THE HINDU Editorial notes pdf for UPSC aspirants
September 4,2019
1) A democratic language, an authoritarian writ
- This article deals with the impact of populism on democracy
- While democratic theory holds that power should be vested in representative institutions and exercised according to procedures, populist see these institutions as useless and hold representative institution hostage to their own projects of power
- This is seen even in developed liberal countries eg In USA the republican senate has long ceded its independence to President Trump's policy agenda
- In the UK , Prime minister Boris Johnson move to prorogue parliament for 5 weeks is considered as a move to curtail any arguments on Brexit
- In India ,it was evident from the way article 370 special status to j&K clause was abrogated without any consultation with local populace of J&K
- It's not just the legislature that has been held hostage ,even in the appointments of judges of higher courts ,the populist handpicks biased judges ,as seen in US judge nomination
- When representative institution like legislature loses power ,it ceases to represent the voices of people
- Populist leaders speak the language of democracy but their solutions to the problems of people are authoritarian in nature
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2) Putting the skids under border trade
- Escalating tensions between the two neighboring countries India and Pakistan has affected the border economics the most
- In 2018 to 19 bilateral trade between India and Pakistan was valued at 2.5 billion India's exports to Pakistan accounted for 2.06 billion in India's imports from Pakistan where at 495 million dollar ,after retaliatory tariff and restriction the trade has reduced drastically.
- Unlike the national economy border economies owe their existence to cross-border economic opportunities and when this gets closed down due to war threats ,the livelihood of the border population is adversely affected.
- Post introduction of border haats along the India Bangladesh border the border economy has significantly improved on both the sides
- A land locked city like Amritsar where majority of people work in the supply chain of border trade ,any decision on trade restrictions is likely to impact the local economy and people of Amritsar
- It's not just that the trade in Merchandise that gets affected , rather the entire supply chain and Logistics industry and the personnel involved in it get affected.The locals in the border economies do not have any alternative opportunity sources of livelihood
- In spite of restrictions ,big business houses somehow find a way through indirect third country to reach the neighboring country ,it is the small scale business vendors and local economy that gets affected the most.
- In the spirit of nationalism that trade fraternity on both sides by and large has stood by there respective governments, now it's time for their government's to the help the local population because there is no winner in this retaliatory tariff or trade restrictions
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3) Life in the balance
- It has been more than three and half years since Pakistan arrested kulbhushan Jadhav on Grounds of espionage and terrorist activities
- Despite Pakistan being a signatory to the Vienna Convention of 1963 ,an international treaty which mandates arrested foreign nationals be allowed to meet consular officers, Pakistan refused the access until it was ordered to by the International Court of Justice in response to an Indian petition
- India finally received consular access to him on Monday but the consular access provided by Pakistan came with set of restrictions such as camera recorded meeting and meeting only in the presence of Pakistan officials which was initially opposed by India but later on agreed to the terms
- Post the meeting the MEA concluded that he was under extreme pressure to parrot a false narrative
- Pakistan has finally complied with first of the (International Court of Justice) ICJ ruling of granting consular access albeit with restrictions, and it is hoped that is Pakistan will follow through with next part of the verdict ie., a review of The trial process and the reconsideration of the death sentence
- Although this will be clearly complicated by the current breakdown in bilateral ties , India has to use all the available channels with Pakistan negotiate a reprieve for Jadhav.
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4) On the edge
- The latest estimate for GDP (April-June quarter) at 5% underlines the deepening slowdown that Indian economy is facing
- The mainstay of demand , private consumption spending has slumped to 18 quarter low of 3.1% growth from earlier 7.2%
- Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF), a proxy indicator for savings and investment has also declined
- Manufacturing sectors figures have plummeted ,while the farm sector is still stuck in low income trap where monsoon pattern decides the amount of harvest
- RBI survey on consumer confidence also provides a dismal picture
- The Finance Minister's recent policy announcement are not enough to revive the economy ,it is time for the government to take far reaching reforms to revive the economy
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