Comments on: How Dumb Can Indian Media and Politicians Get?

By: On Fair Skin and Beauty « Life Is a Street Car Named Desire

On Fair Skin and Beauty « Life Is a Street Car Named Desire — Sun, 18 May 2008 17:39:28 +0000

[...] because Indians are so quick to take offense to anything Westerners say–the reaction to George Bush’s comments are latest in series of such episodes which make me–as an Indian–cringe. Why? Because [...]

By: Jai_Choorakkot

Jai_Choorakkot — Wed, 07 May 2008 04:41:58 +0000

I wish our middle-class readiness to take offence at being clubbed with hundreds of millions of our countrymen who were and still are dirt poor, would cause us some disquiet.

OTOH I think GB has been very accurate in his view that reforms have mostly only benefited the urban middle class.

regards,
Jai

By: KeralaViews

KeralaViews — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:55:32 +0000

It seems that you missed the Times of India editorial that supported Bush’s view.

However, the real issue is subsidies.
http://keralaviews.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/indian-middle-class-and-food-scarcity/

By: Bush, India and global food prices at Blogbharti

Bush, India and global food prices at Blogbharti — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:33:17 +0000

[...] Rohit asks: ‘how dumb can Indian politicians and media get’? [...]

By: alphalpha

alphalpha — Mon, 05 May 2008 11:25:09 +0000

“How Dumb Can Indian Media and Politicians Get?”

Is that a question or a challenge?

By: Somebody

Somebody — Mon, 05 May 2008 10:59:24 +0000

Revathy
If America is producing the crops it requires, no one can blame it. But what about it buying crops from other countries for use as biofuels at the rate of – according to World Bank – “the grain required to fill the tank of a sports utility vehicle with ethanol … could feed one person for a year” ?

There is data to suggest that diversion of food crops for biofuels is one major reason for the current crisis. Of course caused by none other than US, UK etc.

By: Revathi

Revathi — Mon, 05 May 2008 08:56:33 +0000

Yes, land is finite and this fact is obvious more so in India compared to America where the buffalloes roam whereas in India leopards are invading the universities.

Is America to blame for india’s population explosion? Great many civilizations have died away due to over population followed by depletion of resources. If india will be saved from this fate, it will probably be thanks to fertile land availabe elsewhere from where it can import food grains. Replace India with any other country that hasnt controlled it population and you will arrive at the same result.

By: Somebody

Somebody — Mon, 05 May 2008 07:50:58 +0000

There have been reports that the diversion of cereals to produce biofuel played a major part in the ongoing crisis. And this diversion took place in Bush’s own backyard- and this left millions in the rest of the world hungry. What say?

And of course average consumption of a healthy person in US is many times more than one in India. So more Indians moving to prosperity does not put as much a drag on world’s resources ( when compared to US).

You still seem to think that the earth will be able to produce enough food for the world to squander away ( like the americans do)- all it takes is- privatize everything, remove all taxes. But land is finite, it takes some minimum money to cultivate, and majority cannot afford to buy even at that minimum, dont you think?

By: harini calamur

harini calamur — Mon, 05 May 2008 02:22:16 +0000

it isn’t that the Indian media is dumb. or politicians..
it is just that there is more mileage and more TRP’s to be had in taking stuff out of context and running it as part of the news cycle.

Outrage makes for more eyeballs than rational reporting…..

By: Rohit

Rohit — Mon, 05 May 2008 01:23:00 +0000

Gurmeet,

Thanks. I have linked it.

Vibash,

Indeed.

GB,

That is an interesting point. However, if you look at George Bush’s figures, he thinks that middle class numbers in India are 350 million. Now, that may not be true and I think a better estimate would be somewhat close to 200 million. Nevertheless, if Bush believes the figure is 350 million then he clearly thinks the number of middle class has expanded justifying his argument that rising consumption has played a part in food shortage. Now, you can blame Bush for getting his figures wrong but surely it would be hard to prescribe any ulterior motives to it. Also note, he is not only talking about India but also China where millions did literally starve to death in the sixties.

Coming to who has benefited from economic reforms argument, that is a big debate in it self but there is evidence that per capita availability of food has increased over the last 50 years peaking in the reforms years.

See this article.

http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20051021&fname=surjitbhalla&sid=1