Gini Index (of inequality - higher score more inequality) shows that USA (40.8) is far more unequal than India (36.8) , Canada (32), China (46), Chile (56), Brazil (50), Sierra Leone (62.9) Namibia (74), Panama (56.1), Haiti (59.2), Argentina (51)
http://earthtrends.wri.org/text/economics-business/variable-353.html I had searched for this index when I reached Canada in 2006 and saw people excited about Canada's supposed equality (just as much better than India's [4 points] than India is better than the USA) It seems looking thru colored lenses people, who are used to seeing the more unequal nations in Africa and South America and the Carribean, (in Hollywood movies like Blood Diamond [showing Sierra Leone] or Evita [about Argentinian First Lady]. I wonder the author does anything besides writing articles. I wonder if she has ever stayed in a slum . I have stayed in Gurgaon for sometime, even stayed in an Old Delhi area which might qualify for a slum. Some of us (in the US etc) might recall days without electricity when growing up in small towns in India. I recall an itinerary of a World Bank official on an official trip to India (about 2-3 weeks). In Mumbai he would (he is there already) stay in the grand Taj Mahal Hotel (Rs11,000 per night or $270) , in Delhi he would stay in Maurya Sheraton (Rs 9,500 per night or $190) , in Jaipur at Rajputana Sheraton (Rs5,000 or $125 at summer discount rate) etc etc -- why noone writes about these five star charity workers from Washington DC? Why do they need to stay in these five stars? Why cannot they stay with the poor in the slums? Umesh Rajen & Ajanta Barua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >Slowly but surely, India's middle class is also growing in number due to free enterprise. My guess on the Indian population analysis is like this: 35% Below Poverty Line 30% Poor 20% Lower Middle Class 10% Upper Middle Class 4% Rich 1% Super Rich Sorry I did not know what was the topic, but should be based on above unless somebody criticise me and come up with a better analysis. Let us now talk positive. Barua ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dilip&Dil Deka" To: "A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world" Sent: Monday, June 09, 2008 7:49 AM Subject: Re: [Assam] NYTimes.com: Inside Gate, India's Good Life;Outside, the Servants' Slums We all agree that there is a vast gap between the rich and the poor in India. Slowly but surely, India's middle class is also growing in number due to free enterprise. Before we criticize the likes of Gurgaon and IPL, we need to ask the question - are they funded from government revenue in which all Indian citizens have a claim? They may be opulent and in stark contrast with the surroundings. If they are totally funded with private capital and are self-sufficient, there is not a whole lot you can complain about their being. If the Gurgaon complex installs its own generators to get UPS, why should they be criticized? If the residents manicure their lawns with their own money, where is the problem? Should the residents of Gurgaon spend time and money in improving the lives of Shephali Das and her kids? MOST DEFINITELY. Most entrepreneurs in the western world do and it is a trait Indian entrepreneurs lack. THEY NEED TO WAKE UP before Maoists move closer to them and cause terrorism in the cities. Dilip Deka ----- Original Message ---- From: Jyotirmoy Sharma To: A Mailing list for people interested in Assam from around the world Sent: Monday, June 9, 2008 6:23:45 AM Subject: Re: [Assam] NYTimes.com: Inside Gate, India's Good Life; Outside, the Servants' Slums India's poverty is western media's obsession( whether good or bad is debatable ). In Aus, whenever there is anything shown on India, it will be mostly about slums, call centres, riots etc. There will never be any report on India's positives - be it the growing middle class, good progress in space technology etc. Maybe it is one way of telling the local population as to how priviledged they are. Coverage of local issues which make them look bad is sometimes relegated to the background. As an example of media bias, most of the IPL matches were shown live on free to air channels here. However, they cut the opening and closing ceremony. Maybe that would have raised the question, "How could a poor country be capable of such pomp and flamboyance?" JS On Mon, Jun 9, 2008 at 11:05 AM, Ram Sarangapani wrote: > C'da thanks for the article, its a good article (though not an eye > opener) and Umesh, you raise some good points. > > One is left wondering which is worse, a country that can possibily afford > to > eradicate poverty within its boundaries, or a country that flaunts > its riches that it can ill afford to. :) > > --Ram > > > On 6/8/08, umesh sharma wrote: > > > > In Washington DC and New York the contrast may not be so obvious > > but Harlem is a US slum near the riches of Manhattan. People do beg > > in downtown DC. DC is the crime capital of the US. Does that make Bill > > Gates or Bill Clinton apologetic or for that > > matter Thomas Friedman or Al Gore who stay in multimillion dollar > > homes and buy carbon credits. > > > > Poverty is relative -unless someone is dying of hunger. For sickness look > > at PG county govt hospitals - 10 miles from White House which as per a > local > > College Park resident ( I haven't been there) where patients sit in > > corridors for days without treatment. > > > > Umesh > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This page was sent to you by: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > The Good Life of Gurgaon > > > > > > INTERNATIONAL / ASIA PACIFIC | June 9, 2008 > > Inside Gate, India's Good Life; Outside, the Servants' Slums > > By SOMINI SENGUPTA > > Gated communities have emerged in India, giving its growing > > upper-middle-class giving Western amenities, along with maids and > chauffeurs > > who live in nearby slums. > > > > > > > http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/09/world/asia/09gated.html?ex=1213588800&en=223c319279fc0dfc&ei=5070&emc=eta1 > > > > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------- > > > > ABOUT THIS E-MAIL > > This e-mail was sent to you by a friend through NYTimes.com's E-mail This > > Article service. For general information about NYTimes.com, write to > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > NYTimes.com 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018 > > > > Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company > > _______________________________________________ > > assam mailing list > > assam@assamnet.org > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > > > > > > Umesh Sharma > > > > Washington D.C. > > > > 1-202-215-4328 [Cell] > > > > Ed.M. - International Education Policy > > Harvard Graduate School of Education, > > Harvard University, > > Class of 2005 > > > > http://www.uknow.gse.harvard.edu/index.html (Edu info) > > > > http://hbswk.hbs.edu/ (Management Info) > > > > > > > > > > www.gse.harvard.edu/iep (where the above 2 are used ) > > http://harvardscience.harvard.edu/ > > > > > > > > http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/ > > > > --------------------------------- > > Sent from Yahoo! Mail. > > A Smarter Email. > > _______________________________________________ > > assam mailing list > > assam@assamnet.org > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > _______________________________________________ > assam mailing list > assam@assamnet.org > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org Umesh Sharma Washington D.C. 1-202-215-4328 [Cell] Ed.M. - International Education Policy Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Class of 2005 http://www.uknow.gse.harvard.edu/index.html (Edu info) http://hbswk.hbs.edu/ (Management Info) www.gse.harvard.edu/iep (where the above 2 are used ) http://harvardscience.harvard.edu/ http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/ --------------------------------- Sent from Yahoo! Mail. A Smarter Email. _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
