Economic and social progress

Sri Lanka, June 29 -- India has a long tradition of standing up to injustice and discrimination. People may recall that immediately after Independence, Krishna Menon condemned apartheid in South Africa at the United Nations. India was the first country to do so.

It has become a lot easier to propagate Ambedkar's ideas of the capability of moral force to challenge the powers of vested interests. Today, information cannot be controlled. Information has been democratised. The internet has changed everything. Technology has changed the parameters of political and social debate. Today we communicate via email, Face book and Twitter which are available to everyone worldwide. Babasaheb said 'If the depressed classes gained their self-respect and freedom, they would contribute not only to their own progress and prosperity but by their industry, intellect and courage would contribute also to the strength and prosperity of the nation'.

Babasaheb felt that greater social and economic equality was a good thing - it leads to efficiency, competitiveness, social harmony and economic progress. This has been borne out by the example of the Scandinavian countries - these countries are more egalitarian than any other countries in the world. e.g. in Norway, the usual gap in a company between the lowest and highest paid employees is one to four plus healthcare and social benefits. These countries at the same time, barring Singapore and Hong Kong, are at the top of the competitiveness league table. It is clear, empirical proof that a more egalitarian spirit and social welfare do not necessarily endanger competitiveness.

Another study carried out by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett of unequal societies such as the US, Britain and Portugal as well as more equal societies such as Sweden and Japan: they found unequal societies scored noticeably higher on all social problems at every level of society. This proves Babasaheb's argument that egalitarianism does lead to efficiency, competitiveness, social solidarity, fewer social problems as well as economic and social progress.

Published by HT Syndication with permission from Daily News Sri Lanka.

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