tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30819742.post1883397664389236863..comments2024-03-27T13:58:06.458+05:30Comments on Suvro Chatterjee bemused: Socialism, capitalism and human natureSuvro Chatterjeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027202980259279420noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30819742.post-42826800117452445632020-03-26T11:18:59.965+05:302020-03-26T11:18:59.965+05:30Anything but a ramble, Saikat. I am glad you wrote...Anything but a ramble, Saikat. I am glad you wrote in, and weaving together memories of so many things I have written over the years too. Thank you. And yes, as I have remarked time and again, every time there is a real crisis, everybody, rich and poor, stupid and learned alike, re-realizes the indispensability of government. Our only real worry today is whether the governments are up to it; whether or not they are panicking as much as the man in the street, and making a hash of the job. <br /><br />As for the last line in your comment, I can only sigh with envy!<br /><br />Take care, and best wishes.<br /><br />SirSuvro Chatterjeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01027202980259279420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30819742.post-78132693614627968262020-03-26T07:28:47.776+05:302020-03-26T07:28:47.776+05:30Sir, I am sorry for about a few typos in the last ...Sir, I am sorry for about a few typos in the last comment...here is my corrected version.<br /><br />Dear Sir,<br /><br />As you have always said (and rightly so), that your posts are not about the 'passing fad' but something that will always be relevant, and given the current circumstances all over the world, this cannot be truer.<br /><br />Socialism and big government are again the talk of the day, whether by open admission or grudging acceptance. If we focus on the positive sides of a strong government (ignore the dictatorial tendencies, mass surveillance measures etc. for the moment), almost in every country from US to India, everyone is banking on the government to ride out the corona-virus nightmare. Development of anti-viral vaccines are not profitable as virus can modify easily, so the government needs to fund this type of research or provide incentives to pharmaceutical companies. Airlines are suffering and they want a bailout from the government. But when it comes to profiting off the drugs or laying off workers when business is slow, suddenly capitalism and free markets take over the discussion. Even in issues like climate change (how I wish climate change had the same PR manager as the corona-virus!), who funds the major chunk of the pie: no surprise, it is the government again! Instead, companies like Amazon and Tesla are ramping up efforts to make outer-space settlement possible. Although this research is necessary, but we also need to ask who will benefit from this- the few elites and rich who gets tax breaks to run their business (not to mention oil companies) and then have the chance to escape the Earth when things go wrong. Who thought Noah's Ark was going to be a capitalist mission! And this is ignoring the colonial angle: now that it is no longer possible to openly dominate sovereign countries, space is the new frontier. Capitalists now literally have the whole universe! And there are no alien rights whatsoever, even if there are aliens!<br /><br />It is not only big corporations that try to game socialism to their advantage. Common middle-class people want the government to provide good infrastructure, but they don’t want to pay decent wages to their household help (or a paid leave in times of crisis). As you noted in this post, we see that the essential service providers are now healthcare professionals, cleaners, sweepers, policemen and not the movie stars or cricketers. Work from home means the privileged can buy stocks online but that won't clean the sewer in our locality. Indeed, capitalism works because it does make use of human nature whereas socialism needs to stand on the shoulders of good folks.<br /><br />In your post on the 'Mahabharata', you mentioned about how the lives of commoners had absolutely no value in comparison to the kings and aristocrats. Indeed, that is also a reflection on how capitalism has always 'worked'. And if one was of a lower caste or committed some religious sin, it only exacerbated their misery. I heard somewhere today that if plastic surgery really did exist in ancient times, why did Ganesha have the privilege and not Eklavya? The latter was a Dalit, so no surprises there too!<br /><br />These are some thoughts floating around my head today. Sir, please excuse the long ramble. Better yet, blame it on the lock-down and maybe alcohol (even in these times, New York state has classified that liquor stores are part of essential services and I am not complaining!). Take care Sir.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br />Saikat.<br /><br />Saikat Chakrabortyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15868010301131014776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30819742.post-59781207327139863992016-05-11T15:32:44.853+05:302016-05-11T15:32:44.853+05:30Hi,
Congratulations! Your blog post was featured ...Hi,<br /><br />Congratulations! Your blog post was featured in the Tangy Tuesday Picks edition on May 10, 2016 at Blogadda. <br /><br />Please find it here: <br />http://blog.blogadda.com/2016/05/10/tangy-tuesday-picks-indian-blog-writersTeam BlogAddahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10414756277892063084noreply@blogger.com