Dear Friends,
We (EC) would be grateful to all of you if you could provide us with, the networking benefits or activities that you have as an individual or your organisation have received, provided or done.
I.e, Barun ( liberty institute) has done some work with, Zainab, Manu and Rajesh.
Rajesh had helped CCS in organising a meet at patna, etc.
This information is important as primarily it has to be reported and analysed on our second alumni meet at Mumbai.
Considering, there are only a few days left please, do so urgently.
please send in the details to my personal email id: maniyarpur@yahoo.co.uk
or post as a comment on the blog.
Regards,
Rajesh Singh
Deputy Coordinator
IFAN
Monday, March 31, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
Monkeys Deserve Peanuts
The recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission are making the news now. This reminds me of the time when the 5th Pay Commission met over a decade ago. Then, an officer of the Indian Administrative Service named Srivatsa Krishna wrote an article in The Economic Times quoting Lee Kwan Yew's dictum "If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys". His argument was that IAS blokes like him must be very highly paid.
I was a regular contributor to the editorial pages of ET then, and wrote a rejoinder titled "Monkeys Deserve Peanuts". It provoked wide outrage in the IAS mafia and a flurry of letters to the editor followed. Unfortunately, this was in the pre-digital era, and no electronic records exist. But I can mail photocopies to anyone interested.
Of course, my arguments were correct. The 5th Pay Commission bankrupted the State and public services did not improve at all. This scenario will be repeated again.
Babus who perform no useful work should not get paid at all. Indeed, because they produce nothing, babus are "unproductive". What is worse, many are "misproductive", causing losses to the community - like, for example, when the beat officer extorts money from all street vendors. They produce nothing, but impose costs. That is "misproductive" employment.
The greatest joke, of course, is that these misproductive types get tonnes of cash from the public treasury in order to "generate" gainful employment!
Pay hikes for this misproductive bureaucracy must be strongly opposed.
Monkeys deserve peanuts.
Sauvik Chakraverti
Your are requested to visit the blog of Sauvik Chakraverti
http://sauvik-antidote.blogspot.com/
I was a regular contributor to the editorial pages of ET then, and wrote a rejoinder titled "Monkeys Deserve Peanuts". It provoked wide outrage in the IAS mafia and a flurry of letters to the editor followed. Unfortunately, this was in the pre-digital era, and no electronic records exist. But I can mail photocopies to anyone interested.
Of course, my arguments were correct. The 5th Pay Commission bankrupted the State and public services did not improve at all. This scenario will be repeated again.
Babus who perform no useful work should not get paid at all. Indeed, because they produce nothing, babus are "unproductive". What is worse, many are "misproductive", causing losses to the community - like, for example, when the beat officer extorts money from all street vendors. They produce nothing, but impose costs. That is "misproductive" employment.
The greatest joke, of course, is that these misproductive types get tonnes of cash from the public treasury in order to "generate" gainful employment!
Pay hikes for this misproductive bureaucracy must be strongly opposed.
Monkeys deserve peanuts.
Sauvik Chakraverti
Your are requested to visit the blog of Sauvik Chakraverti
http://sauvik-antidote.blogspot.com/
Thursday, March 20, 2008
WRONG, MR. EDITOR
by SAUVIK CHAKRAVERTI
Some months ago, the editor of the Times of India, Gautam Adhikari, published a signed article claiming that this leading Indian newspaper is wedded to 'classical liberalism'. However, the lead editorial of March 15, titled "Clean up Goa", lets the side down. It is illiberal, intolerant and unsympathetic; it is blind to reality; and its prescription is astoundingly impractical. Allow me to elaborate on each point.
The editorial begins by saying that, because of the easy availability of drugs, and because 'liquor flows uninterruptedly', Goa has become 'an attractive hangout for socially dysfunctional people'. Actually, people who successfully 'score' illegal drugs are not at all socially dysfunctional; rather, they are 'black market savvy'; they are 'street smart'. Living in Goa, as I have been for over two years now, it becomes apparent that the really dysfunctional people here are the local alcoholics (and there are scores of them). Still, I wonder if Goa would be a better place if it was like New Delhi, where the government monopolistically sells warm beer in staggeringly hot weather, where drinking in bars in unaffordable even for newspaper editors, and where all queue up outside government shops to buy alcohol.
This first portion of the editorial smacks of intolerance. A true classical liberal would appreciate the fact that 'it takes all kinds to make a world' – and make room in his theories for all these types. Robert Nozick, the liberal philosopher, made the telling point that a truly free society is not one Utopia conceived of by the theorist; rather, it is a 'society of utopianism', wherein each can look for his own utopia.
The next part of the editorial lacks any sympathy for a bereaved mother. This second paragraph should never have been published, being completely irrelevant to the main issue. At a moment of stark state failure, and tragedy, it attempts to implicate a mother who was, in the deepest sense, 'liberal' with her wilful teenage daughter.
Thereafter, the editorial is blind to reality. It asks the totally stupid question: "How is it that the drug trade in Goa is flourishing, that too, in full public view and under the nose of the state police who's duties include cracking down on such activities?" The drug trade is flourishing all over the world, including New Delhi. I myself scored marijuana in London a stone's throw from the headquarters of Scotland Yard. The duties of the Goa police also include ensuring road safety. Every Goan, local as well as tourist, would be safer if this duty was performed. The drug trade should be legalized – but this is probably 'too liberal' an idea for the editor. He wants state action in checking the 'resident status and visa validity' of all foreigners here, a recipe for tyranny. A true liberal would favour a free, long-term 'visa-on-arrival' so that tourism, the largest industry in the world, is encouraged. Goa gets a full forty percent of India's tourism. Of the five million foreigners who risk their necks visiting India every year, two million come to Goa. But fifty million visit China and eighty million go to tiny France. If the editor has his way, tourism in Goa will slump.
The editorial then proceeds to display complete lack of 'knowledge' on drugs saying that 'locally available intoxicants like bhang and charas are a tradition' in Goa. The real hippy tradition here is of ganja. Bhang is not used in Goa, either by locals or tourists. Charas is not a local substance and is imported from the north. Because of illegality, quality charas is hard to find. Only brand names can ensure quality, which requires legalization. I met a group of German tourists who smuggled Moroccan hash into Goa for their holidays, knowing well that good charas is unavailable here. A Dutch tourist I met complained that Goa offered 'bush grass and horseshit hash'. In Holland, all this (and more) is legal, quality is excellent, and the cops are socially functional.
This illiberal, unsympathetic and ignorant editorial then descends to rank idiocy, calling upon Goan civil society to undertake an 'anti-drug crusade' led by the local musician Remo Fernandes. What the state police, armed with draconian legislation and guns, cannot accomplish, cannot be miraculously performed by a performer. Actually, if you talk to drug dealers, you realise that they do not want legalization, which would ultimately institute a market regime of 'normal profits'. Branded ganja and charas would then be sold at probably the same price as Darjeeling tea. Drug dealers abhor this idea because today their profits are astronomical. They share these huge profits with those in authority, corrupting institutions. This also makes them much more powerful than any civil society group. If Remo took up cudgels against them armed with just his guitar, he would not get far.
The editor has revealed his Utopia as a drug-free world. He wants this accomplished by state as well as civil society. But the sorry fact is that his vision has no place for the twin liberal values of Freedom and Justice. The editor of the Times of India, thus, is not a liberal at all.
--
Sauvik Chakraverti
Goa contact (0832) 2643048
Some months ago, the editor of the Times of India, Gautam Adhikari, published a signed article claiming that this leading Indian newspaper is wedded to 'classical liberalism'. However, the lead editorial of March 15, titled "Clean up Goa", lets the side down. It is illiberal, intolerant and unsympathetic; it is blind to reality; and its prescription is astoundingly impractical. Allow me to elaborate on each point.
The editorial begins by saying that, because of the easy availability of drugs, and because 'liquor flows uninterruptedly', Goa has become 'an attractive hangout for socially dysfunctional people'. Actually, people who successfully 'score' illegal drugs are not at all socially dysfunctional; rather, they are 'black market savvy'; they are 'street smart'. Living in Goa, as I have been for over two years now, it becomes apparent that the really dysfunctional people here are the local alcoholics (and there are scores of them). Still, I wonder if Goa would be a better place if it was like New Delhi, where the government monopolistically sells warm beer in staggeringly hot weather, where drinking in bars in unaffordable even for newspaper editors, and where all queue up outside government shops to buy alcohol.
This first portion of the editorial smacks of intolerance. A true classical liberal would appreciate the fact that 'it takes all kinds to make a world' – and make room in his theories for all these types. Robert Nozick, the liberal philosopher, made the telling point that a truly free society is not one Utopia conceived of by the theorist; rather, it is a 'society of utopianism', wherein each can look for his own utopia.
The next part of the editorial lacks any sympathy for a bereaved mother. This second paragraph should never have been published, being completely irrelevant to the main issue. At a moment of stark state failure, and tragedy, it attempts to implicate a mother who was, in the deepest sense, 'liberal' with her wilful teenage daughter.
Thereafter, the editorial is blind to reality. It asks the totally stupid question: "How is it that the drug trade in Goa is flourishing, that too, in full public view and under the nose of the state police who's duties include cracking down on such activities?" The drug trade is flourishing all over the world, including New Delhi. I myself scored marijuana in London a stone's throw from the headquarters of Scotland Yard. The duties of the Goa police also include ensuring road safety. Every Goan, local as well as tourist, would be safer if this duty was performed. The drug trade should be legalized – but this is probably 'too liberal' an idea for the editor. He wants state action in checking the 'resident status and visa validity' of all foreigners here, a recipe for tyranny. A true liberal would favour a free, long-term 'visa-on-arrival' so that tourism, the largest industry in the world, is encouraged. Goa gets a full forty percent of India's tourism. Of the five million foreigners who risk their necks visiting India every year, two million come to Goa. But fifty million visit China and eighty million go to tiny France. If the editor has his way, tourism in Goa will slump.
The editorial then proceeds to display complete lack of 'knowledge' on drugs saying that 'locally available intoxicants like bhang and charas are a tradition' in Goa. The real hippy tradition here is of ganja. Bhang is not used in Goa, either by locals or tourists. Charas is not a local substance and is imported from the north. Because of illegality, quality charas is hard to find. Only brand names can ensure quality, which requires legalization. I met a group of German tourists who smuggled Moroccan hash into Goa for their holidays, knowing well that good charas is unavailable here. A Dutch tourist I met complained that Goa offered 'bush grass and horseshit hash'. In Holland, all this (and more) is legal, quality is excellent, and the cops are socially functional.
This illiberal, unsympathetic and ignorant editorial then descends to rank idiocy, calling upon Goan civil society to undertake an 'anti-drug crusade' led by the local musician Remo Fernandes. What the state police, armed with draconian legislation and guns, cannot accomplish, cannot be miraculously performed by a performer. Actually, if you talk to drug dealers, you realise that they do not want legalization, which would ultimately institute a market regime of 'normal profits'. Branded ganja and charas would then be sold at probably the same price as Darjeeling tea. Drug dealers abhor this idea because today their profits are astronomical. They share these huge profits with those in authority, corrupting institutions. This also makes them much more powerful than any civil society group. If Remo took up cudgels against them armed with just his guitar, he would not get far.
The editor has revealed his Utopia as a drug-free world. He wants this accomplished by state as well as civil society. But the sorry fact is that his vision has no place for the twin liberal values of Freedom and Justice. The editor of the Times of India, thus, is not a liberal at all.
--
Sauvik Chakraverti
Goa contact (0832) 2643048
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
IFAN 2008
With the alumni meet close, some activity, (at least on the blog) has been visible. It’s obviously a welcome thing. Not, that I am criticizing non-activity for the rest of the year, because, if I would point a finger, rest four fingers would be pointed at me, I am a culprit too.
However, in good trust, we all know how busy we all have been in doing whatever we have been up to. And there is absolutely no reason to feel guilty for have not been able to do something visible and concrete that would enable us another getaway in mumbai.
Not to offend anyone, but the writing is on the wall. Almost everyone suggests that the alumni association should do some activity. Well my point is, activity in any alumni association is limited to annual dinner at poolside, which we are doing anyway. It gives us an opportunity to meet friends old and new. Make them aware of your happenings in the past days and get acquainted with theirs. Which we are doing pretty well. At the most what needs to be done, is to streamline the same process, so that members can communicate more effectively, yield results and make the rest of the members aware of their plans and problems. It would be a platform to discuss individual achievements, goals and to seek assistance.
All these points are the ones that we had agreed on, at the last meet. And the association had taken a correct direction. But the communication gap of last one year has perhaps laid some dust on our memories added by the guilt of the same. We have started getting enthusiastic about doing some activity. The moment we start to do that, we will have clashes of interests. (Two liberals have three views). We will lose friends.
This year we should concentrate on the logistical part, of how to make this helpful for each of us, doing what we are good at, individually. Maybe, find a way of not being a burden on FNF financially. Maybe changing geography for each meet. Maybe awarding an individual from within or outside the association.
These are my individual views.
Rajesh Singh
Patna
However, in good trust, we all know how busy we all have been in doing whatever we have been up to. And there is absolutely no reason to feel guilty for have not been able to do something visible and concrete that would enable us another getaway in mumbai.
Not to offend anyone, but the writing is on the wall. Almost everyone suggests that the alumni association should do some activity. Well my point is, activity in any alumni association is limited to annual dinner at poolside, which we are doing anyway. It gives us an opportunity to meet friends old and new. Make them aware of your happenings in the past days and get acquainted with theirs. Which we are doing pretty well. At the most what needs to be done, is to streamline the same process, so that members can communicate more effectively, yield results and make the rest of the members aware of their plans and problems. It would be a platform to discuss individual achievements, goals and to seek assistance.
All these points are the ones that we had agreed on, at the last meet. And the association had taken a correct direction. But the communication gap of last one year has perhaps laid some dust on our memories added by the guilt of the same. We have started getting enthusiastic about doing some activity. The moment we start to do that, we will have clashes of interests. (Two liberals have three views). We will lose friends.
This year we should concentrate on the logistical part, of how to make this helpful for each of us, doing what we are good at, individually. Maybe, find a way of not being a burden on FNF financially. Maybe changing geography for each meet. Maybe awarding an individual from within or outside the association.
These are my individual views.
Rajesh Singh
Patna
IFAN 2008
My dear friends in Ifan,
One of the key things in democracy is numbers.We liberals in India lacks in numbers.So one of the key challenges before us is to increase the number of convinced liberals in India.Once Hitler is reported to have asked the question how many members the Pope had in his army.How we can increase the numbers?.There are several ways of doing it.Let us start thinking about it.
Prof.Babu Joseph,President,LiberalGroup-Kerala.
One of the key things in democracy is numbers.We liberals in India lacks in numbers.So one of the key challenges before us is to increase the number of convinced liberals in India.Once Hitler is reported to have asked the question how many members the Pope had in his army.How we can increase the numbers?.There are several ways of doing it.Let us start thinking about it.
Prof.Babu Joseph,President,LiberalGroup
Monday, March 17, 2008
IFAN MEET 2008
Dear IFAN Members and Liberals,
I just want to request all of you that kindly send your confirmation if you are able to attend the IFAN MEET 2008 to be held in Mumbai from 5 to 7 April. it would be ideal to send a mail of confirmation to Nupur so that she can make necessary arrangements for you, as she is working very hard for this meet as usual.
Regards,
Ashraf Ahmed Shaikh
National Coordinator
IFAN
Mumbai India
+919867855733
I just want to request all of you that kindly send your confirmation if you are able to attend the IFAN MEET 2008 to be held in Mumbai from 5 to 7 April. it would be ideal to send a mail of confirmation to Nupur so that she can make necessary arrangements for you, as she is working very hard for this meet as usual.
Regards,
Ashraf Ahmed Shaikh
National Coordinator
IFAN
Mumbai India
+919867855733
Liberal Group – Kerala
Dear Libertarian Friends in IFAN,
I am glad to inform you that Liberal Group – Kerala is coming out with its new web site with an email attached to it. Although we might start it as a monthly publication we might soon make it a weekly. I request you to find some time to go through the same and let me have the benefit of your suggestions.
Our web address being www.liberalgroupkerala.org.
Let the slogan of our Bombay meet be "Let 100 Libertarian Groups of 10 to 25 people bloom in various parts of India". I suggest this slogan since we badly lack in numbers.
Regards,
Babu
I am glad to inform you that Liberal Group – Kerala is coming out with its new web site with an email attached to it. Although we might start it as a monthly publication we might soon make it a weekly. I request you to find some time to go through the same and let me have the benefit of your suggestions.
Our web address being www.liberalgroupkerala.org.
Let the slogan of our Bombay meet be "Let 100 Libertarian Groups of 10 to 25 people bloom in various parts of India". I suggest this slogan since we badly lack in numbers.
Regards,
Babu
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