for these rich to fight each other and crowds to enjoy the drama. Money will rain and crowds will rejoice...hiteshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09923315303742715131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16761020.post-39314861038494872822011-04-10T01:04:09.010+05:302011-04-10T01:04:09.010+05:30I think I will take this one on:
(1) Corruption h...I think I will take this one on:<br /><br />(1) Corruption has been around from before these countries in South Asia existed. Never before was it an issue as long as it affected the invisible masses. Now, the problem is that noose is getting tighter. With IMF watching, only a few oligarchs can be cared for. Rest will have to fend for themselves.<br /><br />(2) Just like the rich like their money, so do poor (in fact, much more because it is a matter of survival). So, let's have property rights and equality before law that is verifiable. Existing laws are adequate (In fact, we went shopping around the world to buy us the best constitution we can). Do you think the shopper B. R. Ambedkar will be happy to see how things turned out for his lot?<br /><br />(3) Change is something even rich can't prevent but they can attempt to ride it. Mayawati and Lalu start winning and Election Commission suddenly remembers all the rules.<br /><br />(4) Pranabda (who just finished installing his son and sister-in-law in right place and has been in politics forever) is going to head this LokPal thing (and everything else these days, because Manmohan Singh delegates everything to GoM and Pranab the Regent is always around to chair it. Government refuses to carry out caste census because they are not suppose to exist; eventually settling to a GoM.<br /><br />(5) So, my imperfect solution is that we need truly representative democracy (where composition of both houses of parliament actually reflect the population). If necessary, we need to go to proportional representation like Germany so all segments of society (esp. minorities and disadvantaged) are guaranteed representation regardless of political machinations.<br /><br />(6) Similarly, other machinery of Government need to have broad-based participation. Bureaucracy and business also currently reflect tiny top 5% of the population.<br /><br />Once wolves are not guarding the hen house, fewer hens will die.<br /><br />Does that answer it?hiteshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09923315303742715131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16761020.post-6915211867696579732011-04-10T00:00:01.422+05:302011-04-10T00:00:01.422+05:30The people who create FUD - like yourself - about ...The people who create FUD - like yourself - about this movement fascinate me. <br />In any change, you people seem to see only negative aspects, and even those are rarely objective but mostly extrapolations of some what-ifs. <br />The problem is, every change, including ones drafted by you, would have some problem. <br />So I'm interested to know exactly what kind of perfect change would make you happy. Can you give me an essay on what your perfect system would be like? Or are you happy with things as they are and want no change at all?Think Differenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13009466018089985600noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16761020.post-43163265532594505282011-04-08T19:15:26.485+05:302011-04-08T19:15:26.485+05:30Hitesh:
We are indeed dealing with a different as...Hitesh:<br /><br />We are indeed dealing with a different aspect and the aura factor works in different ways. I do believe you need to root out corruption at several levels, which no one is interested in doing. <br /><br />Eddie:<br /><br />Populism is political idea that clearly demarcates between those who have it and those who don't. As popular usage it turns the tables and craves acceptability. The fact that it has become about "this Hazare chap" is precisely the problem. I have nothing against him. But is this about the common man at all? Can the common man afford to bribe? <br /><br />The slogan is not his; it is the name of an organisation, and I feel it amounts to 'branding'. A people's movement cannot afford it. <br /><br />I have not denied that the government Bill is flawed, but the Jan Lok Pal bill needs to be re-examined. Since I am not interested in covering myself with any tinsel from the crowd, I can afford to ask these questions!<br /><br />Many of Hazare's supporters would not know a Lok Pal if it hit them on their Gandhi-topi-ed heads. <br /><br />Surely, there ought to be some semblance to make ministers and people in power answerable. Why don;t we do it during elections? <br /><br />And you seem to have missed my point about who really influences the government - why is there no noise about that? <br /><br />I am hardly a proponent of any establishment - and by any I mean ANY. But we cannot just wallow in a 'wave'. <br /><br />AR:<br /><br />I am glad you speak for the youth and there is still time, so we can take a raincheck on that. Meanwhile, are you also boycotting the media and the stuff from business houses that are tainted? <br /><br />Democracy is not only about a handful of people telling us what they barf about in their TV channels. <br /><br />Keep up the enthusisam, though. Jai ho and all that...FVnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16761020.post-13012256943080160762011-04-08T10:48:07.779+05:302011-04-08T10:48:07.779+05:30Anna is doing a Great job and as we Indians not on...Anna is doing a Great job and as we Indians not only in India but also all over the world should support for the cause Anna Hazare has started, we live in a Democracy of... for the people, of the people and the people, but this government is completely gone out of of its context...and has stuck to their decision... I strongly support the cause that this man Mr. Anna Hazare has taken up and we as youth will support until the last breath.Atlanta Roofinghttp://www.yelp.com/biz/atlanta-roofing-resources-atlantanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16761020.post-57965651725693458532011-04-08T02:41:16.086+05:302011-04-08T02:41:16.086+05:30Hi Farzana,
‘Populism’ is a rather silly term, re...Hi Farzana, <br />‘Populism’ is a rather silly term, referring to the advocacy of commonsense solutions, shorn of intellectual pretensions. So why do you fault this Hazare chap? He strikes me as a well meaning peasant activist, a grassroots democrat appealing to the common man to rally behind him. What else would you have him do?<br />Next you fault his slogan ‘India against corruption’. Can you run a campaign without some sort of slogan? Why confuse the issue calling it banner or brand? <br />According to Tehelka online, the Lok Pal Bill is seriously flawed in that it lets off the masters of corruption (the politicians and cronies) off the hook. It seems Hazare’s supporters have noted that <br /><b>“1. The government Bill has no provisions for recovering ill-gotten wealth. A corrupt politician or bureaucrat can come out of jail and enjoy the money. <br />2. It requires complaints to be routed through the Speaker and the Upper House Head..<br />3. The LokPal has no more than advisory status. Only the PM can act on its reports against cabinet ministers and Parliament against the Prime Minister and MPs. “<br /></b><br />How shameless can a government be?<br />Clearly this bill should be dropped forthwith and the alternative one you mention adopted.<br />EddieEddienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16761020.post-30915159091037330152011-04-07T10:16:48.572+05:302011-04-07T10:16:48.572+05:30V. P. Singh was repeatedly transferred from one po...V. P. Singh was repeatedly transferred from one portfolio to another and he kept uncovering skeletons buried all over. Then they tried to smear him (of all the people, our dear reformer PM Narasimha Rao) with that St. Kitts Scandal. He famously took on the Ambanis.<br /><br />I have much more grey (aka realist/skeptic) compared to the events of those days but I still believe for all his foibles, V. P. Singh did try to tackle this problem head-on but because he was a professional politician (and that too a politician who supported reservation, autonomy for Kashmir, Secularism all the wrong things in short) so it didn't have Gandhian Aura.hiteshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09923315303742715131noreply@blogger.com