For too long, India’s governments have focused on the wrong ideas and wrong economic models. Indians should have been 10 times richer – but are not.
In a year or less, we will have elections. Pakistan, polarisation and of course the good old reliable buzzword of poverty will occupy centre-stage. How about we upset the game of the politicians and make the election about a new idea – prosperity?
Prosperity has long eluded Indians. Income of an average American is 30 times that of an average Indian, the South Korean has 15 times higher income, the Portuguese and Greek 10 times more and the Chinese about 5 times. Why have we in India not been able to create prosperity?
Why have Indians stayed so poor?
The answer lies in our almost exclusive focus in dealing with poverty. All efforts are at “poverty alleviation” – from Garibi Hatao to its modern-day variants. Poverty is the default state in the world. The question to really ask is, “What creates wealth?” Prosperity is what needs action, not poverty.
By focusing on poverty, governments end up destroying wealth rather than enabling its creation. The ‘pabandis’ they put perpetuate poverty, rather than accelerating prosperity. Human actions tend to focus on striving for prosperity; most government actions tend to put up barriers for people.
For too long, India’s governments have focused on the wrong ideas and wrong economic models. Indians should have been 10 times richer – but are not. India’s governments have stolen 90% of the wealth of Indians.
What’s the new path and direction?
There is a new path that can make Indians prosperous. It is “Dhan Vapasi”, the return of the public wealth to Indians. The share of the public wealth of every Indian family is over ₹ 50 lakh – only, it is locked up in land, PSUs and minerals, and further compounded by wastage. Wealth begets wealth. Every Indian family can be returned ₹1 lakh every year, with taxes being cut simultaneously.
This is the change India needs. Change always has to start with us. When we start understanding the path needed for prosperity, only then will politicians change their actions to meet our demands. This is Dhan Vapasi’s mission. Together, we can make the next election about prosperity and dismantling of the anti-prosperity machine. Together, we can elect India’s first prosperity prime minister.
This article was first published in Nayi Disha on 23 March, 2018. You can read the original article here.
It is really a new path that can make Indians prosperous.
Itna aasaan nahin hai, Bhai Saheb, varna ab tak ho gaya hota. When I saw the heading, thought it was about the good old yarn of bringing home the prodigal sons, stuffing a million and a half into each surprised account. Removing poverty – creating wealth if that is the phrase the columnist prefers – is a decades long enterprise, the trek China and many countries to our east have essayed. It requires both hard work and the good economic advice that comes from institutions such as Harvard. 1991 showed the way forward, but our journey since then has been hesitant, halting, half hearted. Don’t expect these big changes to come from the glib slogans that underpin the massive marketing blitz that election campaigns have become. Else Wizcraft could have run India.