I have been looking for books which cover the post-independence political economy of India, and its failure to successfully industrialize and develop as its neighbour China has done. Ashoka Mody’s India Is Broken A People Betrayed, Independence To Today
I just read this piece today in 2024. As always I appreciate your breadth of view along with supporting detail but in this case I felt there were far too many dimensions of Indian society and culture missing. I lived there for almost year, admittedly decades ago, and find the objective way of analysis - mainly economics etc. - lacking. Less than an hour after reading your piece above I saw the following article on India about the restoration of an important shrine to Ram which was captured violently by Muslims in the 1500s. HUGE crowds turned out for the event. One of the main reasons you are right about where India is headed is because it is not a modern materialist nation, though some of its corrupt elites may be enamored of the mindset. It is deeply, deeply spiritual, not always in wise ways, often in arguably crazy ways, but it is a presence throughout the nation top to bottom. You see it in every Indian's eyes in every conversation.
IMO they need to drop English and regain their own language. Then embrace being a primarily Hindu nation which means they will retain feudal elements. And then modernize if they like on that solid, culturally authentic platform.
"Hindustan Times reported:
“The entire stretch of the 13-kilometre long Ram Path from the Lata Mangeshkar Chowk was crowded with people moving at a snail’s pace. As per the Ayodhya administration, devotees from the temple town and other parts of the country had been arriving at the temple from 5 am.
As the day progressed, the Ram Path turned into a sea of crowd. A large contingent of police personnel was rushed to the temple to control the situation. Barricades were put up and entry into the temple was stopped to control the crowd. Gradually, the situation was brought under control.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ayodhya Range, Praveen Kumar said the extra police force has been deployed to manage the crowd. He said people are requested to wait for their turn and don’t create panic in hurry to visit the temple.”"
Now that was educational. I'd never really studied post-colonial India that much, and you answered some questions. Thanks!
I just read this piece today in 2024. As always I appreciate your breadth of view along with supporting detail but in this case I felt there were far too many dimensions of Indian society and culture missing. I lived there for almost year, admittedly decades ago, and find the objective way of analysis - mainly economics etc. - lacking. Less than an hour after reading your piece above I saw the following article on India about the restoration of an important shrine to Ram which was captured violently by Muslims in the 1500s. HUGE crowds turned out for the event. One of the main reasons you are right about where India is headed is because it is not a modern materialist nation, though some of its corrupt elites may be enamored of the mindset. It is deeply, deeply spiritual, not always in wise ways, often in arguably crazy ways, but it is a presence throughout the nation top to bottom. You see it in every Indian's eyes in every conversation.
IMO they need to drop English and regain their own language. Then embrace being a primarily Hindu nation which means they will retain feudal elements. And then modernize if they like on that solid, culturally authentic platform.
"Hindustan Times reported:
“The entire stretch of the 13-kilometre long Ram Path from the Lata Mangeshkar Chowk was crowded with people moving at a snail’s pace. As per the Ayodhya administration, devotees from the temple town and other parts of the country had been arriving at the temple from 5 am.
As the day progressed, the Ram Path turned into a sea of crowd. A large contingent of police personnel was rushed to the temple to control the situation. Barricades were put up and entry into the temple was stopped to control the crowd. Gradually, the situation was brought under control.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ayodhya Range, Praveen Kumar said the extra police force has been deployed to manage the crowd. He said people are requested to wait for their turn and don’t create panic in hurry to visit the temple.”"
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/lord-ram-has-arrived-indian-pm-modi-leads/
Picture of the crowds in one of many processions: https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1749685066933092510
Thank you. How sad.