COLONIALISM! A way forward...
From times immemorial, the economies are invaded, captured or dominated by the mighty, powerful countries. In this road, the world countries experienced, the rich dominating the poor and controlling the wealth in various forms. Coming out of these clutches, the world countries moved towards, economic systems, capitalistic, socialistic and mixed economies. As the growth was not proper, unruly and vested interest ruled every system and economy, the world countries had no option but to open up the economies inviting LPG, (Liberalization, Privatization, and globalization). This step had to be appreciated, even with its associated problems, as individual economies failed thoroughly and dependency increased tremendously. In Parallel, sustainability has become a major threat to the world nations. The worst situation for every developing economy was its population pressure. Even the developed economies could not remain better off, as poverty in one economy is surely disturbing the bigger world at large. No matter whatever was the level of advancement and progress in developed countries, it was simply sucked in by the multiplying population in some corner of the globe. Population increase has swept off the progress and targets of every sector and threatened with dilution in every sector in the world economies. With this the rising poverty has become the matter of concern and hampered the planning process adopted in all the economies in common.
In India, liberalization and globalization has increased the entry of MNC's. This has made way to all the private and foreign investors to mushroom, and take care of the production process. Privatization has remained as one and the only option to the Indian economy to answer its all the needs and requirements. This has been one among the most significant developments in the last decade. The apparent inevitability of globalization and of a more market-oriented, open economy has added a new dimension to the debate on environment and development. Though the private sector and global investors took care of the production, they failed largely to address the environmental issues. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) was immensely lacking in the private investors, which resulted in pollution, frustration and mis-faith in the people. Many activists and intellectuals argue that globalization, in addition to aggravating poverty and inequality can only accelerate the process of environmental degradation in the country, posing a threat to the livelihoods of the majority of the people and to the long-term development and ecological integrity of the country. Improper decision making and lack of long term planning added to the list of already existing economic problems. The style of focus, According to them, liberalization policies have promoted privatization and commercial exploitation of the country's natural resources. Also it resulted in investments polluting industries by foreign capital, growth of export-oriented agriculture at the expense of sustainable food production. This has loosened the environmental fabric along with protection regulations. Activists have also highlighted issues such as the adverse impact on biodiversity and agriculture, and the ecological destruction caused by export oriented industries as well as by World Bank funded projects. This pattern of development, they claim, will only benefit a privileged few and the corporate sector (multinational and national), while doing immense harm to India's ecological base. To a large extent it messed up with the life styles of the poor by restructuring the distribution and utilization of natural resources.
No doubt, LPG has zoomed up the employment opportunities of the educated youth. It also improved the life styles of people in food industry, entertainment industry and also the transport sector. But by and large, it could not answer the grave problems faced by the unskilled and semi skilled labor in the primary sector.
On the other hand, support for the new economic policy has come from unexpected quarters, and several activists and intellectuals argue that liberalization, because of the accompanying technological changes and economic growth, will in the long run provide better livelihoods for people as well as greater environmental protection.
Any new change in the systems will topple the primitive and traditional occupations and life styles of the people associated with it, till such time that they are absorbed into the developmental process. Though it takes time, no doubt even if few generations suffer, it surely is going to show a way forward, wrapping up the entire world economies. The world is shrinking into a global village, removing the distances and differences. Yes, Colonialism is surely a way forward.