Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Why the fuss about protectionism??

Who isn’t mean??...you, me, our politicians or the beggar round the corner on the street? Animals are born mean and always behave in a way to maximize gains for themselves. All of us are hypocrites and will veto anything that goes against our interest. Governments are accountable to and responsible for people and have to always act in a way beneficial to their citizens. All of us have a chameleon inside us that changes color as per the changes in the surroundings. When the going was good, it made more sense for the developed countries to encourage globalization, source cheap raw materials from around the world, export finished goods and utilize their own talent for more productive higher paying jobs. Developed countries happily obliged their farmers and offered huge subsidies while asking developing countries not to subsidize theirs. Today China & other low cost destinations are the hub of manufacturing, India the Mecca of IT. Developed countries especially the US of A are heavily dependent on third world countries to get their backend work done and also to maintain the competitiveness of their companies. But in 2008 the tide turned, Outsourcing has now become the dreaded word especially in developed country politics; ‘bailout’ became the word of the year in 2008. Being protectionist is now not a choice but a political & economic compulsion for these once proponents of globalization. Developed countries have to be protectionist. They have to be mean and are aptly justified in being so. Chindia has no right to protest these protectionist measures because we are selfish as well. Aren’t we ignoring environmentally sustainable standards in lieu of our rapid economic growth, don’t we alter our foreign policies as per our own interests? Back home wasn’t DMK selfish in its demand for ministerial berths? It’s very simple, all of us take decisions, formulate strategies keeping the current realities in mind and what will be the most selfish i.e. beneficial thing in the scenario. That’s what is happening right now. We have no right to protest any mean policies of any country in the world.

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