FT, 30th Sep 07 "India pressed to take lead on democracy":
In private, Indian officials reject criticism. “We’re not bothered about criticism of our relations with Myanmar, given the west’s record in supporting military governments in our neighbourhood,” said one. “We’re not the only democracy that works with generals.”
Brahma Chellaney, a security affairs expert, concurs: “The US is going along with the fraudulent elections in Pakistan while wanting India to do more on Burma. India applies the same principle to Burma as to Pakistan: while it would like democracy to flourish, it will not make it the central plank of its foreign policy in either country.”
Sunday, 30 September 2007
Monday, 10 September 2007
Paul Simon on DiMaggio: A metaphor for our times?
What is the larger significance of DiMaggio's death? Is he a real hero? Let me quote the complete verse from ''Mrs. Robinson'':
Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon
Going to the candidates' debate
Laugh about it, shout about it
When you've got to choose
Every way you look at it you lose.
Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?
A nation turns its lonely eyes to you
What's that you say Mrs. Robinson
Joltin' Joe has left and gone away.
In these days of Presidential transgressions and apologies and prime-time interviews about private sexual matters, we grieve for Joe DiMaggio and mourn the loss of his grace and dignity, his fierce sense of privacy, his fidelity to the memory of his wife and the power of his silence.
'The Silent Superstar' By Paul Simon
New York Times, March 9, 1999
Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon
Going to the candidates' debate
Laugh about it, shout about it
When you've got to choose
Every way you look at it you lose.
Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?
A nation turns its lonely eyes to you
What's that you say Mrs. Robinson
Joltin' Joe has left and gone away.
In these days of Presidential transgressions and apologies and prime-time interviews about private sexual matters, we grieve for Joe DiMaggio and mourn the loss of his grace and dignity, his fierce sense of privacy, his fidelity to the memory of his wife and the power of his silence.
'The Silent Superstar' By Paul Simon
New York Times, March 9, 1999
Wednesday, 5 September 2007
How mathematical should economics be?
Manmohan Singh on economics (LSE, 2006):
In more recent decades we see excessive specialization in social sciences, and economists fancy themselves to be social engineers and technocrats. But we must never forget that economics began, after all, as political economy. Economic policy making has always involved political choices since it has political consequences. IG belonged to a generation that recognized this ground reality. He knew that the choices our economists were recommending for adoption by our country had to be marketed in the political marketplace of a functioning democracy. It was not enough that these choices were rational, or that their costs and benefits could be measured. It was not enough that the arguments were intellectually consistent or were mathematically tested. In a democracy such choices had to be also politically defendable and acceptable.
In more recent decades we see excessive specialization in social sciences, and economists fancy themselves to be social engineers and technocrats. But we must never forget that economics began, after all, as political economy. Economic policy making has always involved political choices since it has political consequences. IG belonged to a generation that recognized this ground reality. He knew that the choices our economists were recommending for adoption by our country had to be marketed in the political marketplace of a functioning democracy. It was not enough that these choices were rational, or that their costs and benefits could be measured. It was not enough that the arguments were intellectually consistent or were mathematically tested. In a democracy such choices had to be also politically defendable and acceptable.
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