SHRI RAMKRISHNA BAJAJ
Thereafter till 1961, he was ac- asked me whether I would like to get tivelyassociated with Indian National into business or enter into social Congress' youth activities. service. Kakaji said he would ar- range my education accordingly. My In 1961, Ramkrishnaji resigned mind has been from the beginning from the Congress in protest over inclined towards social service and the nominationofMr. Klishna Menon I told IGkaji so. He appreciated my as Congress party candidate to the views. I feel I should manage my Lok Sabha. This marked Ram- expenses from the interest earned krishnaji's exit from party politics. on whatever amount that may have Thereafter, he devoted his energies ftarilKtlsHNA 0A,AJ accumulated in my acount, and should 2291923-2'l 9 1994 as a social activist in the fields of devote myelf to the service of my education, social service, rural de- country. This alone would bring me velopment and consumer welfare. Born in Wardha Shri peace of mind and promote the Ramkrishna Bajaj, the son of noted At the time of passing away, he enrichment of my soul." Gandhian and prominent leader of was Chairman ofthe Shiksha Mandal And this is what Ramkrishnaji the pre-independence Indian National Wardha founded at by his father did right to the very end - placing Congress, Shri Jamnalal Bajaj, was Jamnalalji; the Jamnalal Bajaj Foun- himself at the service of the people. brought up under the personal guid- dation which gives three annual ance of Mahatma Gandhi and Vinobha awards for outstandingcontributions I came to know Ramkrishnaji Bhave. in the fields of rural development somewhat closely during a brief and uplift for women and children, encounter when he agreed to be the In 1941 at the age of L7 and a fourth award for outstanding Chairman of the Reception Commit- Ramkrishnaji plunged into the free- contribution in promoting Gandhian tee of a Festival'of Tibet we had dom when he obtained struggle values by foreign nationals; the Gita organised in 1990. The memories of Gandhiji's special permission to par- Pratisthan which propagates the mes- the few months,that this festival ticipate in Individual Satyagraha (the sage of the Gita, especially among enabled me to work with him ale Civil Disobedience movement laun- school children; and the Jamnalal warm. Extremely understanding of ehed by Gandhiji). Gandhiji himself Bajaj Seva Trustwhich runsVishwa- organisational problems he very gene- wrote to the Deputy Commissioner needam, a centre for International rously placed whatever infrastruc- Wardha that Ramkrishana would offer Sarvodaya Movement at Bangalore. tural facilities that were available to Satyagraha on 15th April 1941 and him at our disposal. I know for a fact also drafted the statement to be read Other activities indicative of his that the Dalai Lama was deeply out by Ramkrishna during his trial wide interest included his active impressed by Ramkrishnaji's trans- in court. association with the Council for Fair parent sincerity and humility. Business Practices, the National Ramkrishnaji was arrested four Centre for Quality Management and We salute an honest man who times between April and August 194 I the Hunger Project in India. like many honest men of pre- and imprisoned for 9months. There- independence vintage found thern- after he participated in the Quit India Though Head of the Bajaj Group se lves increas ingly uncomfortable in Movement in August 1942 and was of Companies - a name to be leck- the kind of value-less atmosphele imprisoned for 3 years. oned when one talks of Indian Indus- that has become the hallmark ofpost- try, Ramkrishnaji chose to devote independence. independent India. His departule On the eve of lri- life tu sel'vc [lre cotrrtuurri[y. An Ramkrishnaji was actively involved depletes an a lready emptying basket entry in his diary of 30th April 1938 in the was ofupright individuals who were indeed students'movement. He reads: a founding member of the All India the plide of our people. Students Congress (1946) and later .I had detailed discussior-rs with the National Union ofstudents (1948). Kal This is electiort tirne and thelefole plou)ise-tiure. Andhra has reverted to Rs.2/- kg lice plovider NTR and Karnat,alia to JD who rode to success on the heads of the qual'l'elillg cats in the state Congress (I), prourisipg to eud col'rtlption and ellsul'e stability. Maharashtra, Gtrjalat, Bihar al.e dqe to poll iu Febluary al)d ol)e can expect mauy lnole pl'olnises fi'om contesting pal'ties. We thought it a good tiure to renlind readers of the ganres oul'elected Iegislatols play ol)ce electious al'e ovel'. Genelally speaking, for oul elected legislators, plornises al'e rlot to.J Single Copy : Rs. 15 Why Socialism Failed Mark J. Perry 21 Annual: Rs.50 Are there lndians in lndia? Bhamy V. Shenoy Life: Rs.500 (add Rs.10 foroutstation chequesl Secularism - The Debate Continues Plato Knew his Onions Sheryar 27 Overseas (ll Class Air llailt Ookerjee a7 .\rrrrrr,l: lli I r) ur "L? Stet:s arc Scci,:lar i.,l-i l,:,-tie. r rL ULIUir.151rl Life: ol f70 $100 Which Fundamentalism ? lan Trckle 31 Cheques to be dr.awn in favour of Lord Acton G. N. Sarma Frceclonr Firsf and rnailed to publishers Vinda Karandikar at address listed above Poet, Critic, Translator Jatin Wagle 37 Book Reviews 39 fs: "'l'he deep tilouns ntund y'illt nruuy voices. Conte, myfriends ''I'is not lott Iulc lo scek u ncwer world" -'I'ettnysott Modern day parliarnentatians have blought to life Today's poliicians, even as they adrnonish one and the apocalyptic oracle made by Plato that "the time all for not propagating llindi and Hindutva, happily is not far when the Government shall be the recoul'se send theil own panlpeled plogeny to English mediuru of men lewd in character and midget of tlust in schools. conduct." Cotnmeut in the Iruliurt, Il.tprcss, Abu Saqib in a letter to February 2, 1993 'l'lt.c I)iotrc.ct', Juue 6, 1993 Politicians and VVIPs should be debarred fi'om vis- Until recently the very sight of a VIP used to make iiing hospitals as they make life difficult fol the the bile rise. patients undelgoing tleattnent as well as fol the Ranjit Lal, 'l'lte l)ionccr, doctols attending to theil duties. July 1, 1993 Mr'. S.'N. Kabla, in a letter to tJne Itttliurr. Iixpt't;ss, February 2, 1993. If there is ever a joint parliamentary committee into the assets of our MPs, its report would be an instant Parliamentaly plivileges ale intended to safeguald bestseller. the rights and fi'eedoms of the people by allowing Tavleen Singl'r, Itt,cliun Exprcss, their servants fi'eedorn of speech and othel privi- July 2, 1994 leges. These plivileges lose their legitirnacy when perceived as rnal "I have myselffelt and explessed on several occasions my concel'n about public invonvenience caused by Indian ministers, whose frequent jaunts abroad could over-elaborte police and security au'angenlents. stretch for weeks ale the envy of their countelparts I thinh that the thing is oveldone in most cases. in other world capitals. "If no such alrangcnrcnts are nracle, all that will Commeut tt 'l'lte. 'l'itrtt:s ol' lntliu, be t'ecluiled is to give a ferv nrinutes nrore fot'my November 1, 1992 tlansit fi'onr one plrlce to another; this loss of a few nrinutes of nry tinre has to be set off against n'rany nrore nrinutes of thousands and thousands What a shame that I have to live in a countly where of people of the country. ex-prime ministers have not paid the Indian Air Force over Rs.8.5 crol'es for the use of its aircraft for "As fol security, I am afraid what is done in its non-officia I journeys. natne only exposes lne llrol'e as a target to anyone detelnrined upon nrischief without in any way Dr. Jayant S. Apte in a letter to nraking nre lilol'e secul'e against such nrischiefl' the Irttlicttt li.rltt'ess, May 15, 1993. iJxtltictcd 1r'orn a leLter writter-r by I1.li.r's l-irst Pr'....i'-1n11 | pp. Ji:r.i,'r.rl''.. Pprsr.l ...One is constrained to ask aloud wiry nevel once in free India has a big-tirne politician been made to to Ivlr. Jarvahalhal Nehrtt thetr Plrtne Minister, pay for his crimes under law. publislred irr /)r'. lltjerttlt'tt l'rtrstttl: ()rtrt'esltorr FreehmFirsl2 O c! c': e r- De c e mbe r'i i'9 1 .,'i :,t.'.Sl : r:l -Lhc. .ti Llrno has c.o_tnc.t ulu , rdlrur saldr -to balX,."f m4nF tlulngs: of s}oes-and_Shiis- - Of Plogues qnd Politicions " anA vali$vax-- of cabbaaos - The plague or whatever it was ar.6. }:ngs-" that hit Surat and then spread to various parts of the country had fewer fatalities than is suggested - tcwis carrolJ by the hue and cry raised overseas. But for the average Indian it was particularly humiliating to be told have been and the plospelous people The plague ol whatevel it was, that he was not permitted to enter of Surat might even have paid a will continue to visit us periodically this or that country as he could well little rnore for a better public hea lth till such time as we decide that we be the carrier of the disease. For- systen ifthey could have been assured have had enough of non-issues which eign nationals intending to visit India of cleanel living conditions. But hele do not add a paisa to our personal, as tourists oronbusiness were advised is the rub. Anything paid to the not to speak of the national, income by their respective governnents to state or to a publicly elected body and that what we need are people postpone or cancel their visit. goes down the drain and (as most who dedicate their tenure in public will aglee) the drains in this case offices doing the job for which they For a brief while in 1994 we are the kulta pockets of the pr.ivi- have been elected- were treated as international lep- leged parasites. ers. Even the current lovers of SVR Swadeshi could not have thought of Whathappened in Sulat is typical a better strategem to isolate India of ahnost all of urban India cap- from the rest of the world. tured by politicians of valious hues who got there not by promises of If we were treated thus let us Coke,the Good Old Democrotic public be doingtheir duty it in health .1F., not blame the foreigners. Nor was Drink ,lli or primary education, ol the plovi- rli; there any "foreign hand" at work. '"rt sion of clitical infi'astructule but by !F The blame rests squarely with the (June lj. appeals to caste and religion, not to Tlte Econornisl 9, 1990) kind of people who have captured 't:i1. speak of the massive crinrina lisation quoted a Qoke executive as stating positions of power without the s lightest "has ':l of politics since 1947. that the dlinl< enteled the lives intention of calrying out their le- of rnore people ... than any othet' gitimate duties. Who put them thele? We clid. ploduct or ideology, including the As voters we get easily influenced Chlistian leligion." Even as Chris- Sulat the 'diamond capital' of not by basic issues which bother us tian padris occasionally would not India could (if visuals seen on the in our day to day lives but by non- mind using material goodies for BBC and 'Zee' TV's weekly progl'amme issues like caste reselvations, whether' adopting theil religion, manufac- "Insight'are to be believed and there some centuries ago thele stood a tulets of the good old deuroclatic is no reason why one should not temple where there stands (ol stood drink bougl'rt over the Minister of believe them) easily be desclibed as until recently) a masjid. And we Industlial Development under the the 'filth capital' of India. Even . -i, cast our votes to champions of such Janata legime in 1977 for 5 lakhs ,rt Dharavi which has the dubious issues. We chose the casteists, the of Rupees (See Madhu Lirnaye,Hindu, ':'jS distinetio n of being the largest s lum _,t:::: funda rnentalists and the crim ina ls. October'5, 1994). When the PM knerv in Asia looks cleaner'! r'..,'{t They ale busy with their favourite otth is, the I\4i nister was transferred Is it suggested that the people pastime. Any wondel then such sill.y and Geolge Felnandes was Put in ",; ofSurat could not have been served issues as public health and hygiene chalge of the Industrial Develop- 'lv,fi with a decent public health and ale just not considered importar-rt ment I\{inistt'y, George, ofcourse, ',,*;d hygiene regime. Ofcourse they could enough to deselve theil attention. booted Col ,.1 iil:i r ,,:;.ir';!#uji* made many (including the writer) Doclored Text Books .yeals.yEarD ago,atsu, a urinorultnot- scandalscanoal ofoI teit.,textr..;j;,i happy. books in Mahalashtr.a was exposed,:i#j That text-books can be an inr- Dr'. S. P. Aiyal who ridiculed these i{f; But this was a temporary set porta nt agency in moulcling the ruinds as 'nrindless' r'ather. than ideologi- back. Coke soon penetrated more of would-be-citizens has been an cal.A fewheads rolled and the r.evised countlies than it did earlier. One ancient discovery. If PIato's con- Geoglaphy text book r.eurained an ofthe fall out effects of Pelestroika tempolaries had schools, he rvould excellent useful book. Since then, was the entry of Coke into the USSR have devised text-boolcs that rvould r,r'e have seen scol'es of textboohs - thus ending the Pepsi monopoly have nroulded amiable, clull citizcns with each state blinging its orvn on the land of the nomenhlatura, - all that he could do was to chalactelistic version of Indian The Moscow Olympics was a tli- exile the poets who might have been society, history and cultur.e and it ' umph for Coke for got "exclusive it intellectually plovocative. rvas only to be expected that sonre in for 10 rights" return million dollals. sort of legiona I dlum beati ng rvould China soon followed as have Viet- be engaged in. Within limits, the nam. The PR men of Coke wolked Oul Blitish rnastels kneu'full well the value of these agencies of ha rm tl.rart tl'rese would do would not their way to Rajiv Ga ndhi and opening bc inrnrense. the economy now includes the light opinion folnration. The bias of the to slake one's thirst on this drink famous collection of docuntents But that cheers. constitutingthe core ofI\{uslinr histoty u'ith the BJP govelnurents in Indin (by Elliot and Dawson) rvas in porvet', a lllol'e serious atternpt The West Bengal Governrnent designed to paint Muslim rule in has been nade to doctol the text of course has welcomed the dlink t'athel lurid colouls. Vincent Snrith's books. Heloes have been discalclecl, with a massive full page coloul ad- classic history tlied to pleach the new ones found; emphasis on pe- vertisement in the CPI(M)'s news- nressage that the histolical heri- liods of Indian history paid no heed paper, Ganasltahti. Not only the tage of India naturally culnrinatcd to histolical veracity; clainrs rvele CPI(M) but the BJP too is eager for in British rule. That volunrinous made for a golden Flindu age which its saffron brigade to sip this near a nd pl'olifi c historia n-bureauclat who rvet'e out of plopoltion to whrrt hzrs saffron coloured drink for both doubled up as a compiler of gazet- been legarded to be histolically Yeshwant Sinha and Jaswant Singh teers (ofcoutse ofvely gleat value) acceptable. "Vedic IUathernatics " has have declared that they would not Williaur Lee-Walner rvrote a rvidely been discoveled and these "lose their sleep" over the return of used text of civics called The Citi- en'rphasised. Coca Cola! zen of India which was adopted in all schools and ealned an obscene The Bipin Chandla Con'rrrrittee Will Coca Cola help ttre PnA in quantum of moolah fol its publisli- for.rnd that the M.P. text book had non ftzzy tealms too? Let us look et's, The Macmillan Conrpany of Inclia "introduced courtnunal notions ... at theArnerican expelience. In 1970, rvhich a longwith Longna n and Glecn in nrany cases ... this was due to when Jimmy Calter was aspiring amongother things, spread the gospeI the inconrpetence of the authols, to become President, the company of Western intellectua I supeliolity. theil lach of awat'eness of major "... openly contributed to his cam- The Citizen of India used lor de- historical writings and their reli- paign chest. Coca Cola offered him cades, in schools, tlied to tlain ance on outdated texts and text- the company's plane. It lan a lim- genelations of Indian loyal citizens book nraterials". Text books frorn ousine service fol him to and fi'orn u,ho sl'reelti-.hl.l'rvorrlcl looli r-r1t to be A ncll.r ra, Assa nr, Ta miI na FreedomFtst4 Oclober-December 1994 i,;t!i d*: . , ".1;,ia#. i Privileged Parasites J. B. D'souzq Are we going to pick a fresh gang of crooks, habitual defaulters on their dues tq, the public treasury, hooliganS who misbehave in the House and outside, and other worthless ones who think nothing of trampling on the privileges of the people while they dream up higher allowances and new privileges for themselves? How few ofus have had the sense help us or pretend to do so, help to choose a profession in which sys- themselves so well to the spoils of tematic loot is legal and institu- office, filling their pockets while they tionalised, one whose professors make empty ours. To refer in sirnilar telms it a regular habit to hike their own to legislators - MPs, MI"As, MLCs - salaries and perks, at the expense of might be pounced upon as lese majeste the ordinary citizen, to levels un- and invite reprisals of the kind that dreamt of when the profession was editor Nikhil Wagle suffered recently .born many decades ago. You recognise, in Maharashtra, so I don't. Wagle had bfcourse, the set ofparasites we fool- castigated the hypocrisy that had ishly elect to represent us, in the hun- moved the Maharashtra legislature \ dreds of elected bodies all over India. to mourn the death of a.departed And when I write of systematic loot I MLA, Vithal Chavan. Chavan was try not to think of the less systematic one whose criminal record should have but far more lucrative exactions that kept him in jail, but today no one so many of our representatives prac- knows whether there ate more crooks tise. I try not to remember how few of in jail than in our elected bodies. them :..r end their careers in a financial Suppresslng Truth . t\ condition resembling the condition in Chief Minister Pawar has re- which they joined the profession. cently been under fire for his alleged links with the underworld. Amnesty International has accused him ofdod- ging issues in the protection ofhuman rights. It was the same Sharad Pawar about Shivaji Jayanti. One ean un- who moved the Assembly resolution derstand the House taking cognisance to imprisonWagle for4days. One cafi, of newspaper reports, but does it, of course, see Pawar's point ofview. If under any law or norln, have the writels ale allowed to tell the tluth powel to dictate what an editor must about our legislatorc and their moral publish?" :t!! l.:;i condition, how will our Ml"As and ' 11 MPs command the respect they think Extending Prlvlleges at will t#* we owe them? I believe t'heMetroPolis was mis' Thou shall Publish ... informed.' Because the greatest So one has to be careful. Doubly privilege our legislators enjoy is the- careful because you never can tell fi'eedom to extend their privileges at when they will jail you for eating into will, notwithstanding what that 44' their privileges. I marvel at the Me- yearold, forgotten' chalter, the Consti- tropolis, which cornrnented last year' tution of India, saYs about the need on Maharashtla legisla tors' aLloga nce for Palliament to define those privi' gt'oss must envY I refer, ofcourse, to the thousands and ignorance of the scope and leges. How our Police purviewof the House. They had la tors th is al l'encompassing free' of members of our local autholities - laised legis the Indian zilla parishads, municipalities, vill- a privilege issue over Lhe "Maha- dom, which could'expand retrospectively at their' age panchayats - who, before they rashtra Times not writing anything Penal Code October-December 1994 will, so that they could with a pretence He "hasbarelybeen in Delhi 5 rnonths tion or nomination. And lots of them',',. I of legitimacy lock you up for an act when he asked if I could help him buy pile up an implessive legacy ofdebt in I ..i that wasn't an offence at all whenyou a (The flat worth Rs.50 lacs. othertwo the form of lent arrears. Thir.ty flrve of I 'J did ft! MPs'stories were equally edifying. ) ... these defaulters figuled in a list of Their Pay & Perks If there is ever a Joint Par.liamentary forgetful minister.s the .Erpr.ess pub- Committee on the assets of our I\{Ps lished Another enviable freedom our lastyear.. Notables were Dinesh its leport would be an instant best Singh (Rs.8.4 lacs), legislators enjoy is the power to draw Vasant Sathe seller. It could be called 'How to join (Rs.7.8 lacs), Bhajan (Rs. 1.8 just such salaries and allowances as Lal lacs), Parliamentand make a Killing'. There Eduardo Faleiro (Rs.93,000). they allow themselves from time to State will never be such committee, how- Ministels equally time. Like their privileges, MPs can ale tardy. In De- ever, because all our MPs seem to be cember 1993, Mahatashtla Ministers stretch their allowances at will. To able to think of is how the public and folmer Minister.s owed the public cover 16 air or rail tickets each year. exchequer (i.e.,you and I) can continue treasury Rs.78 lacs on house r.ent and And 2 free telephones, from which our to pay for them to be even conrfoltable telephone charge arl€arls. Remindels MP can make 50000 free calls - 135 while they are in the process ofmaking had blought implessive recover.ies: every day! Talking of telephones, an their fortunes." Rs.6 lacs. Lesser legislators, who don't MP can get phone connections for 15 reach of his fi'iends, or clients, each year', As I write this I woncler.whether. urinistelial errrinence, have equally respectable lecot'ds bleaking the queue, to 6ay nothing of we should hold these little peccadilloes in this lespect. And why not? 48 gas connections - think how against oul law rnakers. After. all, Thlee for.mer Printe Ministers - Chandrashekhar', lucrative that can be! they selve their tenur.e in the bacl<- Rajiv - breaking selvice of the 423 million Gandhi andV.P. Singh owe the , MPs' salaries are not all that .',, Indians who str.uggle in misery and IAF Rs. 8.5 cloles for non-offrcial trips. exciting: just Rs.1500 monthly. But , absolute povelty, on year.ly inconres The nation's leadels in ticketless (unless they have raised these levels below Rs.1300, and the less unr.emu- tlavel! again) there is a constituency allow- nerative service of the 439 ntillion Poor Chandrashekhar ance ofRs.3000, a secretaliat expense , who can pay. Should it matter if that allowance of Rs.1000, and Rs.200 for But not allyoul MPs and Minis- : serwice tutns out to be plofitable? each day an MP puts in an appeaF ters can be tan'ed with thesarne blush. :' ance in Parliament or at a Parliarnen- Stay Now, Pay Later? Detelnrined to copy the pool people tary Committee. Plus a well-appointed Sl-rould we gludge thenr the fine rvho voted hiru into po'rver', Prirne I\{in- free house to live in in Delhi, and ulti- furnished, comfloltable housing they ister Chandlashekhar vowed to live ,, mately a pension of at least Rs.1400 occupy at our expense in Delhi? So in a hut. So a hut duly came up in the i per month. comfortable that they ale loth to leave compound of his MP bungalow, a hut with a bamboo roof but ploperly air- Their Families and Friends conditioned. Chan-drashekhar lived And these are only the oflicial in it, an example to his colleagues and perks. There is an amorphous set of the t'est of India. perks that our legislators add on as it ,' Coffee or Lassi? l suits them. About a year ago a mar'- riage party, led by a BJP MP, Virender Let's not spend too rrruch tiure on i Singh, was fou4d travelling without pat'liamentalians' privileges, their L tickets on the Delhi-Howra h Rajdha ni extt'a-nrulal misconduct and their : Express. Mr. Singh generously gave sh.yness about settling theil dues. the checking staffa letter suggesting What about their visible working : that his ticketless fi'iends' fares be hout's? Bach rninute Parliaurent rvo ll FreehmFirst6 .,,: -t-..,,. ,,.,.1.., . . r,i'il+ j '...li '.11.ff ''i..#$ i place - like the passingof finance bills gossip over coffee or lassi in the cen- and outside, and other worthless ones : and the ma king or reviewing of laws - tlal hall." who think nothing of trampling on ':1 the Lok Sabha is generally empty ... the privileges ofthe people while they ii Finance bills require careful under- We ale now only a sholt way off dt'eam up higher allowances and new standing and homework, which oul from a new round of elections, to plivileges for thernselves? MPs are not prepared to do ... Once a Palliament and to some State legis- debate actually begins, Parliament latures. Are we going to pick a fr.esh MR. J.B.D'SOUZA is a retired Civilservant empties out. Except for those who gang ofcrooks, habitual defaultels on who after retirement has been actively have chosen to speak, almost evely- the theil dues to the public tleasury, associated with various voluntary activities, one disappears. They disappear to hooligans who rnisbehave in the llouse ranging lrom civil rights to public wellare. The Enemy Within Modhu [imoye We have celebrated the 125th latu at Chitli Kabar, Delhi. Bank dlaft.s The ptrblication of the details of the Bilth Centenary ofthe Father ofour and cash were seized. The source of matet'ial seized at the premises of Nation. Is it not appropriate to pause the uroney was olle Dr'. Mohaurntad the Jains levealed violation of the arrd reflect on the distance the conn- Ayub in Londou. A JNU student, several laws of the land, and yet the try has travelled away fiom the ide- Shahabuddin Ghauri, and seven CBI had failed to take effective aud als he had laid down for us since his Harvala dealels were arrested in the expeditious action in uatioual inter- death 46 years ago? He taught rrs the next t,rvo or three ruonths. The clues est. The CBI ofl-rcer, O.P. Sharrna, virttres of cleauliness and public led to fulther raids. In the words of and Vijay K. Raura Rao, Dir:ection of hygieue. He tried to inculcate itr us the CBI: the CBI, should be obliged to explain the rnuch-needed civic sense. But we rvhy uo thororrgh investigation has On 3.5.1991 searches were con- neglected his teaching. We allowed been calried out into activities of the ducted simultaneously at 20 places in- orrr villages, towns and cities to go Jains. From the notings of the CBI cluding the busrness and residential to seed. Garbage heaps piled rrp ev- premises of the said J.K. Jain. The busi- officers concerned it appeared that erywhere, even posh colonies. The in ness and residential premises as well betweeu Aplil 1988 to Malch 1991 slurns becaure a veritable hell. Now as the farm house of one S.K. Jain, the vast sunrs, r'eceived fi'orn sources abroad, the dleaded plagtte, which eveu for employer of the said J.K. Jain, were also were disbnrsed by the Harvala rack- people of my genelation was only a searched. The unaccounted cash in a eteels. The beneficiaries were Kashmiri childhood lnelllory, has ovet'taken us. sum of Rs.93,52,755, foreign exchange telrorists, politicians, bureaucrats aud worth Rs.3,69,307, lndira Vikas Patra othets whose identity could be easily Mahatura Gaudhi also laid the worth Rs. 10,50,000 and gold bars weigh- estal.r I ished through "custod ia I inves - greatest stress on probity in ptrblic ing 4430 kgs were recovered from live tigation to which any accused in the life. He insisted on accountability and different places during the said searches. sitrration of the four: Jains would had warned us about the incipient Unaccounted cash in asumof 8s.58,09,100, uorrnally be sulrjected". Every case danger of colnrption, when it was lndira Vikas Patra for Rs.10,50, 100 and of non-enfolceurent of law in rnatter Jl realll' no ltigger than a barr,l.y visilile foreign exchange-namely, 593 US dol- of corrulrtiou is an act of "disct'iuti- speck. Now colluption has euveloped lars, 300 UK pounds, 2700 Dutch marks, uatic-rtr aud arbitraliness" and viola- the entire national life and will have 50 Hong Kong dollars, 300 francs and tive of Alticle 14 of the Constitution. nrore fatal consequellces tha n the uew 50 unknown currencies-were also recov- plague. The seizule of the Jain dia- ered from the house of the said J.K. Jain. 'l'lt.e ,loins tuertz ruid.<;cl otr, It'[oy 3, ries should have created an uuprec- Some diaries and ligures were also 199 l. Altlrcrtglt ttt.ot'c llton lltt'ae ycttt's recovered from house of the said lruue yt October-December I994 Free&mFrslT ,:;' . .,'ft-:i r:tii ,.. '; ':;1.: ' ;.'-. ...'f .r3+trj Name ol Person Perlod Total Name of Person Period Total : rnd Amount and P Amount Raiiv Gandhi Rs.2 crores Buslnesst (Congress) Lalit Suri 1991 Bhajan Lal Feb. 1988 lo Rs.l clore 1988 to Rs.1 0.5 crores (Congress) June 1990 List of Polilician Rcclpicnts Balram Jakhar March 1988 Rs.6l lakhs (Amount less than Rs 20 lakhs) (Congress) lo April 1991 P.Shiv Shankar July 1988 lo Rs.16.94 lakhs N.D. Tiwari April 1988 to Rs.25.8 lakhs lCongress) Decemb€r 1990 (Gongress) April l99l Jaller Sharif November 1988 Rs.10 lakhs Kalpanalh Rai July 1988 lo Rs.54.7 lakhs (Congress) lo Augusl 1989 (Congress) April 1991 L.P. Sahi July 1989 to Rs.3.50 lakhs V.C. Shukla July 1989 lo Rs.65.8 lakhs (Congress) August 1989 (JD & JD-S/Congress) April 1991 M.L. Foledar September 1989 Rs.l O lakhs R.K. Dhawan Seplember 1989 Rs.50 lakhs (Congress) (PS lo PM) Kamal Nath Feb.uary 1990 to Rs.l7 lakhs Madhavrao Scindia January 1990 lo Rs.75 lakhs (Congress) April 1991 (Congress) April 1991 , Arjun singh April 1988 lo Rs.lO.50 lakhs K.K. Tiwari 1991 April Rs.30 lakhs (Congress) Augusl 1990 (Congress) Raniil Singh November 1990 Rs.l5 lakhs L.K. Advani April 1988 lo Rs.60 lakhs (Son ol Devi Lal) (BJP) April t99l (JO-StSJP) S.R. Bommai Seplember 1990 Rs.52 lakhs Sharad Yadav April 1988 lo Rs.s lakhs (JD) lo April 1991 (JD) March 1990 Arif Mohammad Khan May 1988 lo Rs.7.5 crores Moli Lal Vora April 1988 lo Rs.l0 lakhs (JD/lnd.) April 1991 (Congress) March 1990 Chimanbhai Palel December 1989 lo Rs.1.9 crores Ms Krishna Sahi April 1988 lo lakhs (JD and Congress) January 1991 Rs.2 (Congress) March 1990 Presidenl. JD- April 1991 Rs.1 crore SISJP. Giani Zail Singh April 1989 to ils.S lakhs (Congress) Oecember 1989 : Yashwanl Sinha March 1990 lo Rs.21 lakhs (JD , and JO-S/SJP) April l99l Madan Lal Khurana April 1986 lo Rs.3 lakhs (8JP) March 1990 Devl Lal Ap.il t989 lo Rs.50 lakhs (JD) March 1990 Vijay Kumar Malhotra April 1988 to Rs.1 lakh (BJP) March 1990 Kalyan Singh Kalvi December 1990 to Rs.95 lakhs ; (JD-S/SJP) April 1991 Ms Tajdar Babbar April 1988 lo Rs.l lakh (Congress) March 1990 Asoke Sen December 1990 lo Rs.20 lakhs (Jo-s/sJP) January 1991 Pranab Mukheriee April 1991 Rs.l O lakhs Bureaucrats2 (Congress) ) P.S. Bami, March 1988 lo Rs.34.5 lakhs Digvilay Singh April 1991 Rs. l0 lakhs .: Chairman, NTPC April 1991 (JD-StsJP) .i B.S. Oiha, Unlon April 19d8 ro Rs.50 lakhs Harmohan Dhawan April 1991 Rs.10 lakhs Secrelary. Mlnislry March 1990 (JD.S/SJP) ot Agricultur6 Jagannalh Pahadia Aptil 1991 Rs.5 lakhs M.P. Narayanan, February 1990 lo Rs.25 lakhs (Congress) Chairman, Coal lndia Oclober 1990 Chandu Lal Chandrakar April 1991 Rs.5 lakhs Viiay Karan, April 1989 lo 8s.90 lakhs (Congress) Commissioner of December 1989 Raiesh Pilol April 1991 Rs.10 lakhs Police. Delhl. (Congress) hter Direclor. CBl. M.J. Akbar April 1991 Rs.S lakhs K. Padmanabhaiya. March 1990 lo Rs.58 lakhs Addl. Secrelary, October 19890 Bula Singh May 1989 to Rs.7.50 lakhs Minislry of Power (Congress) September 1989 J.S. Bedi, June 1991 Rs.20.O lakhs Secretary, RAW Footnotes 1. Round Frgures. Only those who recelved Rs.2O laktrs or more are mentroned. 2. lt is not without significance lhat the Jains, who apart lrom being Hawala racketeers, have been engaged in power and construction activities and so the then Power Minister and olficials connected with lhe Central and Madhya Pradesh Power Oepartments have been the obiect of their special attention. Arif Mohammad Khan. close Jan Morcha colleague of V.P. Singh. who as the Prime Minister gave him two important portfolios, includrng Power. received lhe largesi amount emong the politicians, lhat is, Rs.7.5 crores. Arun Nehru, Madan Lal Khurana, Arjun Singh and others have not been lisled above because therr recerpts were less than Rs.20 lakhs each. 3. AmongthGbuTarmrels,th.r.sainrdditiontothorinlheaboveli5t,rdozenotlicialsoltheCentral andMadhyaPradeshPowerDepartments.Netronal Thermal Development Corporalion and Central Electricity Aulhorily who have received money lrom the Jains, but therr names have not been mentioned because the amounls received were less than Rs.20 lekhs. Free&mFhstS October-December 1994 .;- ri.,.,lrr i -. r. -. . .J+'ii#ri#hi.'1,!ti:,,;ii,,:"r,^.,r ,. , .,.ir{€ !; :.,,.' " Name ol Person Period Total Name of Person Period Total and Partv Amount and Party Amounl t.' List of Burcaucrat Recipients List of Bureaucrat Recipients ' :..1 (Amounl less lhan Rs.20 lakhs) (Amounl less than Rs.20 lakhs) V.K. Khanna, Seplember 1989 Rs.5 lakhs Joinl Secretary, H.K. Khan. March 1991 Rs.2,37,500 Depll. of Power, Chief Secretary, Union ol lndia Gujarat and also Secletary in the M.L. Malik, May 1990 Rs.l lakh Union of lndia Direclor(O petations) in NTPC. P.N. Abbi. May 1989 to Rs.15 lakhs Chief Secretary June 1990 V. Sunderalan, May 1990 Rs.l lakh in MP Director (Projects) in NTPC R.K. Nair. April 1988 Rs.0.50 lakhs Dy. General Manager. C.N. Swamy, November 1988 Rs.3 lakhs NTPC in NTPC R.K. Narayanan. April 1988 lo Rs.5 lakhs A. Baijal, September 'l988 Rs.1 lakh Cenlral Eleclricily March .l990 General Manager Authorily in NTPC S. Berry. April 1991 Rs.2 lakhs M.A. Hai. February 1991 Rs.0.50 lakh EIL CMD, National Hydroeleclric Power R.R. Shah. January 1991 Rs.5 lakhs Corporalion Joint Secrelary. Deptt. of Power. Union of lndia The CBI has had recourse to eva- The ramifications of the Hawala sion, half-truths and prevaricaton in financiers from the Kashmiri terrorists the face ofcertain irrefutable facts. It to leading Indian politicians and brr- THE WEALTH OF NATIONS has adrnitted that S.K. Jain has "to reaucrats make one freeze with arnaze- some extent explained what the coded ment. The Executive of this country-its The lead phrase in the title (Ministers), entries pertain to". But it says that political arm bureaucracy ol Adam Smith's most celebrated corroboration of the identities of per- (a serving Secretbly is inrplicated), and book, An Inquiry lnto the Na- sons has not yet been obtained by "in- its intelligence wing-the RAW Chief Bedi, dependent evidence". It has also stated who retired in 1993, and Vijay Karan, ture and Causes of the Wealth that S.K. Jain had "taken the plea that then boss of the CBI, were thenrselves of Nations, is as compelling to- involved-are devoid ofall conscience and the said payments were made from the day as it.was when it was lirst proceeds of black money generated in wallow in corruption. The President of published 1776. Millions of his company". But there is no mentioll the BJP, L.K. Advani, who loudly talks in that the Income Tax and other ageucies of an uncornprolnising fight against people on every continent are Kashnriri terrorisnr, himsell accepts were brought in to expose this blatant coming to realise that "the wealth subversive funds. V.P. Singh had said on lie. The diaries, notebooks, etc. contain of nations" is tied to their own other information, but the correctness several occasions that nembers of his government were not involved cor- of the already decoded names and the in ability to advance themselves ruption. Apart from Devi Lal and sums paid have not been contradicted Arif economically without the shack- Mohanrrnad Khan, who received vastsunrs, by the CBI. How serious and elhcient especially the latter, Arun Nehru and les of state control and rigid the CBI rvas is clear from its own ad- Sharad Yadav also have received tair.rted ideology. missious! nroney. Yadav has at least admitted the It says: fact. V.P. Singh, however, is dumb lil outstandings Due for Flats and Bungalows occupied by ex-members of parliamentr' former ministers etc. Question by Rajya Sabha Member, Shri Mohammed Afzal Alias Neem Afzal Wilt the Minister of Urban Deuelopment be pleased to state: (a) the number and delails of flats and bungalotts occupied by unauthorbed persons, i.e. es.-Members of Parliament, former Ministers and others from Members of Parliament quota or from Couemment quota as on 30th June, 1992: and (b) lhe amount of renUdamages due from each of he unauthorised occupants mentioned aboue as on 30th Jtne, 1992; and (c) the steps Qouemment haue so far taken to get the premises uacated from each of these unaulhorised occupants? Answer by the Minister of State for Orban Development, Shri M. Arunachaiam (a) 6 (b): A statement giuing the details of MP's Poot accommodation in unauthorised occupation of ex-MPs in Lok Sabha and R4jyaSabhaand positionof outstanding dues upto 30.6.1992 isgiuen inAnnexure l.Asla.tementgiuing thedetails of es.-MPsles<-Ministers uho are in unauthorised occupation of general pool accommod,ation and position of outstanding ' dues upto 30.6.1992 is giuen atAnnarure ll. (c): Cancellation of allotment of accommodation in all the cases included in he statentenl has been done and necessarg steps are being taken under Public Premises (Euiction of Unautltorised Occupan} Act. 197 I to get the prenrise,s t'acalcd. /j'INilUREI Statement showing the M.P's Pool accommodation in unauthorised occupation of ex. M.P's Lok/Rajya Sabha and position of outstanding dues upto 30.6.92 S. No. Name of Ex. M.P. Residence No. Amoung due S/Shri (Rs.) L Jitendra Singh 19, Meena Bagh 90,341.00 2. R.P. Gaehrad 7, Sardarjung [.ane 7,334.00 i-i 3. ChandanSharma 4, Talkatora Road 5,996.00 4. V.K. Malhotra 6, B.D.Marg 99,429.O0 5. Smt Amarjit Kaur 23, Willingdon Crescent 4.627.00 6. Khyoma Lotha 14-A" Ferozshah Road 2.890.00 7. Late S.P. Mittal 33, Lodhi Estate 19.950.O0 8. Smt. Promilabai D. Chavan Cl/2, Humayun Road l .153.00 9. Late Sh. A.C. Kulkarni AB-92, Shahjahan Road r ,153.00 10. V.N. Gadgil AB-95, Shahjahan Road 8,455.00 1 l. R.S. Naik 74, North Avenue Nil 12. TalariManohar I 86, North Avenue L338.00 13. K.C. Tyagi 187, North Avenue 26,805.00 5, Western Court Hostel 6.108.00 14. K.P. Pandey 2, North Avenue r 8,200.00 15. A. Sena Pathi Counder 2l 9, North Avenue 4. 194.00 16. Dhain Singh 107, South Avenue 6.745.OO 17. Bijoya Chakarvarty 53, South Avenue 2,848.00 I B. Prabhakar Rao Kalvala 63. South Avenue 3.696.00 ANNEXURE II -* Statement showing the General Pool accommodation in unauthorised occupation of former Ministers/Ex. M.P's and position of outstanding -i} dues upto 30.6.92 S.No. Name FlaVBungalow No. Amount due S/Shri (Rs.) l. Smt. Vyjayantimala Bali 76, Lodi Estate 8,34,872.00 2. Late Sh. Darbar Singh 9. Krishna Menon Marg 7,40.182.00 3. R. Ravi Shankar 95. Lodi Estate 7.118.00 4. H.K.L. Bhagat 34, Prithvi Raj Road 6.81,207.00 5. Dinesh Singh 1. Tyagraj Marq 6 47 .8600 6. VasantP. Sathe 2, Krishna Menon Marg 5.82.285.00 7. SmL R.K. Rajpai 6, Ashoka Road 4.2t,473.00 8. Harmohan Dhawan I l. Teen Murti Lane 56.951.00 9. Thambi Durai 25, Tughlak Road 3.79.795.00 Oclober-December 1994 , Making Democracy Work Y. D. Altekor In an earlier article the dilficulties getting elected will cease to be such a of these proposals, it will be difllcult lor we experience with the parliamentary profrtable business as it is loday, thus I{Ps and \{LAs to resist them- After all, it system were discussed a nd it was suggested Inaking it less attractive to the self- will be recalled that the British Parlia- the separation of the Executive frorn the seekers; rnetrt curtailed the powers of the House of solve our difficulties to Lords, rvith the Legislature would b) getting the legislature to scrutinize concurrence ofthe House a greatextent lF'reetlatn I'-irsl, No.417, April- of Lords. and control the executive action - r.r:o/ Personal discussions of the June 1993). 'checks and balances'. topic with various people revealed many doubts. Some of the more important ones If the separation of executive and ls Our Democrotic Mechonism are given below along with the answers. Iegislative powers is expected to solve the Breoking Down? /) problems of cormption, how is it that in Any system we devise is bound to be municipalities where the executive and The tragic incident of mass deaths in Nagpur. subverted by self-seekers for theirpersonal legislative functions are separate, we coll- deaths in police firing on agitating students in Kerala ends. Is not better, therefore, that we it tinue to face the same problems? and similar incidents in other parts ol the country should concentrate on improving the moral seem to have become common occurence. These standards of the people? The key requirements ale: the are not mere incidents of increasing confrontation executive and the legislature must be rulers and various groups among the Some time back there was a news between the separate and independent of each other. ruled, but also symptomatic of a basic failure in the item in the papers reporting that some Althouglr the Municipal Cornnissionel is polity, viz., the democratic mechanism for resolving scientists were trying to genetically alter not elected by the corporators and does not public claims and grievances have broken down, the mosquito such that it will be incapable need to have majority support, he cannot Debates and discussion across the table and speedy of harbouring the malarial parasite. The be said to be free from pressures that lhe decisron making have become rare. As a cynici futility of this approach to malarial control corporators, especially those belonging to observed. the elliciency of the Governments is to should be apparent when we consider that the ruling party, can exert. to be found only in the disbursal ol statl salaries. out of some twenty odd species of the mosquito only one is capable of transmit- Despite the enormous popular backing While morchas, rasta roko, dharna and other extra-constitutional methods have become ineffec- tingthe disease. The genetically engineered he enjoyed, Commissioner Ajay Dua, was tive in locussing attentionofthe authorilies on public mosquito will form just another harmless transferred out of Pune because the grievances, the res ponse ol parties in the opposition addition to the species and, unless all the corporators opposed his attempts to in calling lor bands and paralysing public lile is anopheles are genetically transformed, will streamline the municipal adrninistration. equally lutile. Our national work ethics is already in no way reduce the danger. The whole- The Cornmissioner is appointed by tl.re state weak, and citizens going about their normal activi- sale destmction of the mosquito by insec- govenrment and the state executive are ties. including travel and functions planned weeks ticides has also not succeeded and the members ofthe Legislature. I\,{oleover', 'pa rty' in advance, are caught unawares. Worse, lakhs who emphasis now is on developing a vaccine feeling is strong hence, the corporator:s depend on daily toil lor their bread are left highand to contain the damage. belonging to the ruling party can always dry. / pressurize the Comnrissioner through their Any morality development programme Though most politicians and bureaucrals are party affrliation at the state level. The is also similarly doomed as it is difficult to corrupt, have a provan record of incompetence in ii Commissioner is thus, not quite independent -1. cover the entire population by any such handling economic resources lor public wel{are, and of the corporators. Herrce the difhculty. programme. Practically dll world religions are in default in the dischatge of their enjoined have found over six millennia that it is The changes pioposed can be brought duties, in a democracy we neid them. All said and grateful politicians irupossible to cover the whole olthe human about only by lllPs and Ir'lLAs u'ho- rvill done, we should be to out who have kept the democratic process going on lor 47 race with morality building activity and clearly not be intelested in thenr. I{orv do years, and at least during election time show symp- governments become necessary to contain we go about getting tl're changeg.irnple- toms of accountabilityl the bad element. Weeding out entirely the mented? troublesome element is also not possible. It is high time that political parties and This, indeed, is a very r'alid point. Lord Parshuram made seven attempts to associations ol bureaucrats reviewed the situation, Whatever changes we need in the system rid the world of Kshatriyas but achieved no in their own interest. As Cicero observed, authority ,t have to be introduced by our MPs and lasting success! rests in the minds ol men. The general public is MLAs. And they are bound to resist the becoming aware that many politicians and bureau- Our attempts should, therefore, be on changes. crats have not only leet ol clay but also heads of the Iines of developing a vaccine i.e. devis- mush. Once the vestige ol respect for them dis- However, we have not yet reached a inga system which does not need holy men appears lrom public mind. then it is inevitable that point where we have to think about tlre at the helm and which will reduce the even extra-constitutional methods like morchas and ways and nreans of gettirrg the clrarrgcs damage the men in power can do. The bandhs will be dlscarded and direct physical attacks proposed introduced. We have yet to agree ou r.r'hat on politicians and bureaucrats will begin. Cats of sysbem attempts to achieve tl-ris 'l,r' .li:; by, ehanges we neerl. The-"e n-t.d tr ail coioi,rs in tlre woricj Lannol save them from publrc cussed rvidely, aud a eotrsenstts evolverl, anger. lt will be a sad day, both for the rulers and s) taking away from the legislators the first on the need for a change and tl-ren the ruled. enonnous bargai ning power tha t they what exactly these changes or.rght be. Once M. R. Pai, secure on winning an election, so that we get a majorit.y public opinion in favotrr I ombay. October-December 1994 Freedom Firs! 11 ."i, u:-:-i ;-"': ' -.t,',', To find out whether you're using the best Powder Hair Dye, place it next to ours. Your curent Brand L-___------J Now take this simple test. Godrej PowderHairDye Anyother r lsllshampoobased? w o ' Does it spread easily? d tr r-ls ll convenienl, ndHTt€ssy, easy lo us€? 6 tr ' Ar.e the shades nalural? (1.e. no one can make out you're usinga hairdl.e) d B ' ls ir long lasting? d tr * ls it safe? d tr ' ls ir from a reputed company? d D r Flnally. what ls the price? Rs.32l- Rs. for logms.* forogms. - GodreJ Poutdu HaJr Dye. So muclt more for so mucb less. 'Max rerail price as on tsl Jan. 1993 {imlusi\e ol all laxesl Two lnter-GenerationalAssessm ents of the Mahatma On lhe occosion of lhe'l25th Birth Cenlenory of Mohotmo Gondhi, Freedom Frrsf invited two reoders, seporoted by o holf century in oge, to record their impressions of his outobiogrophy, which remoins one of lhe mosl importonl books written by on lndion in the present century. One Step Towards Gandhi Renuko Sinhq When I first approached Gandhi, are tempted to get into environmen- not do away with cosmetics. I don't there was no doubt in my mind about talism - if we get out ofjeans, we al'e believe in today's educational sys- one thing - he did not look sirnply tempted to get into shorts. tem, but still I continue to bag in like a wise old man, but a very degrees, and the idea ofholding a so I don't know any othel person glamourous old man. The first thing called plesligious post in a so called who has discovered his own hailcut that attracted me towards Gandhi prestigious whatever still attracts to go with his unique designer wear'. was his unique theatre. This man of me. And with all these eontradic- FIis own unique gounnet, his own fashion could sl.and out in anycrowd. tions, however smartly I may dless fitness regime with fasts a nd up ol however''good'a time I have befbre natulopathy, his envilonnrentalist His autobioglaphy' lay with filrns, parties and the rest, deep me. The autobiography of the Father approach of not using any fuelled vehicle down, I know I am not satisfied with of the Nation and what not ... When for transport, his punky rnyself. And that is what life is all lifestyle of on the I opened the book, I met a little boy, living bale nini- about, isn't it? Your being satisfied mum, cleaning who in many ways, was just like me. his own toilets, his with yourself. He wanted to underctand his life and experirnents in alchitecture and in- to change whatever that didn't fit. tet'iol decoration stalting with rnud Whatever our opinions about houses. What else? Fanrring, anirnal him, I don't think he cares. He will How can I describe him? Let's husbandry and yes, I shouldn't for- continue to expeliment. It was inter- see ... very independent soul. A I get - his expeliments in writing, his estingmeetinghim - I hope, we become don't remember him needing any newspapers and journals. Did I uriss friends. person, position or property. Not even any thing? Oh yes, his own cottage hope has at least aloused any intellectual aura of any sort industry - Khadi. Then, thele ar.e I this around him. Well, he didn't seern to also his experitnents with religion your curiosity by now. You see, it is to write ! have any time for all that, did he? and politics. And can you in-ragine an really difficult about Gandhi, individualist like hirn - with fliends because if your tly to be honest with Did his Own Thing (which L all over the world. What anrazes me yourself he compels you to is that he u'r'ote to till of thcrn regu- be), you have to rvlite about hinr, The most thing is interesting lally. keeping in mind your own limita- that he tried to do avvay with 'old' tions. And such an honest reaction conditioning without replacing it with Courage of his Convictions could be misunderstood to be sim- 'new' conditioning. Now, you'd like plistic and childish. But to undelstand me to prove what I said. For that I And if youl leaction to all this .t Gandhi's spirit, one has to evoke the v is - "so what"? Then I'll have to say 'I r: would say that you should read the child's pure.and unadulterated con- .!l you are neither young a autobiography for yourself. I'm not lhat nol' science within one self. trying to be tongue in cheek. To answer sport. I myself will never say so, .,1 this question, I would have to talk because I know how dilficult it is to While a nalysing any individual, about his entire life which was nothing live up to one's ideas. I know how "adults" are often tempted to criti- but an experiment in saying goodbye much I hate the pollution in this cill', cize rathcl than to appreciate. but still I don't have the courage to to old, new or any kind of condition- In his autobioglaphv, Gandhi g. nnd li','o irr:r vill:ro'' I lrn,.,'.'.', I ing. And '"vc all knurv horv difficult withdisrespectabout believe in fcminism, but I still can- has neveltalked this is. If we get out of feminism, rve any individual that he came.across. Thelefore, after reading Gandhi, tAtt. Arrlobidgrrtplt.y orTh.e Story of lrly F)rynrittten.ls tuith'l'ntlh, by t\'1. K. G:rrrrllri, (llrrrslrr{rrl lrrrrl llrc somehow, my usual clitical, cynical origirral irr Crrjrrruli, by IVlalndcv l)csri), Nnvjivnrr l'rrblislrirrg llorrsr', Alrrrrrrlrrbrrtl, lirst prrblislrr:rl lf)27. .ii October-Decembet 1994 Freedom First l3 i*t-t,,ii self didn't emerge. Question: Wasn't he a religious Understanding Gandhi is as ,4 i., fanatic? difficult as it is easy to Some Questions - and Answers react to him- Answer: No, he wasn't. He did But today, itseems that it is necessaty My initial reaction was that of not form any sect, he did not encour'- fol us to take a close look at what paying tribute to a man who lived age any kind of blind faith. tle did he had to say. Today, we see that life with full zest and absolute sin- not say: God is truth, but he did nodernity has flopped, the gigantic cerity. But still, the temptation to assert Truth is God. In fact, he went nrachinely and systents that we bring him down from the pedestal on to say that, that which is not cleated have acquired an (which he may not have asked for) rational and that which is not plac- uncontrollable mornentum of their was there. And so the cynical me tical, is also not spiritual. Fol hinr, orvn. The individual has beconre began asking the following questions no n-violence a nd self-suffrciency wele insignificant. All institutions have and somehow, because of the influ- two very practical essentials for the lost theil meaning. I\{oney has bought ence of his compassionate writing, survival of the universe. them all. the generous me kept on answering. His philosophy is a practical The world is spending more Question: Like a typical male philosophy and so he cannot be called money on destt'uctive weapons than chauvinist, didn't he too bully his a religious fanatic. on health. And the irony is that the wife? Question: Was Gandhi a politi- univelse will not wait for a nuclear' Answer: But hasn't he regletted cal pelson? wal to destroy it. The ecological im- deeply and correct balance is sufhcient. Today's political that tried to Answer: Yes. So longas what is himself. systems including denrocratic states personal is political, Gandhi was a ale election ceni,red, party dominated, Did heconsult his wife political pelson. The discriminating Question: power-aimed, centralised complica ted before taking the vow of law South his of Aflica did affect mechanisms. Concentration of au- brahmacharya? individual digniiy. Yes, the Blitish thority mar:ks ahnost all present Raj did impose their larv on hinr. As Answer: Unlike Buddha, he took political systeurs which have become 'Hindu', he was affected full responsibility of his maniage a by the top heavy, be they capitalist, social- violence which he consider and his family. And, unlike many did not ist or conrmunist systems. politicians of the time, he encour- a part of his religion. He had ex- aged his wife to participate fully in tended his self to the comrnunity and Gandhi's idea of village swaraj his social and political life. He did to the nation. His interest in racial can be the answer to today's plob- not confine her to the kitchen. He and political events was never per'- lems. Astateless democracy in a small wss a hard core feminist who went sonal in the sense of petty pelsonal self-regulated village, fi'ee fi'om gi- ahead to say that a man should never gains but personal in that he was ant systems and technolory can lead be the ultimate goal of a woman's part of the gloup. man to peaceful and natural living. life. Question: Didn't he state values Today, Gandhi still lives in urany Question: Was he a strong per- too high for thecourmon man to follow? a gleat thinkel all over the rvolld sonality who imposed his ideas on Let me answer this in his own who like hirn believes that "small is others around him? words: "To see the univelsal and all- beautiful". pervading spilit of Tluth, face to Answer: Yes, he was a strong MS. RENUKA SINHA, a graduate in English personality, but no, he did not im- face, one must be able to love the Literalure, is currently doing her posl-gradu- pose his ideas on others. In fact, he nreanest of creations as oneself and ation in the German Language at the Bombay resented people calling hinr Mahatma. a nlan rvho aspiles aftel that cannot University. He had friends who opposed him. afford to keep out of any field of life." Gandhi - His Trials and Triumphs Nogindos Songhovi For those who seek to know the In fact, the book needs a sus- passing refel'ences to his epoch nral<- life and achievements ofGandhi, this tained effort todelineate and tueasule ingsatyagraha in South Afi'ica which autobiography is quite inadequate, the person called Gandhi out of the t'esounded all ovel India. He oruits nay even a misguiding volume. This oblique shadows cast by events and all infomration about his enormous is not an autobiography in lhe usual personalities mentioned rather ca- s:rcrifices - both financial and physi- sense of the word, because Gandhi sually by the author with the briefest cal, which ealned hinr the p;r'udging delibela tely and scrupulo usly avoids possible details. No one can ever hope adnrrlation ot his stunned enetnies the limelight being focused on himself, to know the most interesting and and perplexed friends. He nowhele and one would not find het'e the most significant events in Gandhi's lefels to his sentinal contribution to materiaI expected out ofsuch volumes. life fi'om this volunre. There are only public life in India, though after his Freedom Firsl 14 October-December 1994 't!;l,lli ,.,),,,,ri ,1,, i: , return, Gandhi galvanised whomso- to tluth, his coulage to confess his If indu suflused with its nrn.r"r,."". t ever a nd whatsoever he touched. Very failings and his observant eye which Gandhi's innate love and selfl ess ser- few non-Gujaratis are aware that he hardly ever misses anything impor- vice for the sicl<, the poor and the revolutionised Gujarati prose and with tant. deplived wele intensified by this ex- his writings ends the Pandit era of pelience, but so also his tremendous Gandhi's eally youth in India literary style in the Gujarati lan- sense of guilt about sex is a Cht'istian was a period of almost zero glowth. guage. lathel than a Hindu attitude which It was in England when Gandhi was is much nrore healthyand much mor.e A Clinical Record thlown entirely on his own, that he sane. broke out of his shell and strutted But such omissions are not at around as a fledgeling. He rnentions Even Gandhi's Ashlams al'e nror.e all surprising. In fact, such an ap- the vast range of books, both aca- akin to Chlistian monastaries than proach exactly with the basic fits demic and general, that he lead; his to Flindu helmitages though thele objective, mentioned in the preface, efforts to live within his means; his is anotheland nrore patent influence which goaded to write these him conscious striving to imbibe the best which also he must have imbibed chapters - one every week, without in English society without foresaking fi'om theWest. HisAshlams - Phoenix, any notes or any comprehensive plan. his roots and his deep intelest in Tolstoy, Sabalmati and evenWardha If we glasp underlying motive, this religion. All this enabled hirn to absolb rvere leplicas of the conrmunes references and several disjointed the cultural ethos around him and advocated by the utopian socialists trivial incidents fall into a signifi- made hirn a life-long adherent of of Ftance and Gemrany. Gandhi's volume was to cant pattern. This English culture. philosophy of Sarvodaya, his strong become a record not of his activities, attachment to the self-sufficient but of his inner growth, and Gandhi, Gandhi was not made in India. village economy centled around labour' therefore, so was is intelested, not much It England and European domi- and handiclafts, can also be traced in what happens to hirn or around nated South Afi'ica which so made to the sanre soul'ce, though he never' hirn, but in what happens within him that he was nrole like an En- specifically refels to such books or' him. The autobiography is not a story glishrnan and less much ofan Indian thinl Gandhi, who by stages, reached the lnfluence of Christianity it was an evasion of a moral duty. .j dizzy heights of spiritual eminence. It rvas the family which sent him to Gandhi's public life started in The story was written rather eally England, rnaintained his wife and ' and is incomplete. Gandhi lived and England and could be tlaced to his chilcllen even under straitened cir'- ". continued to grow for two mole stomach. His frantic search for veg- curttstances: etarian diet altnost forced hirn to :: decades and his most glolious hours n - his sexual experiments with his reach out for establishments and as- The incidents mentioned by sociations rnole congenial tohis belieG Gandhi go to show that Gandhi was grand niece in Noakhali and his cru- ,ii good and always ,.lj cifixion wele still far away. and launched him on his career of nevel' a husband writing and public speaking. Gandhi took his rvife for granted for evety' ;tr Gandhi laboured hard and long is nothing if not a staunch IIir.rdu, tlringhe rv:rtrtecl f'r'onr her'. Kastut'ba's . '.' for self developrnent, but, as he but he discovered his leligion in feclings, needs and expectations were , repeatedly points out, his w:rs tlrc Dngl:rrrd:rrtd allive d aL ils dour alLcr lr.,r'tJly ever ct-rtrsulled arrd ttcvcl lo- ,,.. struggle ofa tlee sprouting from the plolonged lvandcrings anrong spectecl. But there is nothing new or 1* seeds long enrbedded within. I{e has Christian tracts a nd discussions. The sut'plising about this attitude be- "eg carefully pointed out such embry- deep implession nrade by Chtistian- ca use this rvas a plevalent tladition. gg:i onic traces - his instinctive devotion ity on his psyche rnade hinr a better' But the episode rvhich Gandhi has % Oclober-December 1994 Freedom First 15 ' '-::' .: ...,, t ...;r:r{:+.! ..,'n'.1..:.1; blown out of proportion is clearly an Autobioglaphies hardly ever Gandhi is no longer an exclusively i.j afterthought. There is hardly any outlive their authols by a decade, Indian phenomenon. The Wester.n...:i impropriety in his sexual approach but this has survived neally thlee discovely of Gandhi has glown into to his wife while his father was sick. generations and is still in demand, a majol interest and his methods for He had been ill for months and there more abroad than in India. redlessal of grievances were studied was no sign that he was about to and widely applied when dealing with Attenborough's "Gandhi" has collapse. The young couple had every lacial issues in the U.S. and South boosted its sale and circulation. right to intimacy at all times. This Afi'ica. Gandhi was an improvement probably is due more to the glandeur on the Christian response to evil. there is far lessjustification of Gandhi than to any But intrinsic melit Christ advocated peacful submission took with of its own. a colossus for the risk which Gandhi Gandhi strode like to Evil, tlusting in God for eventual the lives of his wife and son. Gandhi over India for more than a genela- justice. Gandhi synthesised Hindu prospects his tion and "Last was ruined the future of his Pltase" his and Christian attitudes and called children by keeping them away from finest hour. "One l\llan This Army" fol peaceful resistance and non-cub- formal education and even a Gandhi as Mountbatten glorified him, was mission to Evil and left the Divine voice has no right to do so. His specious the strongest of reason and agency out of such conflicts. argument that such intellectual charity during the holocaust which equipment is not so indispensable pleceeded and accompanied Indepen- Nobody, not even his aldent for an ethically well cultivated mind dence, and it greatly helped in pre- adnrit'els, support Gandhi's quaint would hardly hold water. A doctor, serving the secular characteristics ins istence on pre-industriia I technol- an engineer, a lawyer and even a of Indian society. His death was o8y or his bizzale views on food and teacher are sought after for technical probably his g:'eatest selvice to In- sex. But Gandhian methodolory has competence rather than for moral dia, because the blutal saclilege ploved to be more effective and fal qualities. Nobody would ever dispute shocked the cornnrunal forces into mole popular than Gandhian phi- the importance of ethical standards, silence for a decade during which losophy as embedded in his Autobi- but that is not the only thing, or even Indian polity got consolidated. oglaphy. the most important thing needed for professional performance. There is Gandhi is often quoted, some- PROF. NAGINDAS SANGHAVI is a retired little to distinguish between human times even corl'ectly. His life style Prolessor ol Politics ln colleges affiliated to and animal labour but education has become the touchstone by which the Bombay University and is a widely read political commentator ln Gujarati. makes all the difference. the Republic evaluates itself. But Freedom First 16 October-December 1994 .li.i:rr'..i$t .-.,.-..'-,".-0.:;r"*l- - 1J'Atuhrrl*d@ _t _. ilti! Gandhi's Place in Today's Politics Adi H. Do Our presenl oge is one ol doubls, onxielies qnd trqnsilion. lt is lhe ripe lime to lqke o closer look ol Gondhi's ideos ond ideols. Gondhi moy not hove discovered lhe whole lrulh. But lhen who ever does? Rqlher lhqn lighlly dismiss Gondhion lhought qs irrelevqnl lo our limes we should loke serious nole of il ond inlegrote if wilh our own ideqs ol lhe fulure. Gandhi's 125th Birth Anniversary West conrprising of the fast glowing indus- empowering govenrmerrt. Gandhi has gener- should be an appropliate occasion for us to trial states of Gujarat, Maharaslrtra, Pur{ab alll' 5""rr corrdenrued as a luissaz-litire revisit Gandhian thought, to see what iu the and the poor East nrade up oftlie rural antl philosol:her who wanted a goverurnent that Mahatma's writinp is relevant for us today. poor states of Bihar, Orissa, U.P. We cau governed least. Now, while this is broadly Surprisingly, such an exercise reveals that allowsuch a divide to develop onlyat theperil true, rvhat is beingoverlooked is that Gandhi there is nuch in Gandhian thought that we of the country's unity aud future rvell-beirrg. rvanted less governmetlt so that the 1;eople would be ill advised, to dismiss lightly. I For Suslainable Development coulcl be free to do more thinp forthemselves would, briefly like to enumerate the various through voluntary effort. Gandhi was not Gandhian ideas, which according to me con- A third relevaut concept rve find in opposetl to the staterr(rlsc, but to the glorvirrg stitute sigrrificant, relevant insights for Gandhi's economic thinldng pertains to sus- tendency to look to the State to do thinp for contemporary India. tainable developrnent. Gandhi much before the people. Garrdhi was extremely cautious in many rnodern economists, had warned that his apploach to the State because he fealed ii Not by GNP alone man's gleed for more and mole was 1:rofits that a 1>owerful State would do the greatest t First is the idea that human develop- leacling mankiucl to unsustainable develop- harm to nrankindby destroyilgindividuality ment is more important than growth ment by exhausting precious uatural ancl creativity which lie at the root of all measured in terms of increasing Gross Na- resources, and ilreparably darnaging tlre hunrau prog'l'ess. In fact the Gaudhiau nres- tional Produd (GNP). It has been a long envirorrrnent. Gandlil was trul-y the forerun- sage of ernpouiering the people rather than standing practice with the World Bank to ner ofthose econonristg rvho are now urging goverlrrneut is an idea that can be used to rank countries according to their per capita us to adopt tronpolluting technologies ancl provicle the rnotive force for our present pro- GNP and to measure their glowth in terms rely ou reuewable sources oferterry lihe rvincl glarn of ecorrornic libelalisrn which aims at of increase in GNP. Now Gandhi would con- and solar power than on such tron-renewable taking the State or government out of the siderthis to be an extremely flawedargunreut sources like coal and oil. realm of econornic activity. fortwo reasons. Firstly, he wouldsay that the A fourth relevant insight rve find in Firrally, a word ou the Gaudhiau doc- GNP may give us an idea of the increase in Gandhi's thouglrt relates to corupetition. tline of Ahiursa and its place in today's politics. the country's total produce, but it tells us Gandhi would have never approved of The inrportant point regarding Gandhi's doc- nothingabout the country's produce which is minclless competition in greed for aurassing whether is an actual distributed. In other words, a rising trirre of non-violence is not it wealtlr. In his classic rvork l/izrl Stottxrj, absolute cleed which must be practised by all GNP does not necessarily imply equitable Gandhi points out how with greed ancl rather the key point distribution which alone promotes well-be- under all circurnstauces, competition as motive forces, even the uoble that Gandhi is making is tl'rat no pertnanetrt ing of the masses. A rise in GNP may be at plofessions of aud lawyers, whose doctors social, 1>olitical or ecouomic change cau be the expense ofthe masses, by makingthe few I s|. prime duty is to serve, have been con'u1>tecl. br:ought abqut by violent srearu. Vested in- ricfi, richer. Gandhi believecl in reprding work as a clrrty, ij terests that oppose social chanp, Gandhi .)t Secoudly, Gandhi would argue that that must be sincerely, dedicatedly and algued, nrust be couvincecl, changed aucl wott ';i development, measured in terrrrs of rnere efficierrtl.y perfolurecl. Today rvhile we sirrg over. To forcibly subdue thern would only .? increase in GNP, if brought about with the the praise of cornpetition, let us t'eruember tnake thenr go unclerground or temporarily '': clis' Ganclhi and clalk side of conrpetition, help of technolory and machinery that the Pletencl subnrissioD; alrcl at sonre future clate, placed labour, could only increase hunrau namely the waste, inefficiency and when the State power weal October-December I g94 Freedom First l7 t i:i'i /-:(';ir o Total abolition of Licence-PermirQuota Rai that brrceds comrptlon WILL YOU LET THINGS GO ON THE SAME WAY. OR SHOULD YOU FIGHT TO REVERSE THE TREND? SWATANTRA BHARAT PARTY HAS A PLAN. YOU CAN BE A PART OF IT. 1: we have identified the major issues -the urgent and the important. Fill in and mail the coupon for a free copy of our plan. 2: ve urge you to start to speak up and arouse the conscience of every Indian you meet. 3: Give the frustrated voter a clean alternative to dirty politics. Every Indian voter SWffiBIIARATPARIYdeserves a clean alternative to dirry politics. Straight Thinking, Straight Tdking. lMr. SharadJoshi I President lS*"t"nt. Bharat Parry, 1 Sasoon Bldg., 143 M G Road, Bombay 400 001. lTel :27o 610 / 271 578 / 274 453 I Yes, I am deeply concemed at the deteriorating siruation in all aspects of lndian life. i Please send me material that will explain your concems, and offer a well-reasoned laltemative. I understand that I am under no obligation to share your views. I I am not connected to any political peny. I Name Address ! r.,*o riE;;i:i:.,:;i+ The Swatantra Economy i Obstacles and Challenges Gongodhor Godgil The Rojoji Foundotion's Rojoji Birthdoy Lecture, 1994, wqs delivered by dislinguished Mqrolhi Litteroteur ond Economist, Prof. Gongodhor Godgil unlikely to revelse itself for the While these factols indicate that simple l'eason that "socialist ccn- liberalization is by and lat'ge it'r'e- tral11' planned arrd highly regulated versible, there are thleats, as is ecouonries do not wor'l<. Tl'rey are evidenced fronr the probletus in Russia not only inefficient, they are also rvhele the plocess could end in failr.rle unsustainable." I-Iowever', wal'ned and revelsal. Prof. Gadgil: "A lealistic assessment of the situation does not indicate Dealing with the conditions thlrt that the libelalization plocess rvill could defeat the liberalization plo- be unhanrpered and snrooth." ccss in India, Plof. Gangadhal Gaclgil pointed out the ct'ucial importance Accolding to Prof. Gadgil fac- <-,f larv and ot'der and price stability. tols favouring liberalisation were: "If life and pt'opet'ty ale not secure, if crinrinals can intet'fere rvith trnd o Economic polver in the lvorld rvas impose albitlary buldens on busi- now in the hands of fi'ee ness and conllnel'ce, if thele is an economies who also control unholy marriage of crinre and poli- intelnational institutions lil October-December 1994 Freedom First 19 :l,r ,. : r" :::,'j elements in doing so and some of are likely to suppor.t continuation independent social or.ganisations them have been taken over by crimi- of the socialist welfar.e state because which al.e colnnlitted to steady, nals. it protects thern fi.our dentands that constructive effolt and which firmly a free nrarket econonry nrahes on les ist encroachl'rlents on individual Among other dangers to the them," obser.ved Pr.of. Gadgil. liberty by the Governnrent", plof. liberalization process were: Gadgil said that foltunately ther.e Emphasising the impor.tance of wel'e, even today a ferv such o Fiscal indiscipline, frauds in the voluntary organisa tions and volu n- organisations in India. He pointed fi nancial sector and uncontrolled tary effolt in social life, Pr.of. Gadgil out to men like Anna I{azare and monetary expansion; expressed the view that this rvor.rld Pa ndura ngshastli Athavale rvho have help reduce the social and political built such olganisations. o the reluctance of public sector malaise fi'orn which the countly is monopolies to relinquish their suffeling. Unfortu nately the cou ntry Concluding the 1994 Rajaji monopoly control with ministers had "a lalge anny of pseudo volu ntrr r..y Birthday Lecture, Prof. Gangadhar incharge of these monopolies social workers, who are exploiting Gaclgil undellined the crucial need themselves resisting the process society for their.own benefit. Inslead for the policy of liberalisation to of liberalisation and insisting of being the defendels of individr.rrrl succeed. He said: on giving approvals on 'a case liberty and independent voluntary by case' basis or as some wags effblt, they are becotrr ing instlunrcnts "Liberalisa tion might cause pain put it on'a suitcase by suitcase' of colluption. These voluntar.y r,r'or'- in the short run but it will bring basis; kers and the politicians generate inrnrense benef-rts in the long run. cynicism in society and give lise to It has been.done in so many Asian o the fact that despite the declared extlemist nroventents, which are countlies, which until lecently were intentionofgivingup licencing, comnritted to wholesale destruction as pool'and undeveloped as wb al.e. controls and subsidies, entr.e- of the existing or.der." We must lear.n ft'om their. experi- preneurs al.e continuously ence and find rvays of mininrizing subjected to various regulations Pointing out the need for. "r'ol- econonric distress as we progl.ess by politicians and bur.eaucrats. untary workels who steadily build along the path of libelalisation." The politicians and buteaucr'ats who obstruct the liberal isation process for their own narrow selfish ends have unfortunately the support of large classes of people Iike ernploy- Why o Swotontro Economy is the Best ees in the public sector, farmels, small manufacturers and others who benefit from the controls, regula- Thefree ond profit-motivoted economy thot Swotontro tions and subsidies in our pr.esent stonds for hos not only been demonstroted in the economy. In reality the losses they post suffer because of the present eco- world's ond current history os the best method nomic system, are far more than of creoting weolth through humon lobour, intelligence the gains they secure lronr it. Il is ond copitol; it is olso lhe mosl effeclive minimizer of however, a very difficult task to concentrotion of power, bring it home to them. Perhaps the biggest obstacle to Controlled economy is control of the people ond liberalization is the emasculation oso ne.cessory consequence, on extinguisher of humon , ilr of the people and the develcp,ment incentives, The sociolist philosophy of controlled economy of the habit of total dependence on is bosed on the two folse ossumptions of the omni- the state for the solution of their science of government ond the slupidity of the people. problems. But it is the intelligence ond interest of the peopte thot "When a population loses its ultimotely must produce oll the weolth we seek to character and abilit.y to be sturdily produce. self-reliant, it is unlikely to support C. Rojogopolochori, the disma ntlingofthe socia list welfare state. On the contrary, the people Sworojyo, October 31, 1964. Freedom First 20 O ctob e r- De c e rnb e r 1 994 Why Socialism Failed Sociolism connol ond will nol work in lhe long run becouse it is nol consistent wilh fundqmentol principles of humon behoviour. Socialism is the Big Lie of the system of accounting and plivate plact ica l, irnperfect capita lism which twentieth century. While it prom- property rights plovide an efficient, allows them to claim that socialism ised prosperity, equality and secu- inten'elated system of incentives to is supelior to capitalism. rity, socialism delivered poverty, guide and direct economic behaviour. perfection were an misery and tyranny. Equality was Capitalism is based on the theory If really achieved only in the sense that that incentiues matter! available option, the choice of eco- political systems everyone was equal in his or her nomicand would be Under socialisnr, irrelevant. a world with petfect misery. Socialism is nowa bankrupt, incentives play In discredited, and flawed nineteenth a minimal role or are ignoled totally. beings and infinite abundance, Any century theory that has failed mis- A centlally planned econorny with- econonric or political system would prices work perfectly - socialism, capital- erably in countries around the world. out market or profits, whele property is owned by the state, is a ism, fascism, conrnrunisnr ol any other In the same way that a Ponzi system without an effective incen- systern would work pelfectly. scheme or chain letter initially suc- tive mechanism to direct economic However', the choice ofecononric ceeds but eventually collapses, so- activity. By failing to enrphasize political cialism may show early signs of incentives, socialism is a theory and institutions -Is cruciaIly relevant inrperfect univetse success. However, as we have seen inconsistent with hurnan natule and in an such as ours imperfect beings recently, any initial success of col- is thelefole dooured to fail. Socialism with and linrited I'esoul'ces. Only ina wolld lectivism quickly fades as the fun- is based on the theory that ince n.tiues scalcity essential an damental deficiencies of central don't matter. of is it for planning emerge. It is the initial econonric systenr to be based on a a cleal incentive structure to plomote illusion ofsuccess that gives govern- In ladio debate several months ment intervention its pernicious, ago with a Marxist professor frorn econornic efficiency. The real choice we face is between imperfect capi- seductive appeal. In the long run, the University ofMinnesota, I pointed' .i obvious of talism and impelfect socialism. Given $j socialism has always proven to be a out the failures soeialism the world Cuba, Eastern that choice, the evidence of history iig formula for tyranny and misery. around in ,!:.* Europe and China. At the time of our overwhehningly favours capitalism r?.,l '';N lncentives the Key debate, Haitian refugees wele lisk- as the gteatest wealth-producing tr ing theil lives trying to get to Flolida econor.nic system available. A chain or Ponzi scheme lettel in homeurade boats. Why rvas it, I is unsustainable in the long run asked him, that people wele fleeing The strength of capitalism can because based on prin- be attlibuted to a very clear incen- it is faulty Haiti and tlavelling almost 500 miles tive based upon the three ciples. Likewise, collectivism is by ocean to get to the "evil capitalist stluctule unsustainable be- Ps: (I) prices determined by malket in the long run ernpire" when they were only 50 miles cause is a Socialism forces, (2) a profit-and-loss system of it flawed theory. from the "workers'paradise" of Cuba? cannot and will not work in the long accounting, and (3) priuate property run because it is not consistent with The Marxist admitted that ma ny rigltts. The failure of socialism can fundamental principles of human "socialist" countries around the world be traced to its neglect ofthese thlee behaviour. The collaps.e of socialism were failing. However', according to incentive-enhancing components. can be traccd to one critical defect hinr, the l'eason for failure is not that Pricing that guarantees that it will always socialism is deficient, but that the The Role of fail - it is ar systcru that ignolcs socialist econonries ale not plactic- Itr a tniit'lict ccotrotri;', the price. incentives. ing "pul'e"socialism. The pelfect vision systetn coot'dinatcs and guides eco- 'f just ofsocialism would work; it is the nonric activityso flawlessly that most In a capitalist economy, incen- ,': inrpellect socia listn that doesn't woll<. people the irnpqp- .. tives are of the utmost inlportance. don't appleciate Malxists like to conlpare a theoreti- role nrarket prices play. IUarket prices, the profit-and-loss tant that cally perfect version ofsocialism with plices information IUarket tlansmit ' Oclober-December 1994 Freedom First 21 :i.];+ about relative scarcitY and then out at the time, we could have elimi- Without competition, centlally efliciently coordinate economic ac- nated the lines at the pump in one planned economies do not have an tivity. The economic content of plices day by allowing the price to rise to effective incentive structule to co- "tJ provides incentives which promote clear the market. oldinate econornic activity. Without economic efficiency. incentives the results are a spilalling Frorn our expelience with price cycle of poverty and urisery. Instead example, when the OPEC controls on gasoline the For and long of continua lly leallocating lesources the supply lines at the purnp and genelal incon- cartel restricted ofoil in towards gleater efficiency, socia Iism prices dlamati- venience, we get an insight into what the 1970s, oil rose falls into a voltex of inefficiency ancl cally. The higher price for oil and happens under socialism whele euery failure. gasoline transmitted valuable infor- price in the econorny is controlled. mation to both buyers and sellers. The collapse of socialism is due in Property Rights Consumers received a strong, clear part to the chaos and ine{Iiciency defect of socialism message about the scarcity of oil by that result fi'om altificial prices. The A third fatal disregard the role the higher prices at a the pump and infolrnation content of a contlolled is its blatant for that private plopelty rights play in were forced to change their behaviour plice is always distolted, which then dramatically. People reacted to the distorts the incentives mechanism of creating incentives that fostel eco- growth and development. The scarcity by driving less, carpooling prices under socialism. Adrninisteled nouric ofsocialism alound the world more, taking public transportation, prices ale always eithel too high or failule commons" on a buying smaller cars, etc. Producers too low, which then creates consttrnt is a "tlagedy of the reacted to the higher price by in- shortages and surpluses. Marl Freedom First 22 October-December 1994 -'" 51Sra,g;,1,,'",t, ' ' ..*i#{* erty rights. It is only statist govern- peoples - hurnan lesoul'ces. Lie of socialism because they ments that have failed to undet'stand Socialism's 'Big Lie' property rights. Socialist countries Socialism will remain a constant' are just now starting to t'ecognise By their failure to foster, pro- the inrportance of private ploperty nrote and nurture the human poten- in our' fight against socialisnt as they privatise assets and property tial of their people thlough incentive in Eastern Eulope. enhancing institutions, centlally has begun a wolldwide lenaissance planned econornies deprive the hu- ,; Therefore, without the incen- of fi'eedonr and libelty. For the fir'st '.. tives of market prices, plofit-and- man spirit of full developnrent. tirrre in the history of the wolld, the Socialism fails because kills and Ioss accounting and well-defined it day is conring vet'y soon when a destroys the hurnan spirit - just ask property rights, socialist economies majority of .the people in the world ! the people leaving Cuba hor:re- stagnate and wither. The economic in rvill live in free societies or societies made t'afts and boats. : atlophy that occurs under socialism lapidl.y moving towalds fi'eedom. is a dilect consequence of its neglect The temptress of socialism is Capitalisnr of econouric incentives. willplayatrrajollole .'' constantly luring us with the offer: in the global levival of libelty and "Give up a ofyour and .i No amount of natulal l'esoul'ces little freedour plosperity, because it nut'tules the 'il I will give you a little mole security". is everenough to compensate a country human spirit, inspires hutnan cre- As the expelience of this century has for its lack of an efficient system of ativity and plomotes the spirit of . demonstrated, the balgain incentives. Russia, for example, is is tempt- entelprise. By providing a powerfi[I ing but never pays off. We end up ; one of the world's wealthiest coun- systenr of incentives that pronrotes .,ii losing both our fi'eedom and our tries in terms of natural resources; thrift, hard work and efficiency, ':, it has some of the world's largest security. capitalism creates wealth. j reserves ofoil, natural gas, diamonds Programs like socialized medi- The nrain difference between '- and gold. It also has valuable farm cine, welfare, social seculity and capitalisur and socialism is this: i. land, lakes, rivers and streanrs acl'oss capi- nrin-irnum wage laws will continue talism rvolks. j' a land area that enconrpasses 11 time to entice us because on the sulface zones and yet is on the verge of it they appearto be expedient and bene- OR. MARK J. PERRY is an assistant Protessor ' becoming a third world countly. ficial. Those pl'ogl'alus lil .t "j: i_s Oualily. lt's something we don't have to lacl thal 60,000 molors leave our lalk aboul much. At Bharal Biilee our. laclory every year. producls speak eloquenlly lor us. And ln litls, we ve moved up ralhef last so do our cuslomers. Because lor lorly And wilh our lechnical collaboralion years now lhe Bharal Biilee name has wilh Schindler ol Switzerland we're all spelt quality. Be il in translormers. set to move even higher. motors or litls Bharat Bijlee Ltd. We have recenlly ventured inlo flew a Electric Manson, Let's lalk about lranslormers. Our lield projects lurnkey eleclrilicatron Appasaheb Marathe Marg, range is one that's won wide approval - quality Here loo il's our commilment to Prabhadevi. Bombay 400 025. kom some very demanding cuslomers. thal's earning us a name in lhe lield And we're always looking lor innovalive ways lo enhance lhe range. Our aclivities are dwerse. Yet lhey all Transformers.Motors. have one lhing in common. Qualily motors Bharal Brllee loo have madb Ol an uncommon kind. Lifts.Projects. lheir mark. As is amply borne oul by the Srsla 1.BB 3?9/86A ELECTRONIC TYPEWRITER The right choice for your office. STARWRITER \TERY, \TERY TALENTED :-ir.' r _ -r:.r;i151+:.-:sl jr. .. r: i:r:j ; i:, :rl :'.,:{: .h Are there lndians in lndia ? 'i;r Bhomy V. Shenoy The British policy of 'divide ond rule' helped them keep lndio for 200 yeors. Our politicions ond rulers hove the some policy to keep lndions divided into myriod frogments. This hos denied economic freedom lo millions of poor lndions who ore not in o posilion to enjoy their politicol freedom. When there are more than nine In our countly we have the exception ofcomnrunists use caste hundred million Indians in India the organizations to replesent the factot's to the maximum to rvin title of this article will be perceived intelests of every conceivable sub- e lections. by at least a few to be plovocative gloup at every possible place be it enough to reflect and act on the the university, a gdvernment office, National Perspective Missing thoughts I have expressed. It is in- and the factory at the mict'o level a nd No political palty today is ca- evitable that some may consider the at macro level,stleets, villages, blocl If one meets an Indian in any It is easy to blame politicians for' part of India and asks about his (Mis)Using Caste and Religion all the ills of the society. But the j:i; identity, the latter is likely to stalt citizens both educated and with what language or dialect he If the BJP won the UP election uneducated, rich an poor', urban and i1 !i speaks followed by his sub-caste, the in 1990 nrainly using Lhe Hindutua ruLal, infornred and uninformed at'e fir village and pelhaps the district he card, the victory of the SJP of Mu layam equally to blame in a dernoclacy. The '{J hails from and, inan unlikelysituation Singh and the Bahujan Samaj Palty educated havc greater rbsponsibil- ,:+ even the state of his origin. Out of Kanshi Ram in'1993 was equally ity. But they ale the ones who have political leaders have been making on caste and conrmunal lines. It is betla.yed India. sure that all their votels do know not that other palties upheld high Reason theirsub-caste, dialect and the leligion nroral principles. Thev also tlierl to Lack of Education not the appease one gloup or another using to which they belong etc. In other' Often rve a ttt'ibute nra nY of our words all the possible factors which divisive factols. In the beginning, ploblen.rs to lacl< of education. Let us can divide and sub-divide Indian tl're Congress succeeded in cleating see horv our highll' educated and society into infinitesimally stuall vote banks olblahmins, SC, ST and affluent Inclians in the USA al'e gl'oups. muslims. Every palty pelhaps 'rvith pelfornring. October-December 1994 FreeCom First 25 . \,'! : - :.':1,,,;", I 1 : i' ;.t,i1 .,r. . :: 1,1 :. lj":it.'+.j:i,i"t:5f.!,i+ffi Even as it is not possible to find that people have stnrted to clamour ol the exploding population (*hi:; ,' a true Indian in India, the same is for nrole leselvations. Everybocly ctrn be argued as the result rather.:,rol trge in the case of the USA despite would lihe to be consideled as be- tha n the ca use ofunderdevelopurent) ' the fact there are more than one Ionging to some backwat'd class. Melit ol sollle such leason that India is million Indians in that country. In and hat'dwork have, in tl're pl'ocess, unable to develop and mal Freedont First 26 October-Decenber 1994 :. . ','# Secularism : The Debate Continues Plato knew his Onions Sheryor Ookerjee I aglee entirely with the contents Tolelance of another pel'son's viervs that epic poets lil October-December 1994 Freedom First 27 ',,.,,-... .t.. j41fii citizenship and not on the concept to create a secularsociety have beconre of religions denomination. In other meaningless and carry no conviction words, the state established by the with the people. Constitution is a secular state and not a theocratic state. What is worse, religion which was hitherto confined to the plivate Consistent with this basic con- lives of people has rnade powelful cept of the Indian Constitution, the int'oads into secular aspects of our' Representation of People's Act lays polity. r'eligious vote ba nks being the down that appeal to religious senti- central considelation in our elections ments at the time of election would to democratic institutions, Choice of be deemed to be a corrupt practice. candidates by all palties have been It is because of this express provision on the "non-secular" considerations that the Bombay High Cout't in recent of caste and religion. On the conclu- judgements set aside the elections of sion of elections, the composition of several Shiv Sena candidates. the council of I\{inistels is based on cement caste and religious composition. Th is If during the last 44 years the intrusion of religion in politics has State had scrupulsously adhered to greatly strengthened the hold of the concept of secularism as envis- religion, weakened the concept of aged in the Constitution, the concept equal citizenship and made a mock- would have by now taken deep roots. ery of our secular Constitution. Unfortunately this has not happened and hence Indians instead of think- What is wolse, it has vitiated ing themselves as equal citizens of the social atmosphere which appeal's the Indian Republic have started to be much wol'se then it was before thinking themselves as members of the advent of our secular Constitu- castes, communities and religions. tion. Traditionally Indian society has gone on, on the basis of the principle The Constitution does not talk of 'live and let live'. Awale of the of a secular Instead society. it rec- existence of different leligions and ognizes the existence various of caste gloups, traditional Indian so- religions and the freedorn of Indian ciety expected them to observe their' to pursue Citizens their religions. It own religious practices and olganise is one of the fundamental freedoms their festivals in which menbels of granted by the Indian Constitution. other castes or religions could also In other words even if the society is be invited to participate which,in religious, the be State could secular. the face-to-face communities of vil- Unfortunately the co-existance lages and even in towns and cities of a secular State and a religious they often did with gteat gusto. In society has not been a successful the day to day business of life, dif- experience. We should analyse why. ferent castes and religious commuuities coopelatecl lvith each That the Indian society is deeply othet on the basis of theil comple- religious is a fact to be recognised. mentaly traditional skills and Not only the masses of people but functions. A general spirit of har'- even the elite and the well to do are nlony plevailed without incantation no exception, save some agnostics. of the term "secularisnr" in season This is strikingly demonstrated by and out of season. In several areas the fact that on assumption of office, of life membels of diffelent castes the first act of the people at the and religions collabolated. Fol ex- highest level is to rush to religious ample Hindustani nrusic is truly a places and seek the blessings of the gleat tladition jointly nultulcd b.y deity. The same behavioul is displaed Hindus and Muslims alike frotn the in tinres of trouble to secure divine days of Anrir Khuslo, Swanri Hnlicl:rs blessings for continuance in power. and Miyan Tansen. For such people to give sermons on creatinga secularsociety is the height Unfoltunately, politics has up- of hypocracy. That is u'hy their appeals set the apple car[ of this traditional Freedom First 28 October-December 1994 a:_:;1."J;l:,*i coexistence and corporation. As a pl'ove to be a rvill-of-the rvisp. In- result, the general ethos of hartno- stead of pursuing it, l'et those in nious living has all but vanished. autholity scrupulously adhele to the Witness the barbarous events in requirenrent of a secular.state rvhich Bombay, Ahmedabad, Surat a nd ma ny the Constitution lnys dou'n. Sonre of other plaaes. At the same tinre, it these nray be enunrer.ated as follorvs: should not go unnoticed that in nlany trouble pl'one places like Pune, 1. All Indians ale treatecl as citi- Bhiwandi and Belgaurn, peace pre- zetrs - thele al'e no IIindu, Muslinr vailed and even in Bombay, exanrples or Christian Indians. FAVOUR of humanity in the midst of commu- to your frlardr nal conflaglation have been leported. t ttd t|rdn 2. All citizens ale govelned by the This shows that while the . r.rrdc eqt ol sanre law - constitutiona I, critni- blutalisation of the psyche of Indi- fccdom FLrt nal and civil. wtth your corpllmartr ans has taken place on a lalge scale, all is not lost and the tradition of Frrcdoft Fkrt .]. Developnrent progl'anrrnes r. tolerance a nd nlutual cooperation can ar.e fo ,llh f@. still be revived. all citizens - there at'e no specinl lt7,r'l'ffn Ga(hi b "tninolity ploglanrnres". Eorbr/ {0@t3 But that cannot be done by Plcdc sand a srndc cogy oa facclomfrsf b l'E lulcidiB wih m/ cqnplirEtB. invoking a secular society. Such a 4. There al'e no special nrinorit.y thing does not exist and is more self conrnrissions - all needy citizer-rs deception. After 70 years of couuuu- get state assistance on the basis nism, the orthodox church has conre of gcneral stipulations. back to Russia. And in Poland, the catholic chutch plovided the inspi- 5. Those in autholity do not mal October-December 1994 Freedom First 29 .,., .,iiti PS (The latert weapol ln tbe atrwar) Orient introduces PllEtO - the latest Air qelodes the Air I\mnel conc€pt and provid€s, Performance Oilpuf. PSFTO is breakttuough which delivers ma:cimum air over the largest area. At electricity cost OnlEmPEnO. The ultimate breallhrough inAir Supply Tecturologry, n CIRIENT $ PSFOADYAI{TAGE PSP@ il fu DESIGI{ T DTA BLADE o IAXFTOROUE Morealreueryuhae AUTOSPEED RETENNOil o THEFSPOFACTOR il ffil?*otJt JtanJ&.totrl PSFf:4@bPstlos2O ri: iiiiilii;iiiiiiL:ji.:'jl:iri,.-irir:r,r,,i,ririrr::tir: r....lr::,.j..ii:i.:ti.r,r+i:,.:r:iil-i:,.ti.i+:,r1,+iiitlliri:ii,.rit,:i ljn,rili".,+ Mudra OGI 3l9a . .i,-f:i'F Which Fundamentalism? lqn Tickle Fundomentolism is o big word. lt embroces o lot. lt is difficult lo refroin from opplying it to Voticon policies, where the end juslifies the meons to the extent of estqblishing on ollionce with number one public enemies. lVhat are we to ruake of the it) Inost Rotrrirtr Catholics, as that which has just been held in individual births, but b.y definition 94 ), the lollorvingsentence appearctl: : Cairo, is bound to tut'tr on f:rlnily it is not contr':rce1>tion. So hou' rlirl "'l'he I\{rrslinr religion is being used planning. If we ale fighting for a thc tu'o things coure to be icltrntific.rl by Islnnric nri I itants fol political ends". better wolld for oul children at'rd our so closely cluring the pt'e-cotrfr,t'ctrce 'l'he l uthol nr ight h:rve bcen shoclictl children's childlen, the problenr of publicitl'? to inrrrgine thnt a sinril:rt' setrtetrce 1.t population has to be addlessed. For lbottt Chlistianity nright be tt'tte -" October-December 1994 Freedortt First 31 ,,.;1'-;iTt:; ;1. "'' when it is allied to conventional contlaception. This success shor,rld is perceived as doing too little for the immorality that the trouble starts. be nreasured against the enolrnous poor. If thele is sotue truth in this di{fi cu lty in the rvay ofcha ngingsocirr I line of algunrent at the miclo Ievel, - where the conference Egypt habits in a tladitional society. For thele is none at all at tl're nraclo level. was - is a pelfect example of the held a t'ut'al Bgyptian lnnrily, tl're airn of Egyl:t as a rvhole has beconre urore is most densely dilernma. It one olthe fanrily planninghas aIrvirys bcen nlole pl'osl)erous over thc last trvo decndcs. populated countl'ies the wot'ld, in childlen not less. The glentest 'lhis is prrltly because of the tlichling mainly because most of its land is nrisfoltune for a mrrn was to have a down plocess of zr n ongo ing econonric desert. Although solne progless has balren wife - in a day when only boom and partly because of the been in makingthe desert gleen, made wonren could be barlen! The main success in curbing it is as nothing to the improvement t-ovelnnretrt's l'eason for this was plecisely the fact populrrtion g-r'owth. This nrust go on. public - to an in health leading in- that many childlen died before crease population so unblidled in adulthood - but habits ofthought do Of coulse this is not a boon to faced that the country is ah'eady not change easily. l'he fact that the t.he fundanrentalists. It is poverty with the catastrophic situation which iurprovenrent in public health sel'\,es itself not the end of it that serves the rest of the wolld rnay be faced the same purpose as having nrany theil purpose. Only by alienating with in a century ol'so. For nrillen- chilch'en, but in anothel rvay, has not Bg'ypt's poor - the ovelwl'relrning nia, the population of the Nile Valley yet strucl< a chord in the ilvcl'age nrnjoritl' of Egyptians - fronr the was limited by the fact that thele Eryptian village. B-ovel'nmel'rt can they evel hope to was a rough balance between life win porr'et'. Ancl then whele rvill the and death. Progless has changed that. Fundamentalists have a good poor be? Fundamentalisru is a big nallre alllongst the C:riro poor be- rvord. It emblaces a lot. It is difficult Successive Egyptian govern- cause of their good rvolks. 'I'l'reir' to refrain fronr applying it to Vatican ments - Muslirn but not funda- suppolt is based on charitable actir'- policies, where the end justifies the mentalist - have been well aware of ity. A starving nran who is given a nlearls to the extent of establishing the irnpoltance of faruily planning. good nrenl is not botheled by the fact an alliance rvith numbel'one public In the last decades, they have been that his benefactol nray be a lllur- encnries. relatively successful in culbing derer in anothel palt of his life. Tlre Courtesy: Swlss Press Review. population glowth by nreans of govel'nrnent is unpopul:rr because it Why did you bother to point out the Great Bear in the sky| Why did you worry if I played in thc rain too longl Why did you love my poems, my a$/fuI poemsl Why did you takc mc for long wdksl Why did you tell me not to run after moneyl Why did my successes make you proud? Why did you teach me to gamble on myself, and not on cardsl When I become a father, mayh I'[ know why. And I hope I'll be a fathcr likc you. Papa, pal, the complete man. NErc Eoutw rgr Freedom First 32 Oclober-Dece rnber 1 994 :1 G. N. Sormq .:1 Mojoritorionism con be inimicol lo freedom os disunited ond worring groups wilhin the body polilic. They moy use teligion, longuoge, culture or communolism to slir up discord ond :i ontogonism. Hod he witnessed lhe recenl olorming growth of religious fundomentolism ond ,) violenl religious ond ethnic strife os in Bosnio ond elsewhere, lord Acton moy hove ploced equol emphosis on the need to ensure bosic seculor ogreement omong the plurolistic elements in the polity. Darwin's On. tlte Origin of Species reurat'kable.how he, a believel and (1859) and the Descent of Man (1871) catholic, suppolted Bladlaugh's rudely distulbed leligious otthodoxy adruission into Parliament on and had the effect of questioning the Bladlaugh's own terms though vely foundations of the church and Bladlaugh was a lationalist. Libelty the authority of levelation. C.rtholic of conscience was, forActon, the soul society was in a state of felnrent of Liberalism a nd Catholicisrn as well. following the Oxfold movenrent. The British Genius for Religious lnfluence Contained Constitutiona lism The Libelal govelnnrent of In politics as in religion Acton LordActon's life spanned neally Gladstone abolished Univelsity Re- rvas faced with the tension between three quarters of the 19th centuly. ligious tests in 1871 and Acton rvho the spirit of Revolution and the con- It was a period crowded with events had been, as a Catholic, denied setvative tenrper. Burke was, to hinr, of historic and far reaching signifi- admission in the Univelsity of Canr- the last word in political wisdonr and cance. The unification of Italy (1861) blidge, was appointed Regius Plo- the English settlenrent of 1689 the was soon followed by the unification fessor in 1895. The decrees of the model of Revolution, notwithstand- of Germany (1871) under the Ilon Vatican Council (1870) ploclainring ing its set'ious defects. The British Chancellor Bismarck. With this, as the infallibility of the Pope and the genius fol constitutionalisru l'elll- Acton remarked, the day of pt'eenrinence of the chut'ch loused eclied these defects, avoided the blood- Machiavelli had an'ived. alaltn not only in leligious br.rt also shed and anzrlchy rr'hich nrallecl the in political quartels. Bismalck out- French Revolution and the Pat'is Coru- A notable event in the New World did the Pope by his Kulturkanrpfand mune. Acton viewed the fir'st Ameri- was the victory of the Federal folces posed a danger to leligion as rvell as can Revolution also in the same light. in the war (1865) and the civil earlier to society. The Amelican Settleruent, like the emancipation of slaves by Ablaham Blitish Settlement, had its.short- was the second Ameri- Lincoln. This Dr. Dollinger and Acton raised comings. "Weighed in the scales of can revolution according to Acton. their voices against the Vatican r:i Liber':r li-. rrr th e ins t rtrnre,nt, :ts it stoocl, dect'ecs and I)ollingcr s'ho \\'ir> ('s- Contemporary Events \\'as a rnonstlous flaud." But the pecially vehenrent in his protest rvas fedelal principle, as it developed in excommu continuecl Acton was in France duling the nicaterd. Acton to the U.S., r'emedied the defects and blood stained days of the conlnune hold libelalviewsbut rernained within enabled the glowth of a free and the chut'ch. as of Paris (1871) and knew revolution He desclibed hinrself libelal society. for what it was. The picture was '.Aman whostalted in 1ife...... a sincere Suspicious of Revolutions {-l different in England. The prosperity Catholic and a sincere libelal; who 11r:t and optimism of the industlialised therefore tenounced everything in Acton was deeply suspicious of .t: and imperial island was symbolised Catholicism which was not conrplt- ideologica I revolutionaty tuovetnents' by the Great Exhibition of 1851. The ible with libelty, and evelything in There was a basis of ideolory and Refolm Acts of 1832, 1867, and 1884 politics that was not cornpatiblrr rvitlr principle bch ind the Aruelican Revo- were landmarks in the plogress of Catholicity." He was clitical of the tution but it u'as testtained fi'oln deruocracy. J.S. I{ill's Ott Liberly I)apnc.y nnd the ch'.rlch lrrrt ttnpr','- Iiuctrtiuusness L,.y thc- inhclited spilit (1859) and Considet'ations on Rep- Jraled to lenounce tl.renr altogether'. of British tladition' The Flench resentatiue Gouernnten l (1861) wele In Acton's thotrght, liberralisnr rvas Rcvolution, in contl'ast, broke loose critical reflections on these political the secular face of leligion; and lib- fi'om :rll restraint in the asseltion of developments. The publication of eralisnr enriched one another'. It is abstract plinciple atrd tut'ned against October.December 1gg4 Freedom First 33 ,', ..r " - . "..-, the whole u nbulied past." Wholesale the Revolutionist annuls the histo- to the br.oadening of suffi.age in the , revolution, revolution in the nane rian." History, that is to say, is con- 19th centur.y. Was the progress of of ideolory, could have only one end struction and Revolution is undoing. dentoclatic r.eform consistent with - revolutionary dictatorship, revolu- It would seeln, frorn Acton's view, the spirit of libelalisrn? It was, at tionary justice, "Justice with ven- that the benefits of Revolution, if best, doubtful. Libelalism needed to geance". The French Revolution had any, al'e unintended and undesigned be safeguarded fi'om democr.acy and proclaimed liberty as its end but the and the result of the unseen wolking the dictatorship of nurnbels. passion for egalitarianisrn led to its of the law of Plogless. Revolution, Tocqueville and Mill wele ah'eady total eclipse. like absolute monat'chy, was the wolst pointing to the dangers of the tyr.- Acton & Bruke enerny of civil libelty and a violent anny of the majority in democlatic inten'uption of the steady course of societies. The plogless of democlacy Ideas are the reality of history Plogless. If this is so, one rnight ash, could by no llleans be halted but but ideolory is its undoing. In this is the law of pl'ogl'ess so restt'icted timely plec:rutions against its dan- respect, too, Acton bears comparison that it cannot take revolution within wel'e an ul'gent need. '.A true with Burke. Burke defended the t'el's its fold? Does history exclude levo- liberal, as distinguished from a Detuo- American Revolution because it was lution altogether? clat," wrote Acton, "keeps this peril in line with British tradition and always befole hiur". detested the French Revolution on Liberty Within the Law account ofits root and branch char- FIe justified the existence of the acter and its overpowering thirst for Acton's view of human nature House of Lords, in spite of its defects, was blqod. As it proglessed, it turned into not entilely consistent with lib- as a folce for stability. Further a fearful spectre and nightmare and elal philosophy and the Victor.ian extentions of suffrage were inevi- faith Plogless - unbalanced him. Acton was as vehe- in freedom bloaden- table but he entertained leservations ment as Burke in his condemnation ing from plecedent to plecedent. legalding equal voting rights for' would, no of the excesses of the revolutionalies Human natule doubt, be wolllen. He considered girls and but suggests that they need to be degraded undel levolutionary excite- widows as "Tories and channels for judged by the comrnon law of hurnan ment but even othelwise it is not clelical influence" and his objections nature rather than as exceptions to angelic. "By all neans we should against voting wives wel'e "ovet'- the rule. think well until forced to thinh ill of whehning". The sanctity of private people. But we must be plepared for. plopelty and fi'eedom of contlact are "The Revolution will never be that compulsion; and the exper.ience central elements of the libelal creed. intelligently known to us until we of history teaches us that the un- Adam Smith did ernphasise the discover its conformity to the corn- counted majority of those who gel a dourinant lole of labour in produc- mon law, and lecognise that it is not place in its pages are bad."Themasses, tion but the Revolutionists and So- utterly singular a nd exceptional, tha t in his view, weLe "ignorant, vulgar' cialists stletched his doctrine too far, other scenes have been as horrible and gleedy." The basic leality of denyingjustice to the othel factors. as these, and many men as bad." human natule is revealed undel the Their enthusiasrn fol equality an- temptation of power. The holdel of The Primacy of ldeas nulled the claims of libelty and office must be judged by his oflicial subjected the free will of the indi- In principle, however, Revolu- conduct a lone. The dying statements vidual to the unbridled power of the tion cannot be justified. At any rate of tylants ale always rnoving and State. Justice requil'ed, said Acton, it cannot be regarded as the sole pathetic but cannot extenuate their that propelty shoulcl not nbclicate, agent of history. IIe was only too rvell cliures. Powel does corLupt, it is tltrc:, but shale its political supl'elnacy. lt aware of the various forces shaping but we cannot deny that a few, at is not just a single class that is unfit history but accorded the plirnary place least, ale incolruptible. Libelalisru to govern, but every class is equally to ideas. He said in an Inaugulal rvould demand, in considelation of unfit to do so. lecture, "If the supreme conquests of political t'eality, the taming of powel society, are won more often by vio- rather than its total molal condem- Upholding the Moral Law lence than by lenient arts, if the nation. Contladictory, as it mayseell'1, Acton's sole concern was to Acton supported Gladstone's trend and drift of things is towalds action uphold the privacy ofconscience and in suspending lt.abeas corpus in Ire- convulsions and catastrophes, if the the nrolal law and to plesclibe guar'- land when Gladstone himself rvas world owes religious liberty to the antees fot fi'eedorn in the modeln apologetic. The libelty for which hc Dutch Revolution, constitutiona I state. He would not countenance stood was, in tluth, within and government to the English, federal not relativit)' in morals; the moral law outsicle thc fi'amcrvoll< of lalv ancl republicanisrn to the Aurelican, was not "ambulatot'y" and actions '" molality. political equality to the French and could not be justified by intentions. its successors, what is to become of Tyranny of the Majority Nol is it enough to be legally corl'ect us, docile and attentive students of in one's actions; what is more inrpot- . Reference has alreadybeen rnade the abcorbing past? The triunrph of tant is that.they should be ethically Freedom Firsl 34 October-December 1994 r:'' j:*it*ld ..l...l,i'''lrjl:' ilfl, :i':'" 'i valid. As a statement of plinciple cessful, of state rights ergain-st ag- ntentalism and violent leligious and this is unexceptionable. But in the gressive fedelal power.. ethnic stlifc as in Bosnia and else- reahn of politics where power, legal- rvhele, restated The Role of Nationalism his forruula and adcled ity and ethical right incessantlyjostle eclual enrphasis on the need to en- with each other, howare we to decide It was in his assessntent of the sule basic seculal agleement antong the character of historical persona li- conternporary phenonrenon of Na- the plulalistic elenrents in the pol- ties and actions? Judgement cannot tionalisnr that Acton rvas fal ahead ity. In this lespect N4ill and Acton be final and is subject to reconsid- of his tinre. "Free itrstitutions," rvlote rnay find collllllon glound. Variety is eration with the passage of the time J. S. Mill, "at'e next to inrpossible in tl're vely stuff of society but political and the discovery of fresh evidence. a country made up of dilferent na- irreconcilables can only teat' it apart Acton's assessment of historical char- tionalities." and insisted that the and Jrrepale the glound fol tyranny actets like Strafford, Laud, Challes boundaries of govelnments ancl and the cleurise of fleedom. I and Marie Antoinette illustlates nationalities ought to coincide. It may Appa rent Contrad ictions the diffrculty. be noted that Woodlow lVilson, too prescribed in 1918, natural selfde- Acton's thought has to bejudged Ensurlng Freedom termination as the basis of a new not just by the criterion of consis- world older'. Acton did acknowledge tency. The analyst can point to Thele could be only two ways of the historic role ol Nationalism; in anrbivalences and apparent contla- ensuring freedom in the modeln its positive phase it saved the world dictions in his ideas and attitudes political context - one, the federal frorn two of the worst enemies ofcivil and the lack of the steady light of state and other the pluralistic polity. freedonr - absolute rnonarchy and l'eason and nreasuled statenrent that The answer to the problem of the revolution. But later, when it allied distinguishes the writings of Mill. centralised state was provided by itself rvith democracy and majority But there is ample conrpensation in Anrerican federalism which l'econ- t'ule, it tut'ned into an enenry of his brilliant flashes of insight, and ciled state autonomy and centlal freedonr. Developurents since Mill in the nrajesty ancl stateliness of his power. Misuse of authority was and Acton have ploved both of thern utterances. What stands above all is prevented by the erection ofnurner- light. Majoritalianism can be inimi- h is passion for the sovereignty of the ous constitutional checks and bal- cal to freedour as disunited and nroral law, the indefeasible right of ances. Acton supported the filst wau'ing gloups with in the bocly pol it ic. conscience and the fi'eedom of the American Revolution which, with all They may use religion, l:rnguage, individual. its limitations, created a federal polity. culture ol'conmunalism to stir up He was sympathetic to the southern discord and antagonisnr. Acton nt ight PROF. G. N. SARMA is a retired Professor ol states in the civil war which in his have, had he witnessed the recent Political Science, Marathawada University, view, was an asseltion, albeit unsuc- alalming glorvth of leIigious fr-rndlr- Aurangabad. Some Memorable Quotes from Lord Acton i; "[Libertyl ... that great political idea, sanctifying fi'eedotn and consecLating it to God, teaching nren ,E to treasure the liberties of others as their own, aud to defend thenr fol the love ofjustice and charity rij more thau as a clairtr of right, has beerr the soul of'rvhat is gleut and good..." a. "There is not a more perilous or itntnoral habit of Inind than the sanctilf ing of strccess. Gleat men are rn almost always bad meu. The gleat questiou is to discover, not rvhat govelnluellts plescribe, but what they ought to prescribe; for no prescriptiou is valid against the conscience of rnankind." a ;!'lJ "Liberty is uot a mealls to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. Porvel tends to cornrpt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." o "Wheuever a single definite object is nrade the supl'erne end of the st:ite, be it the arlvantage of a class, the safety or the power of the coutrtry, th€-'gl'eatest happiness of the greatest trutnber, or the srrpport of any speculative idea, the state becom6s lor the tinre inevit:rb11' 116=o1'.,1"." October-December i 994 Freedom First 35 ',-'* IIIE TAKSIIMI MIII.S COMPANY UM]TED corM8Alo0t.6fl olt. Vinda Karandikar : Poet, Critic, Translator Jqtin Wogle His is o comptex literory ochievement encompossing poetry, tronslotion ond literory criticism. He seems to invest these spheres with lhe temperoment of on inlense unquiet invenlor. One apprehends an aging thr-ough four months of ligolous of this peliod. litterateur and his ptoductive past, iurprisonrnent in the eally 1940's, the way one would an imposing yet the tutnultuous times of the lreedoru 'This road is inescapable : tirne-ravaged lock at the sea-bed, nrovenrent, Kara ndikar cornpleted his look not with humility and with disbelief. The post-gladuation in English Litera- at these shivering creatures way one tries to grasp the forgotten tule in 1946. But even befole this . living without food, without rhythms of the sea by gazing onto pet'iod, he had stalted wliting po- clothes, the ravaged physiognomy ofthe rock, etly and had already got intelested without knowledge, without one attempts a recreation of the in the pelsonal essay. MadhavJulian, honoul literary history by examining the a foleurost Marathi poet of the pet'iod - stitch up youl eyes ! personality of the aging litterateur influenced Karandikal in these for- : one's critical eye remains cautious mative yeals. He sustained Look not yet nostalgic, painfully aware of the Kalandikar's faith in the cleative at these empty lives; limited vision of the plesent that act of wliting poetry as also in the you will see phantoms cannot really illuminate all the lost lelationship of poetry with scholar'- in the dead of night, get in moments of the past. Vinda ship. I{e also convinced him of the your bleath will stuck youl bleast. Karandikar, with a litelary cal'eer need for ernpowering Marathi as a spanning more than five prolific language of literary endeavour'. Folget tl'reru, stifle your r.vhinr- decades, poses such a challenge to Kalandil . October-December t g94 Freedom First 37 :-.r.. s the Modernist Marathi poetry. issues, coupled with an obvious and 'Make love that arises out of incessant expet'ilnentation. Though l; ;: :::l:"1, :';::,: this might appear to be a supelflu- ;,;;i,Hffi blood; Tn is a u t ho.i ta t ive t ra ns t"a t ;;'il;il"''ji Make love that's pure, like aninral ous ganre ofvocabulary in some cases, cliticaI conrnrentar.ies and a "onrpre-.11i drives; his belief in 'an open view of poetry' hensive introduction. The fir.st par.t'ii,; is the tlue rationale suppolting this Reach the major beast of blood of Goethe's Faust was translated by ,,: With all the folce of a hundled stlategv of expelinrentation. As the hinr in 1965. The most farnous of his lives. poet states in an interview rvith tlanslations, that of Shalcespeare's ii, ('Ten Make love that's dumb, without Sadanand Rege I\{inutes \Vith I(ing Lear was brought out as Raja '. a nante; The Poet', Poems ofVinda): "An o1;en Lear in 1974. This play was r.ecently :.. Be grass before you love and view of poetry believes in the pos- pet'formed by an exper.iurental the- kiss; sibility, the usefulness ancl tire zrtle gloult fronr Kolhapur to gr.eat ..,, Make love like this; but... thete's aesthetic significance of tnany lcinds clitical applause. Apalt fron: the ' a 'but', of moods, lnany kinds of folms and tlanslations into Malathi of these Make love before you know all urany kinds ofstyles. It doesn't equate Western classics, Kalandil Freedom First 38 October-December 1994 jt-r-,!"rt .: , I.r sr?;ii*::...:j'J;'r, .,i{ :jr"t -r,.! ' INDIA'S PARTITI ON: PIiOCES S, Sadat FIasan l\llauto, (cer.tainly not the rvidesple:rd enthusiasnr it STRATEGY AND MOBILIZA- his best ol the most 1>oigna nt) "Open". gr:r'ret'ated zrll over India pt.esents a TION; edi ted by Mushitul IIasan; nrost brrflling puzzle for political Partition is not or.rl.y a tlagecl.r, Oxfold Universi ty Press: Bomb:ry; sociologists.'ll.ris deurand as also the but also a tliumph of [olces unle:rshr:rl 1993; pp.426; Rs.390. I\{uslinr Lengue u,hich sponsot.ed it, b1' the currents of niodernisatiorr hacl :rbsolutely no leg to strrnd on in rvhich sought to tlansfbllll iln agL'- a n1'of lhc I\{ us liur nrajo rit;' provinces :;THEMES lN INDIAN HISTORY old cultule ancl rvhich sr.rpelinr1;osrrrl 66ep6 - Punjab, I3engal, Sind, North West in... i.- ...,; half- bahed Westeln idcnls ol1 nl1 lndns". Haruflon Ft'otrtiet' Proviuce (NWFP) and even tncta.- Easteln and unli\\'aher-red socintlrl l\ssltrr. Right up to the encl of the Radinss PrPcess-Stra;tegYdnd : landscape. The phenonrenon abounds 'Mobilization lorrd, thcse illeas \vel'e rulccl by non- ' in sevelal inexplicable enignras ancl Le:rgue l\{inistlies and, in the last palacloxes. Plof. Hasan has conccn- trvo of thenr, uncler the Congless tlated his attention on onl.1' of thc'tu: pzrt't1'. Sevet'al scholars - Da'icl the Jinnah ancl the role of i\{r'. Gilttrat'tin, Ian A. Talbot, Paltha cataclystnic outbul'st of sepalatist Clratterjce ancl Leonald Goldon have tendencies rvhich leached their' hcle sotrght to explain ancl accouut rvithin less decacle. fruition than a for this lathcl cut'ious state ofaffails Asitn Roy's lengthy ancl llucl:rtor'.1' in the Punjab ancl Bengal. Gihnartin's revierv of Ayesha Jalal's 1'lte sole ellbll to eruphasise the iurpact of thcr Spohesntart, Jitr rtalt, t.lte tr[ttslitrt Pili-l\{ulicli relationship of Sufi Leagu e and t lrc De nt a n cl fc,t' Pah i st tt tt Iihangas laises nrore doubts than pl'esents the astouncling thesis that soh'es tl-renr. Non-Indians get greatly Jinnah nevel' wanted paltition, thnt Reviewed by excited b.ysuch trivial fhctots plecisely Pakistan was only a bargaining chip Nogindos Songhovi because they are so exotic an(l and was ilnposed on Jirrnah rvho w,ls waywal'd. The irupact of Inclian hoisted on his own petal'd. Despite leligious olganisations on their' Fifty years have failed to heal alJ the acadenric palaplrelnalia, the follorvers is tlemendous, but not so the trauma of the Partition and all thesis flatly contradicts both thc corrlsc nruch on public life and opinion. No the carnage and dislocation result- of events and thc pelsonal tlaits of' teligion in India is a n ot'g:r nisecl chulch ing fi'orn violently tearing apart what Jinnah. geoglaphy, cultule and a centuly of and Sufisrn though widel.v plevelent British rule had welded into a searn- Plof. Moole's Essay "Jir.rnah ar.rci and popular is fi'owned upon b;' the less texture. In a way, the Partition the Pakistan Denrand", is in ii wil)' olthodox Sunni Muslinrs. negated the gleatest acl'rieveruents a convincing refutation of A;'esha 'll-re efforts to explain the tre- of rule in India - unification Jalal's thesis. Prof. Moole l)r'esents Blitish nrenclous and sudclen upsul'g-e in the '1',.r enough evidence of the vagueness and ordelliness. strength and popu lality of the Muslim i;r sut't'ottndingthe denranc'l for n. Pnl October-December I gg4 Freedon First 39 . .lr:i:;l;::..:.i.;::l;jj; ' .. Muslims in U.P. for Pakistan that porrver with the Muslirn League in STATE OF TIIE TIIE WORLD.' cannot easily be explained by any 1937 or on account ofthe unbearable (Tenth Ed i tion ) by Lester Br.ow6, r i rational argument. They did not have pelsecution in'rposed on thenr by the Chr'istopher. Flavin and Sandr.a . the remotest chance ofbeing included Congless Ministries (1937-39) is to Postel; Ilorizon India Books, PB in the new state, yet they cheerfully pick up political propaganda and No. 3224, New Delhi, 110013 in saclificed their interests and their' convelt it into an academic velity. al'r'angement with Worldwatch security for a wider cause. The Ian Coupland's essay on l{ydelabad Institute (Indi:r). Worldwatch Hin.dutua fury was alrnost sule to overdoes the job in his clude and Institutc Washington DC; 1993; exact a tellible revenge on their heads hostile tleatment of the 1938-39 pp.284; Its.300. and ever since partition Muslims in nroverrrent in a state which ne\/er India are openly or covertly taunted, was reputed as a safe haven for ei- not only as fanatics but also as ther justice or deuroclacy. potential fifth columnists. Several other, and more impoltant, paradoxes It is our good foltune thnt al- mostallthe contributors to this volunte have been left o ut ofpurview. Plobably had to the landscape is too vast and too trangress the very lestricted (Ple-partition variegated to be painted on a single time frame decade 1938- canvass, however broad one makes 47) prescribed by the editol of this volume. it. Afterall, the Hinalayas canhaldly After all, the pelsons and be presented in a single snapshot. issues have been actively at woll< fol The annotated bibliography, very sevelal years and even decades prior' applopriatly, ends with a haunting to tl're finale. Even though one uray Urdu couplet which proclaims eternal agree that Pakistan was born befole was properly conceived, search and striving, though one may it the con- cept of Pakistan not even hope to ever leach the shore. took a failly long period to manifest itself. Indeed, soure It would be futile to look for a nlayevenalgue that the quake which uniforrrity of views or approaches in shook the seismoglaph in 1947 was Reviewed by such a distinguished company of only an outwald expression of the E. D'souzo acadernics and political activists. But "deep" faults in the geological struc- the editol of this volume has focussed ture of a society trying to nrodelnise Readels intelested in the envi- . l his lens wide to include sevelal angles itself in a hun'y and attempting a ronmental state of Planet Earth need from which the phenourenon can be political, econouric and social levo- no intloduction to the raison. d'ett'e observed. Jinnah, Gandhi, Nehlu, lution simultaneously - sonrething of yet anothel well docutnented and Azad, the Raja of Mahnudabad and which Europe expelienced sepa rately timely lepolt by the expelienced a nd Mohammad Mujeeb present the ovel' a period of two centul'ies. tested tean'r of Lester R Blown, Project scenario as it appeared to the con- Director and Plesident, and Chris- PROF. NAGINDAS a SANGHAVI is retired Pro- topher Flavin and Sandra Postel, ' ternporaties. lessor ol Political Science and a well-known commentator on lndian politics. Associate Plojeet Directols and Vice The volutne gains enhanced irn- Plesidents, Research, all of an In- portancebecause ofthe underr current stitute, which, over the last decade, of sympathy with which the Muslim has establisl'red its credentials as a psyche is plojectecl. It is tinre Ilindus discelning watcl.rdog of the Blue l'Notwithstonding o lhousond wake up from nationalist rhetoric Planet's environnrental healtl'r, a nd and attempt to feel what the other yeors of close conloct, notion- olities, which ore os divergent nrole irlrpol'tantly, rvhat needs to be side had felt all along. But some- done to pl'esel've it, as we at'e about todoy os ever, connot ol ony times the point is over-emphasised. to enter the 21st century. The UN Prof. Hasan for example blames the tirne be expecled 1o lronsform themselves nolion, Wolld Population Congless recently Hindu communalists fol the failure inlo one j' merely by meons of subjecting concluded in Cairo focuses attention, of the mass-contact-of-Muslinrs i.nter al.ia, on the problems of popu- ' pl'oglamme undertaken by the Con- them lo o democrolic constilu- lion ond holding them forcibly Iartion, wzrtel scalcity, and closing gress on the insistence of Nehru. But the gender' all covered in this together by unnoturol ond or- Sap, the glaring and unpalatable fact Slate o[ tlie World Repolt 1993. t'emains that except lor sholt peli- lifrciol melhods of British porlio- ods and specificcauses, Muslims have menlorv slotule." It is a 'nrattet' ol concern, arrd the always remained aloof flom the Con- M. A. Jinnoh quoled in solne I'egl'et, that subcontinent gless Party. To tlace the emelgence /ndlo os o Secu/or Slole' is leplesented on the Boald of Di- of the demand for Pakistan to the by Donold Eugene Smllh. lectols, by just one individual fronr refusal ofthe Congless Party to shale the developing ol two-thilds Wolld, Freedom First 4O Oclober-December 1994 " : ..1ri;;r :":," I ;.i':,{x - ' '.i ffif,*:rl.,itif.i,l,;i1'l;.:1'r"' " ' '::--ii1 !,1" .nU there lies the rub. The North or for instance those on Reviving Cor.al Iate interest in exploiting alter.nate i' First World tend to look down on the Reefs. Facing Water Scarcity which soulces through scientifi c research. i:. two-thirds World as third class. What is coveled in an earlier review of !:,tiii :.. is equally significant is that on the Sandra Postel's "The Last Oasis" (see This is perhaps the flrrst tirne ; Institute's staffthere isjust oneAsian, next review). But as India opens up that this reviewer has read about V. K. Akula, more likely than not an its econonry which will r.esult in multi how envilonrnentally friendly r.ail- NRI! dimensional developmental activities, ways can be. We in India know only our planners would do well to read too lvell how dependent we al.e on Be that as it may, this report ; with particular intelest the chapters our well established and extensive is a useful publication as it serves on "Enerry", "Reconciling Tlade and rail netwolk. Yet, Marcia Lowe's the purpose of conscientizing us of the Environment", and "Shaping the chaptel on "Rediscovering Rail" is . the major environmental hazards we Next Industrial Revolution". For. those based on the US, Japanese and and will continue to face : are facing responsible for Population Contlol, European Rail systems, ignoring India as we enter the 21st century re- if the chapter on "Closing the Gender and China. For instance she has failed ' medial measures are not instituted Gap" which was discussed and adopted to mention the wooden sleeper.s re- now. at Cairo will give some important placement progt'amme instituted by the Indian Railways using The ten major issues covered inputs on involving the women of reinforced cement conclete sleepers with a . chapter wise are: India in the development pr.ocess. life We have a large tribal population in fi'om 15 to 20 years thereby saving Lester Brown's "A New World our forest wealth. Unfolds"; the north east and the south - our. adivasis in Bihar/Orissa/ '' S.rrdra Postel's "Facing Water The comprehensive notes indi- . Scarcity". Surprisingly the author Maharas\tra. Their problems and cate the depth of research carried rights are much ' has failed to mention the mega coveled in detail in out in the plepalation ofthese papels. the chapter on "Indigenous People", ' Narmada Project responsible for so Tables and charts are used in much debate; a warning to protect theil culture and innate skills being lost in the ahnost all chapters and are not only Peter Weber's "Reviving Coral race for development. Theil tribal infot'mative but easy to lefer. Reefs". We in India have been de- lore holds many secrets for instance grading our reefs extracting coral There can be little doubt that in the field of medicine.. reefs for cement; this "Report of the State of the World "Closing the Gender Gap in Lester Brown's lead article on 1993" is a must for all those of us Development" by Jodi Jacobson, a a "New World Order" gives in a who ale interested in leaving a hot topic in India; nutshell the major problen'rs y/e al'e sustainable envilonmental heritage "Supporting Indigenous People" facing as we stand at the threshold fol our children and gland childlen by Alan Thein Downing; of the 21st century; these are cov- by being mole discliurinating in us- ing natule's resources. As Lestet' "Providing Enerry in Develop- ered in some detail in the other Blown advocates, some of our taxes ing Countries" by Nicholas Lemisen; chapters. Equally irnportant is the could well be replaced by an envi- Marcia Lowe's "Rediscovering chapter on "Enerry" as we enter: into lonmental tax to pt'eserve what we. rj ' Rail Travel"; MOUs with foreign multinationals in improving our enel'gy output to have, or else depletion offorest and Micheal Rimmer's "Preparing for keep the wheels of developrnent marine l'esoul'ces, econonric losses 71 Peace", of interest to India with it's moving, but have not addlessed our- fi'our global rvauning and the dor.r- UN peacekeeping commitments and selves to the need to exploit renewable bling ofgreenhouse gases, the slowing expenditure on arms acquisition; sources of enerry especially solar down of food output, may ovelwhelnr Hilary French's "Reconciling and wind which we possess in abun- us to the point of no return. :tlti Trade and the Environment"; and dance. It is encouraging to know '1r: Though it is an easy to read , ii. Christopher Flavin and John that there are environmentally ' con- well-stluctured report this need not 4 Young's "Shaping the Next Indus- scious planners who are addressing * be done in one sitting. One can savour ,ai trial Revolution". themselves to this problern and are .*i each chaptel at leisure without dis' '{ not taking easy way by Significantly all the contribut- the out tr.rlbingone's tlain of thought. A must depending ;':j ing writers are researchers in mainly on easily avail- fol all environnrentalists and thobe .;* able non-renewable soul'ces coal, Worldwatch. Perhaps it would add like invoh'cd in developmentaI planning. oil and fir'ewood, or for that matter to the importance of this publication As in all Worldwatch Publica- -... if some papers written by 'outside' on nuclear power with it's hazards tions the printing and production {}t ' researchers are also included to give including.disposal of nuclear waste. meet the best standalds expected of ':ijr1 ' fresh perspective and new insights. It is said that our Thar Deselt, given the right technological inputs, can such an intelnationally renowned Not all the chapters are of im- produce enough solal enelgl for India. organisation. mediate interest to readers in India; Perhaps this lepolt will help stimu- '. October-Decembei lggn Freedom First 4l ::-i,,.: .. ..,.+r*"{tlal:ii tr$ilffi]E6. muDlltrt. alto 5t.3!. i{l rtrccatrc. ir7llrdf qrdililirlr tLreriraNa* PAPER TIGER In a way, yes. In a way, no. There's nothing paper-tigerish about us in our unbiased views, our fearless news coverage and editorial policy. But paper is our business and we have that strength and drive associated with tigers in tan]cs. @bpStwtcsrfuwfu The paperpeopletrlls ..,4 if.l-\i$€ I,AST OASIS (FACING WATER becor.nes necessal.y for large her.ds of rvateL nrap of the rvorld, applopriate SCARCITY) by Sandra Postel, cattle to nriglate to legiotrs rvith fod- chalts and statistics and exhaustive derand water when ther.e ai,I Vice President Research, isa dr.ought notes, an indication of cletailed re- .$ Worldwatch; The Wor.ldwatch Bn- in the Bani grasslands, causing' ur-l- sealch. She debunl Acbber-Decenlbet 1934 Frc:Ccm Ftrst .13 ;r ;-,a'"-ii GRAMMAR OF ADMINI. nronopoly, /ensure that social costs fatal, for as Dr. Dubhashi STRATION by Dr. P. R. Dubhashi; (especially in terms of envitonrnen- observes where leadership is;i$- Vikas Publications, New Delhi; tal pollution and degladation) are neglected, organization may ri6t'';'.'r tg94; pp.l42.; Rs.l50. not very high; and which would assure function, pelsonnel will not work; -i to all citizens a fair distribution of and procedures and finance wouldi:i- income and goods. Dr. Dubhashi is become unproductive. not pleading for the establishment Pelhaps the chapter most rel-,'..:, ofa socialist state which takes dilect 'evant to contemporary India is the : responsibiliiy for production in all one wherein Dr'. Dubhashi discusses vital sectors of the economy. What productivity administration. ', in Dr.. , he is pleading for as a state which, Dubhashi makes some .very perti- ;: while accommodating the new era of nentandinsightful obselationshere. ., ; liberalization,still lemains basically For instance, he tells us that al: i committed a welfare state, to the .though it may not be the exclusive ::.;j poverty, eradication of rnisely, squa- goal of public enterplises to maxi- ,: and short, lor illiteracy. In a state mize profits (since they may ha*'e ,i in which there is considelable scope other social obligations) it does not for regulatory and development ad- t follow that they can merrily go on -, ministration. mounting losses. This is because a , ,i A marked feature of the book is bankrupt govelnment can never be r,1 the welfare and moral concern of the in a position to meet social obliga--';Il Reviewed by author which stands out prorninently tions. Dr'. Dubhashi would like every.-t ministry to adopt clear-cut ploduc. .'j Adi H. Doclor in almost every chapter. Thus in the chapter seeking to explain public tivity norms, which would help us ,'ir judge its performance. For example, ,. i Dr. P. R, Dubhashi, a noted edu- administration as a profession, Dr'. the perfornance of the Ag'iculture T cationist, Vice-Chancellor of Goa Dubhashi expresses dissatisfaction Ministry could be judged in terrns . + University and a sedsoned adminis- with such narrow and technical of its ability to help the nation achieve ';l tratorhas written an extremely read- definitions of public administrators as people who take decisions or get higher targets of food production; ,- , able and lucid Grammar of Admin- the petforrnance of the Education :i: plus things done, He instead plefets to istration. The book has many Ministry could be judged in terms points, when compared to the innu- defi ne public administrators as plofes- ,,'! sionals concerned primarily with the of its ability to eradicate illiteracy; ,li merable run-of-the-mill text books and the petfolrnance of the Enerry 'l are task of translating the hopes and on public administration that Ministry could be judged in tetms periodically published. aspirations of the fd6ple into plans, policies and programmes. In another of its ability to cut down electricity , , In the first place, Dr. Dubhashi chapter exclusively devoted to losses and generate mote power'. Dr. ,., provides the student with a proper discussing ethics in public adrnini- Dubhashi effectively dlives home the ;j political context in which to under- stration, Dr. Dubhashi tells us that message that the need cjf the hour l: stand public administration. Dr. good administratorc are those who is a ploductivity oliented adrninis- ;,$ Dubhashi is no believer in the dic- help politicians or the elected tration, an adrninistration based on i$ tum that that state is best which representatives to realize the popular pet'folmance budgeting and p"rfo"-1ff governs the least. Capitalism or the mance appraisal of bureauclats. rnandate, without themselves be- ,,.: Free Market System, based on this coming "accommodatol's" or"'colla- The book should prove mostl"i dictum, has many drawbacks, says boratols" in the wrong-doings of useful tostudents and adrninistrators i, the author, and he emphasises two politician. alil Freedom First 44 Oclober-December 1994 ,:j . .:l ,,*r,ri&mg$* KINGALEXANDE& SCIINBIDER Coining a.partnel telnr, the ',rvollcl situations, Iiing and Schneider BERTRAND : TIIB FIRST GLO. resolutique' the authot's attetupt rlp- aclvocirte an irrtegrated and holistic BAL REVOLUTION: A Report by plopliate solutions a nd elfective st r.ir t- attacli basecl on Jay For.r.ester's First the Council of the Club of Rome. egies to deal with the pleclicanrent Larv viz., "in any complex systern, Orient Longman, Ilyderabad; in rvhich humanity finds iiself. :r t tacl< hou'eve r. :t l)pa l.e nt ly i ntel l igent l99l; pp. 187; Rs. 120. on a single element or. systenr The continued coexistence of fla- genelally leads to deteliolation of gt'ant inequalities and extletne po\'- tlre systenr as :r rvhole". The c:rll is erty rvith enol'mous wealth leading t herefore fot' a co ntenrpola neous a to rvidesplead tension and conflict nd clrastic leduction in defence spenditrg, forms the basis of the GR: King and the creation of a friendly healthy Schneidel maintain thrrt the GR has etrvironnrent and a re-olientation of no ideological basis and is shaped b.y developnrent stlategies that "an unpt'ecedented of enrpha- rnixtule sise local initintives, good govelnance, geostlategic upheaveal by social, eco- institutional solidality and a universa I nouric, technological, cultulal and comnritment to a sustained and ethical factols". What is needed to eclu itab le grorvth urodels. hnpossib le, contain the GR is a global response idealistic nnd tall as these comnrand- on the basis of l October-December lgg4 Freedom First 45 ;.i+1,'.,. ., -." il '..J.'9*ri The gpowing strengthr of E-pire Industries Empire in Glass: Empire in Machine Tools: The Vitrum Glass division, The Empire Machine Tools in collaboration with division is an acknowledged Owens lllinois Glass Inc, leader in the marketing and USA, is the lirgest servicing of sophisticated . manufac$rer of amber machine tools manufactured i; glass containers for the in W. Germany, .t! pharmaceutical industry ':. Switzerland, Japan and the , in India. USA. :'i Empire in Cranes: Empire in Instnrmentatron: The Garlick Engineering Th{ Empire division, in collaboration Instrumentation division with Noel GmBH, W. brings to India medical, Germany, is the largest defence, pollution- manufacturer of cranes in monitoring, analytical, the country with a wide test and measuring, clinical range ofapplications. and procfss control instruments from international leaders in Europe, Japan and the USA. Empire in Finance: c The Empire Finance Co. Ltd., fully backed by Empire in Speciality Fabrics: :.! Empire Industries,.is a The Empire Speciality .j:: lcading finance company Fabrics division Z:7>\ with.hire purchase, leasing, manufactures hish tech bills discqunting, merchant fabrics for use irityre, banking and financial conveyor belt, jacketing, advisory services as its abrasive, footwear and core activities. de[ence industries. ;9 ,t, li ''..- EmprRE INousrRrEs 414, Senapati Bapat Marg, Glu.. Crarcs o Machinc Tols tsombay 400 013. i;lr,ili- Phone:4920003. :..1' Telcx: l1 71800 EMT lN OBM/3752 Rev. ,: 1::,i ',1,i.1p1iffi41 ' '-,i' EARTHQUAKE HAZARD AND Tehli Dam is located acr.oss the of the ploject despite Rs. 236 cloles .i LARGE DAMS IN TIIE Bhagirathi river about 1.5 kut down- spenI ah'eady. But a car.r'ot of Soviet I. HIMALAYAS, edited by Vinod K. stlearn of its confluence of Bhilganga assistance later. in the sarne year :ti Gaur;Indian National Trust for' tributary. Its splead of watel will plouroted anothel r.eview headed by .: i occupy Art and Cultural Ileritage an area of about 42 sq ku'rs, the Chailman of the Centr.al Water' . (INTACH), Bhartiyam, Nizaur- extend upstleam along Bhagilatho Comnrission which accepted 0.259 :,,, uddin, New Delhi-110013; 1993; for 44 krns and along Bhilganga for. on the leionrnrendation of the : pp.l52. 25 krns and irnpound about 2.87 Departrnent of Earthquake Engi- million acle feet of water. Tehri torvn neeling', Rooll al:out the adequacy of the seismic , Envilonnrent leconrmended scta ppi rr g October-December 1994 Freedam First 47 ,"tr:,,.- . design of the Tehli Danl." yeals. Such quieb gaps within an elsewhet'e nray not necessarily a:pply;,j. active seisuric belt are called'seisnric to Flirnalayas. S. Waldia's (Kurnaon .:Si Prof. K. gaps' whele the chances of futule i:)r'r" geological University) overview of eat'thquakes al'e lnuch rnole than Th is bool< is folspecialist" au"lirg'.1 Himalaya n tectonics establishes 'a .. that elsewhet'e within the belt which has with nunrbel of obscur.e scientific a severe seismic belt, the terrain is already been stt'uck. The Tehli Danr and technical issues rvhich have faults as evidenced rent by numerous is located on the longesi (300 hnis beclouded oul atternpts to get a the : by uplifted river terraces during long fi'om Halidwar to'l'anahpur') of credible evaluation of the seisrnic so much (Justice past 10,000 years. Despite these gaps. safety ofdarns in the countly' of work done, Prof. of Seismology at Ranganathan Misht'a in the For.e- . Seisrnic gap rvas the University of California, Bruce The theoly rvord). As such it is too much to hope , A Bolt points out to the lack of decisive developed by Soviet Scientist S.A. that this book by itself will 'lead to ' field evidence of fault slip (actual Fedotov in mid '60's. By plotting a bett'el undelstanding and lespect distance of movement along the ealthquakes of noltheln Japu n rvhich aurollg the public and policy makels' ' rupture plane) and of correlation occulred between 1904 and 1963, he (l\4r. N. D. Jayal in the Pleface). ,, between the occurrence of srnall found each ealthqual Freedom First 48 October-December 1994 ANDYOU THINK AIDS AFFECTS ON tY PROSTITUTES, HOMOSEXUATS AND THE PRO'YIISCUOUSI To dote Aids hos cloimed lhe very people you'd leost expecl to be offlicted. And hoaleler skoight o life you leod, you ore in no woy immune. Ploy sofe. lnsisl on slerilized, disposoble needles for oll medicol purposes. Ensure lhol your borber does nol shove you wih o reqrcled blode. And insist on o condom when you're not sure. lr4osl of oll, don't ever hink 'Aids con'l gel me'. Roher ensure fiot Aids doesn'l get you. AIDS YOUCOUTD BE NEXT COU RTESY: E v erest Adv erli si ng I G E M LE M AN Pu bli c Serylce Aw qrd Sponrored by: AIRFREIGHI UMITED. We Welcome Freedom Ffref is really food for thought. It contains hardly any article which does not Anand N. Aruin B. K. Banker attract the reader. Its ever increasing number AIka Bhetia of subscribers makes one optimistic that the Rebon Banerjee number of Indians with liberal ideas is not Southera Gujarat Chamber of Commerce (Surat) negligible. Dilip Chandulal K. M. Cherian G.Y. Dharap Uday Chikle qlgaon S. G. Deokule Godrej N. Dotivala I love your magazine, but notyour tardiness M. D. Kini and incompleteness. Please pardon me for the M. J. Kotwal P. C. Kulkami candour. Please rest assured, my interest in E. J. Kunrvilla Freedant.Ftrsf will not wane. B. B. IGlepesi Y.H. Mahabel A. IGul - Nanded Geete Lulctuke ., Madhu Mehta Hina Manerikar Fleed.om good periodical Firsl is a but it Jayant J. Mehta should be more frequent and more widely read. S. N. Mebta V.I. Chacko Manirhe Mitra Baugdone J. V. Naik Nehru Centre, Bombay A R. Nizanuildin I really love,Fleedom,Flrs I a nd Minoo lVlasani's H. A. B. Parpia commonsense. Please permit me to send you N. G. Peranjape K. J. Patel herewith a small chegue to help the Journal K. K Pathak keep alive real Freedom. I am not rich in Mehul G. Pathek wealth, but I would goon become poor in diges- S. Prabhala tion if I did not share or help i'r time. IG..amma Raman Siddhartha Roy Prof. P. N. Driver S. M. Sachdeva Pune J. C. Sawhney G. N. Sharma just Bbupendra K. Shroff I received a copy of Fleedom First. I S. E. Songadwala found it fascinating - fearless and a beacon for K. Ii Thakkar freedom. 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