12-21-2006, 03:20 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-digvijay+Dec 20 2006, 04:54 PM-->QUOTE(digvijay @ Dec 20 2006, 04:54 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->You need either a benevolent dictator as it happened in modern Singapore (or in pre islamic India) or a democratic setup in which people have some say in what needs to be done. Basic level of education in masses is a must for democracy to succeed else you have a situation like India where few screw the rest.
Banana republics of Africa/South America do not succeed becuase of reasons mentioned above.
Reasons are quite obvious. What it your ultimate in discussing this?
-Digvijay
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Why is it that some countries are able to develop democratic set up, decent literacy rate, strong economy etc. while others cannot. It may seem very general, but this will have clue to our answer.
Now you have mentioned some factors like:
1. Strong democratic set up
2. High Education levels
3. Developed economy with benefits percolating to masses which results in high material living conditions
I would add some others to this list (please note this is in addition to the above and not on their own)
4. Advances in science and technology: For only a country which has achieved highly developed economy can put in funds in these areas without its population starving
5. Cultural and civilizational advancement: In terms of arts, literature, philosophy etc.
These are what makes a modern nation evident. Now lets go one level deeper and understand what encourages all these factors. I'm not going to make an exhaustive list, just want to give a starting point
1. Cultural unity
2. Political unity
3. Emergence of power held by various classes who find it best to work with each other rather than against each other. So hence we are a more stable democracy than Pakistan. When we became independant we had a strong political class with grassroots linkage, a bureaucracy and civil service which was capable and the army and all these shared the power. In Pakistan however the political class dis not have strong grassroots, rather it was elitist plus their civil service was not to our class and hence the army becme dominant.
4. An enterprising trader and business class
5. Vast resources, otherwise how could we have survived numerous sanctions and wars and still survive. Sanctions only affect small countries with limited resources like Iraq
Banana republics of Africa/South America do not succeed becuase of reasons mentioned above.
Reasons are quite obvious. What it your ultimate in discussing this?
-Digvijay
[right][snapback]62284[/snapback][/right]
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Why is it that some countries are able to develop democratic set up, decent literacy rate, strong economy etc. while others cannot. It may seem very general, but this will have clue to our answer.
Now you have mentioned some factors like:
1. Strong democratic set up
2. High Education levels
3. Developed economy with benefits percolating to masses which results in high material living conditions
I would add some others to this list (please note this is in addition to the above and not on their own)
4. Advances in science and technology: For only a country which has achieved highly developed economy can put in funds in these areas without its population starving
5. Cultural and civilizational advancement: In terms of arts, literature, philosophy etc.
These are what makes a modern nation evident. Now lets go one level deeper and understand what encourages all these factors. I'm not going to make an exhaustive list, just want to give a starting point
1. Cultural unity
2. Political unity
3. Emergence of power held by various classes who find it best to work with each other rather than against each other. So hence we are a more stable democracy than Pakistan. When we became independant we had a strong political class with grassroots linkage, a bureaucracy and civil service which was capable and the army and all these shared the power. In Pakistan however the political class dis not have strong grassroots, rather it was elitist plus their civil service was not to our class and hence the army becme dominant.
4. An enterprising trader and business class
5. Vast resources, otherwise how could we have survived numerous sanctions and wars and still survive. Sanctions only affect small countries with limited resources like Iraq