All enlightened sensible leaders will root for globalisation. In the last few decades (preceding Trump and Modi), globalisation and multilateralism got agency and these forces of co-operation yielded international supply chains, cost-efficient production hubs and startups which quickly became MNCs. Collaboration or global supply chains imply interdependence. Interdependent countries will tend to avoid conflicts. "Atmanirbhar" type of slogans will appeal to many people who imagine themselves gaining in capability to fight wars - even though it is a delusion that any country in today's world can survive in complete isolation! When politicians lacking intellectual depth win elections, they tend to consolidate their power by pandering to tribalism - if such leaders happen to be clever with using media, particularly social media, their task becomes easier. Even in democracies, such leaders portray themselves as "Rescuers" or "Victims of Conspirators" and they succeed in spreading false fears and hatred of "others" which fuel tribalism; people across demographics start to believe in bizarre conspiracy theories , disharmony in the society increases but before long the "Rescuer" acquires the status of a Demigod. Trump and Modi are great examples of such leaders who lack intellectual capabilities but compensate for their handicap with their mastery over exploiting media. These two leaders between themselves, have managed to set the ideas of "Internationalism" and a "Global World", back by few decades.
Now with India's presidency of G20, Modi Government must reverse track and proclaim "Globalisation"! Modi will only utter platitudes (his favourite is “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”) and try to score brownie points with some new slogans and year long event management - across 50 cities in 200 meetings (https://bit.ly/3VfAUg5).
20-Dec-22 ET Op Ed "Globalisation Is Our Business", by N Chandrasekaran. India is the President of G20 formation for one year. Now the business leaders will have to contribute to actual actions towards achieving greater Globalisation. This is a good action plan described by Chandrasekaran.
CONTRAST THE IDEAS OF NATIONALISM POPULARISED BY TRUMP AND MODI WITH THOSE OF GANDHI & NEHRU
MK Gandhi had the intellectual heft to be able to articulate or chart out an untrodden path not just for himself, but for his country and the whole world! In comparison, Trump and Modi are intellectual dwarfs - Ramchandra Guha has called Modi Government the most anti-intellectual; Trump has disdain for learning or knowledge acquisition.
Only very credible, not just enlightened and courageous, leaders could articulate the supremacy of Internationalism over Nationalism, the way Gandhi did - and be taken seriously. Gandhi was one of the most popular leaders in history. Gandhi did not become popular by pandering to tribalism. On matters of tolerance or internationalism, Gandhi took exactly the opposite stand to tribalism!
Nehru was another leader with a comparable intellectual heft. Nehru's ideas on internationalism (see point#1 from excerpts of The Discovery of India)
TED Dialogues watch Yuval Noah Harari - on Internationalism.
4-Jan-19 Brookings.edu
No comments:
Post a Comment