02-10-2005, 03:37 AM
Of course demographics is a powerful weapon and a strategic advantage in many respects........Numbers do count, they are a force multiplier if coupled with overall national developement and other such factors. The rather good state of the nation, the largest pool of trained personnel and the vast industrial base we have today is because we were able to so far match the population surge with *basic* needs and education..........and land/enviornment. The catchword is "family-planning", not family-capping or family-proliferating.
(Wise men and women of the State foresaw a situation where the burgeoning masses will pull down India's growth....and they set out the "Hum Do Hamare Do" program. If we were heading for a population crunch, I think they would have prescribed the "Hum Do Hamare Paanch" instead.....Hitler called out for a "go forth and multiply" in the heady days of 1939-1942 when the Nazi jackboot trampled down most of Europe without much of an effort. The demographic explosion of Victorian Britian occured when they had conquered a quarter of the globe....and Kipling asked the British to send *their* sons to take on the "white man's burden")
China and India are considered to be upcoming superpowers not just because of their billion plus populations....it is because they bolstered the population strength with a sense of nationhood, solid industrial base, rather strong government and polity, more or less ensured basic needs and health...and guarenteed national security. In India's case; apart from all above mentioned aspects, we managed to hold together a potpourri of humanity, diverse in languages, culture, religions, races etc giving the finger to all the predictions that India won't last a decade. An underdeveloped land teeming with a huge, zealous population will evoke only disdain and sneering contempt from the rest of the world....but if the numbers constitute a united and developed nation (which requires a *stabilized* population), the world will respect it.
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It is true that things get worse when Muslim populations reach a certain level......India in 1900-1947, Lebanon in 1970s and Indonesia in the 16th century are prime indications. It sounds like a dogmatic statement but it is sadly true....they DO wield more power and muscle when they have sufficent numbers. Thus It is of paramount importance that we stabilize the Indian population dynamics (not cut down or cap....but stabilize according to our needs and capablities).......The Muslim lesser majority will have to demographically contained (to atleast the status quo) for preserving the fabric of India.....until Islam itself acquires the sophistication to eliminate the rising Ummahism and other negative tendencies in favor of nationalism and modernism. Easier said than done, eh?
However, I think the Hindus with no socio-religious taboos on birth control with follow the governmental health and social policies. Point to note is that it is mostly Muslims in UP and Bihar who resist vaccination and family-planning drives.... Still, large swathes of India are still underdeveloped and the populace there, both Hindu and Muslim, believe in the "siring more children=more chance of a male offspring=more sources of income" mantra.
(Wise men and women of the State foresaw a situation where the burgeoning masses will pull down India's growth....and they set out the "Hum Do Hamare Do" program. If we were heading for a population crunch, I think they would have prescribed the "Hum Do Hamare Paanch" instead.....Hitler called out for a "go forth and multiply" in the heady days of 1939-1942 when the Nazi jackboot trampled down most of Europe without much of an effort. The demographic explosion of Victorian Britian occured when they had conquered a quarter of the globe....and Kipling asked the British to send *their* sons to take on the "white man's burden")
China and India are considered to be upcoming superpowers not just because of their billion plus populations....it is because they bolstered the population strength with a sense of nationhood, solid industrial base, rather strong government and polity, more or less ensured basic needs and health...and guarenteed national security. In India's case; apart from all above mentioned aspects, we managed to hold together a potpourri of humanity, diverse in languages, culture, religions, races etc giving the finger to all the predictions that India won't last a decade. An underdeveloped land teeming with a huge, zealous population will evoke only disdain and sneering contempt from the rest of the world....but if the numbers constitute a united and developed nation (which requires a *stabilized* population), the world will respect it.
****
It is true that things get worse when Muslim populations reach a certain level......India in 1900-1947, Lebanon in 1970s and Indonesia in the 16th century are prime indications. It sounds like a dogmatic statement but it is sadly true....they DO wield more power and muscle when they have sufficent numbers. Thus It is of paramount importance that we stabilize the Indian population dynamics (not cut down or cap....but stabilize according to our needs and capablities).......The Muslim lesser majority will have to demographically contained (to atleast the status quo) for preserving the fabric of India.....until Islam itself acquires the sophistication to eliminate the rising Ummahism and other negative tendencies in favor of nationalism and modernism. Easier said than done, eh?
However, I think the Hindus with no socio-religious taboos on birth control with follow the governmental health and social policies. Point to note is that it is mostly Muslims in UP and Bihar who resist vaccination and family-planning drives.... Still, large swathes of India are still underdeveloped and the populace there, both Hindu and Muslim, believe in the "siring more children=more chance of a male offspring=more sources of income" mantra.