Dear Donald Trump, You are running for US president with the slogan “Make America Great Again”. You are mobilizing poorly educated white Americans who used to have high, rising incomes in manufacturing jobs, but now feel stranded by automation and […]
How not to make America great again Read More »
The best form of attack is political theatre. It satisfies the bloodlust of enraged domestic audiences without causing serious military damage to the other side, thus limiting escalation. India’s supposed “surgical strike” on seven terrorist bases across the Line of
Surgical strikes are good theatre, but stop there Read More »
Three years ago, all emerging markets including India suffered a huge outflow of dollars. The US Federal Reserve gave notice of ending quantitative easing, leading eventually to higher US interest rates that would attract money from everywhere. The Sensex collapsed,
If the rupee drifts down, RBI should smile and do nothing Read More »
The Supreme Court has quashed the West Bengal government’s acquisition of land at Singur (later leased to Tata Motors), holding it was not for a “public purpose”. Lawyers had argued that “public purpose” did not apply to land acquired for
What Sanand tells us about land acquisition Read More »
A bountiful monsoon has led some analysts to hope for 8% GDP growth this year. Incremental reforms across many areas are improving the country’s economic foundations. Yet Modi must worry about his failure to create the job explosion he promised
Robots likely to worsen shortage of good jobs Read More »
Switzerland recently held a referendum on a Universal Basic Income (UBI) for all citizens. Voters rejected the proposal 77 per cent to 23 per cent because of its prohibitive cost and implicit reward for idleness. But the idea has caught
Universal Basic Income is neither desirable nor practical Read More »
For decades I have argued that the railway budget is a colonial aberration that should be abolished. Wonder of wonders, the government now agrees. Arun Jaitley’s next budget will incorporate all railway revenue and spending, so there will be no
End the rail budget, run railways on commercial lines Read More »
Kalikho Pul, who split the Congress party and manipulated a friendly governor to become chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh last February, committed suicide earlier this month. The Supreme Court had struck down the governor’s actions, ousting Pul. Finding the humiliation
Suicide’s no crime, and you can’t drive someone to it Read More »
Analysts have warned for years that India risks being isolated from global trade negotiations because its stalling tactics in the World Trade Organization (WTO) have caused Western powers to lose interest in that organisation. Instead, they have shifted to bilateral
India gets breathing space as regional mega-trade agreements stall Read More »
The Rajya Sabha has just amended the Maternity Benefits Act, mandating 26 weeks of paid leave for mothers against the existing 12 weeks. Many feminists will cheer. But as a feminist myself, I view this as highly flawed. Feminism should
State should foot bill for maternity, paternity leave Read More »
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