The two best sellers in any book review (non-fiction) variety these days are more fictional theories of world economics. Thomas L. Friedman borrows the concept of Flat Organisations to announce that 'World is Flat' {Review by Dr. Zarkaria}. I am sure you would have got the forwarded mails about Friedman warning US kids about the superiority of Indian kids in Mathematics and how they will starve them out [Read here]. The book comes across as a cross between a Drucker and Prahlad. Low on grit, High on hopes. While extolling the great Indian Outsourcing happening, Dell Theory of Same-Supply-Chain-Nation-No-Wars, and business-entertainment cross over trenches, he forgets to delve into the gulf between developed and underdeveloped.
I feel Freakanomics will make a better read than Friedman. However, I can catch him on NYT specials and editorials. An interesting hypothesis by the authors is that crime rates in US have come down owing to legalising abortion (Single Mothers--> Family Orphans-->More Crime). Other good questions are about school teachers cheating by awarding high marks to undeserving students to gain promotions. Hope to catch up with this interesting reading. Pulp-Economics.
We could think of some interesting socio-economic phenomenon in India too..
1. Why are People from Kutch, Gujarat more enterprising?
2. Why One in every three person in Namakkal has something to do with Trucks, and Logistics?
3. Kerala is becoming a land of geriatrics, Why?
4. Which state contributes more to the crime rate in India?
5. Will reverse migration (cities to villages) happen? Why?
Can you think of some more interesting phenomenon...Kerala ones? I got a forwarded Link to a site that has more on neo-liberal-economics here
7 comments:
I just read "World is Flat." It was a good read I think. Obviously TL does not content to take the place of Drucker or Prahlad. He is a good journalist - and uses his knowledge to good use. I have read his previous books as well - and it has lead to better understanding of globalisation for me. Same goes to this book as well. In fact it was even more interesting because of the very strong presence of India in there.
Freakonomics on the other hand is perhaps a more fun read - but I think it over promises and under-delivers. And after reading it one doesn't come with a feeling of better understanding of many things as one does with TL's book.
Again its my personal view :-). And then nothings ever absolute - but everything adds to our knowledge.
>>Can you think of some more interesting phenomenon...Kerala ones?
Why Keralities still think Communism would work?
Why we think knowing how to write your name is literacy?
Why we think after we learn how to write our name, manual labour is beneath us - and that it should be done by immigrants from other states?
How even the poorest in Kerala are not as poor as the poorest in the rest of India?
Why does kerala have the highest suicide rates in the country?
How one state which is politically as much a part of India as any else still manage to be economically so different?
..I better stop =)
Nice post. BTW,why did you say Kerala ones? Doesnt Goa have any? =)
The question is whether Kerala's supposedly Communist faction know the ABC's of what Communism means?
The standard of living is high in Kerala. That decreases the death rate and voila! Here comes the geriatrics.
Yes, Pramod..As an Indian I feel very proud when TL cites Indian examples. At the same time some examples like hit-tech sector employing 0.2 percent of Indian work force is a gripping statistic and not a gung-ho one. I have not read Freak..might be I will have to say TL was better.
Surya: Do Kerala people believe it is communism working? or Are they out of choices?
Suicide rates is a good one...High economic disparity leading to low social self-esteem
Poison: Yes, the mushrooming health care sector is proof that Kerala is slowly becoming an old age home (93% hospitals in kerala owned by Private sector). There is a slowdown in population growth rate..towards negative. Good Living standards means..retirement kam se, life se nahin. I am looking forward to some statistic. Dr. Panicker has shared a good report on Health transition at http://krpcds.org/publication/panikar.html
I saw the price of freakanomics and had to put it back in the shelf!
Thats called economics of pricing..You freak out looking at the Price.
I wonder why books are priced so high if they are meant for the common man. Maybe they are not!
Friedman says that the world is flat and that all the countries have a win win situation. He had been to bangalore and theat when the idea occured to write a book.
Is the world becoming flatter for everyone? India has got the largest population of poor. We talk about India shining and the world becoming flatter. Abysmal!
But in Kerala, the inequalities of wealth between the haves and the have nots are less vis-a-vis other states in India.
This is so because of the Lang reforms undertaken, spurt of educational institutions and improved healthcare.
But still we find a lot of farmer suicides in our state.
There is a lot more to be done.
And in the US the richest of people grow at about 12% while the less rich grow at a rate of around 4%.
PS:We need to see more research taking place in India.
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