Consider the following facts: 1. Bihar's per capita income is almost half of that of Assam. 2. UP has lower per capita income 2. MP has a comparable per capita income 3. Orissa (yes, even orissa) has a lower per capita income. http://indiabudget.nic.in/es2002-03/chapt2003/tab18.pdf 4. In terms of indices of human development that include literacy, nutrition, quality of life etc., Assam ranks above Bihar, Orisssa and in some indices, above UP, MP etc. http://hdrc.undp.org.in/hds/HDFct/India/HDI991States.htm Question: Why do we not see separationist insurgency in these states? Economics is important in understanding centrifugal forces but it is not simply about development or the lack thereof. It is more about factors that cause conflict of interest - between demographic groups, between regions and between a region and the center of a political state. Santanu.
> -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Chan Mahanta > Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 4:31 PM > To: ram Sarangapani; umesh sharma; [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Assam] Re: Economic Development > > > Hi Ram: > > > You have made a bunch of comments that won't hold up under scrutiny. > But that is for later. Let me just ask you this: > > > >Why don't we see insurgent groups in any of the > >advanced countries? Do you believe, any any of them > >would want to break away from success? > > > Are there no less developed states or groups in the USA for example? > > There are aren't they? But they don't hold the Federal Govt. > responsible. They do not charge the Feds with step-motherly > treatment. They don't accuse them of ignoring them or exploiting > them. They hold the feds responsible for a lot of things, but none > whatsoever the Indian union's constituents do. > > > Why do you think is the reason? > > > c-da > > > > > > > > > > > > > At 1:54 PM -0800 1/5/05, ram Sarangapani wrote: > >Hi Umesh, > > > >There are many reasons for any kind of unrest. Many of > >the root causes are because of economics. without > >growth and development, there are fewer jobs, > >businesses don't thrive well and so. Then there arises > >questions like 'have we been overlooked' or why did > >xyz area get these benefits (and not us). > > > >In fact if you look into the main reasons why a number > >of ethinic groups are demanding that they be declared > >as scheduled caste/tribe or OBC, you will find > >economic factors again. These groups (right or wrong) > >want certain quotas to benefiit them for > >jobs/education. And they may have a valid case as many > >such were marginalized at some point. > > > >My point simply is this. Unrests arise more often than > >not because of economic problems. Later on many such > >movements will try to rationalize this as being > >patriotic, religious or even color. > > > >What galls me is that some are still trying to justify > >some of these by totally discounting economics and > >potraying it as something else. > > > >However, I do think other factors like ethinicity, > >religion, language etc all contribute to unrest. But > >if the economics were right, few groups would want to > >get off the gravy train. > > > >Why don't we see insurgent groups in any of the > >advanced countries? Do you believe, any any of them > >would want to break away from success? There are of > >course cases like some groups in Texas who want their > >own homeland (Texas) - but most will agree they are > >off the deep end. > > > >--Ram da > > > >--- umesh sharma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > >> To an extent I agree with Ram-da. > >> > >> But birds don't want to live in golden cages either > >> - if you make it too stifling for them. > >> > >> For example, this Earth is our cage but we don't > >> want to leave it, but if we are confined to our room > >> only -we would start jumping - even with all the > >> delicacies and sensual pleasures at our disposal. > >> > >> I don't know where we all stand on this. > >> > >> Umesh > >> > >> Ram-da wrote: > >> > >> economic problems are the root cause of > >> alienations, specially in the case of the NE. > >> > >> If Assam/NE was a well-developed area, there would > >> be > >> far fewer young men/women wanting to join some > >> insurgent group. > >> > >> ram Sarangapani <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> C'da > >> > >> > >> >Will featuring in the national anthem salve > >> > those kharkhowa hurts, if not eradicate them? > >> > >> Thats a big jumb to conclusions. Nobody has said > >> that. > >> You are just putting words into my mouth. > >> > >> > Does not even rhyme. It would be a an anthem > >> > singer's nightmare. > >> > >> Heh! heh! heh!. You seemed to have done a pretty > >> good > >> job. I will buy your rendition any time -:) > >> > >> >Incidentally, one of the most glaring omissions or > >> >ignorances some of you demonstrated last week about > >> >Assam's alienations were your beliefs that it was > >> >all about economic development or lack of it. > >> >Shows how much you guys are out of it. > > > > >> So, please do tell us (wayward folks) whats it all > >> about (other than economics). > >> > >> IMHO, economic problems are the root cause of > >> alienations, specially in the case of the NE. You, > >> yourself have lobbed numerous salvos at the Center, > >> the Hindi-belt etc for the lack of development or > > > growth in the NE. > >> What about the ULFA or other insurgent groups in the > >> NE? What MOTIVATED them to want a separation? > >> Are you telling me that it was all because of > >> 'identity', 'patriotism' etc. > >> > >> If Assam/NE was a well-developed area, there would > >> be > >> far fewer young men/women wanting to join some > >> insurgent group. Identity, patriotism etc do play a > >> role. In my opinion, they help form cohesion, > >> Assamesenss, or to basically to go rah, rah (feel > >> good) and garner support for a movement. > >> > >> I think, for all your belief in 'substance', you > >> have > >> forgotten the ROOT problems of lack of > >> development/growth, the other major factor is the > >> need > >> to have 'power'. > >> > >> If you were to look into most of the > >> infractions/insurgencies have root causes in > >> economics > >> or power plays. Religion too has played a role. But > >> even there the root cause somehow points to > >> economics. > >> > >> Lastly, > >> >But can having a statue of Lachit Borphukan, a > >> >symbolic recognition of kharkhowa martial legacy > >> >in the military academy at Vizag substitute such > >> > aspirations? > >> > >> So, what is this 'substance' that you seek. Its not > >> these mundane things like statues, awards, a slap on > >> the back - that we understand. Its not even economic > >> development. > >> Assamese identity couldn't be a reason, 'cause that > >> identity will more than likely dissappear where > >> Assam > >> gets independence or not. > >> > >> What is it, just plain old independence, > >> come hell or highwater? > >> > >> --Ram > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> --- Chan Mahanta wrote: > >> > >> > Ram: > >> > > >> > > >> > >There are many in the NE and other states that > >> > believe > >> > >that they have been given a raw deal by the > >> Center. > >> > > >> > *** Do you think there is any reason for it, or > >> are > >> > they just cry > >> > babies as some of you seem to believes? > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > >But the METHODS or processes of redressing these > >> > >differ from 'them terrorists'. One doesn't need > >> to > >> > go > >> > >gun-toting to adresss these ills. > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > *** What might those be? Will featuring in the > >> > national anthem salve > >> > those kharkhowa hurts, if not eradicate them? > >> > > >> > Jana gono mono odhi nayoko joyohe > >> > Bharata bhagyo bidhata > >> > Punjaabo, Oxomo ( or Kashmiro) gujarato, maratha > >> > Dravida utkolo bongo--- > >> > > >> > Does not even rhyme. It would be a an anthem > >> > singer's nightmare. Also > >> > what are the chances of them kharkhowas beating > >> out > >> > Kashmiris? > >> > Kashmir real-estate is far more sexy, far more > >> > valuable than the > >> > swamps and jungles of the NE, isn't it? > >> > > >> > > >> > >Sure it is. We all know that. You seem to imply > >> > that > >> > >it is ONLY the Indian society that has these. One > >> > can > >> > >show any number of examples in any society for > >> such > >> > >things. > >> > > >> > *** The difference Ram, lies in the propensity, > >> the > >> > degree, in which > >> > desis have resigned themselves to embrace the > >> > symbols as the real > >> > thing, and remaining smug about it. > >> > > >> > > >> > >Extending your's and Prasenjit's logic (about > >> going > >> > >ONLY after the real thing), my question is why > >> then > >> > >are people are so concerned about > >> > 'language/cultural' > >> > >development? > >> > > >> > > >> > *** You got the wrong idea about 'symbols' vs. the > >> > real thing. I was > >> > not implying aspirations of 'cultural or > >> linguistic > >> > identities as > >> > 'unreal'. They too are real aspirations. But can > >> > having a statue of > >> > Lachit Borphukan, a symbolic recognition of > >> > kharkhowa martial legacy > >> > in the military academy at Vizag substitute such > >> > aspirations? Or the > >> > awards of this or that national awards to > >> Kharkhowa > >> > artists or > >> > literateurs? > >> > > >> > > >> > Incidentally, one of the most glaring omissions or > >> > ignorances some of > >> > you demonstrated last week about Assam's > >> alienations > > > > were your > >> > beliefs that it was all about economic development > >> > or lack of it. > >> > >=== message truncated ===> > >_______________________________________________ > >> Assam mailing list > >> [email protected] > >> http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam > >> > >> Mailing list FAQ: > >> http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html > >> To unsubscribe or change options: > > > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam > >> > > > > > > > > > >__________________________________ > >Do you Yahoo!? > >Read only the mail you want - Yahoo! 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