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	<title>Reason For Liberty &#187; Current Affairs</title>
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		<title>A Case of a Rape Victim</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/a-case-of-rape-victim.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/a-case-of-rape-victim.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:49:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Unpretentious Diva</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[India]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Observation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Crimes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[democratic governmental systems]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ethics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gyan Sudha Mishra]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Law/Crime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ludhiana]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Markandeya Katju]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prostitution]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rape]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sex industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[supreme court]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Supreme Court of India]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[violence]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.reasonforliberty.com/?p=4875</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[While discussing about the legal system of a free society, we often mention private legal firms and jurisdiction to take care of petty criminal incidences along with hard core crimes that may occur in such a free society where there is no government or aggressive authority to suppress Individual Freedom.

However, I have found that most of the supporters of democratic governmental systems oppose the idea claiming that such a free system will destruct itself and individuals will actually lose any available freedom in absence of state ruled jurisdiction and policing system. Often they mention hypothetical examples of sexual offences and oppose the idea that a sexual offender can actually remain free in a free society if he makes an agreement with the victim and pay the agreed amount of money as fine to the victim and corresponding private security firm/s to which the victim and culprit have registered.]]></description>
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</script></div><blockquote><p><strong><em>Hello Friends, I have shifted my writing portal from here to <a href="http://rationallibertariancorner.com/">http://rationallibertariancorner.com/</a> you may check for my New articles at my <a href="http://rationallibertariancorner.com/">website</a>.</em></strong></p></blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/1732007173256.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4877" title="1732007173256" src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/1732007173256-199x300.jpg" alt="" width="199" height="300" /></a>While discussing about the legal system of a free society, we often mention <a href="http://rationallibertariancorner.com/">private legal firms</a> and jurisdiction to take care of petty criminal incidences along with hard core crimes that may occur in such a free society where there is no government or aggressive authority to suppress Individual Freedom.</p>
<p>However, I have found that most of the supporters of <a href="http://rationallibertariancorner.com/">democratic governmental</a> systems oppose the idea claiming that such a free system will destruct itself and individuals will actually lose any available freedom in absence of state ruled jurisdiction and policing system. Often they mention hypothetical examples of <a href="http://sweetiepie-freebird.blogspot.com/">sexual</a> offenses and oppose the idea that a sexual offender can actually remain free in a free society if he makes an agreement with the victim and pay the agreed amount of money as fine to the victim and corresponding private security firm/s to which the victim and culprit have registered.</p>
<p>They feel that it is an obnoxious idea because if such monetary penalties are allowed for sexual cries, then no rapist will ever attain any serious punishment as they will victimize poor girls and boys for their criminal lust. The poor victim, being poor, will opt to compromise for a handsome amount of money and will not demand any physical punishment or jail term for the culprit. Such opposition occurs because of the common biasness against <a href="http://sweetiepie-freebird.blogspot.com/">sex</a> workers. People often feel that prostitution or selling sex for money is bad or immoral and hence they feel it should be avoided. Now if in a free society, the rapist is allowed to remain free of punishment for meager monetary payments, then it would be a direct support to prostitution.  If the rape victim accepts money for being raped, then it is no rape, it is simple prostitution.</p>
<p>It is hard to convince people about the moral soundness of prostitution. They won’t believe that sex is an art and sexual acts are art form. When a woman performs sex to fulfill requirements of a man or when a man perform sex to fulfill requirements of a woman, then they actually perform work and for that work, they are entitled to ask for payments.</p>
<p>However, there certainly is a difference between a rape case and a case of prostitution. A prostitute initially agrees for serving or entertaining man or men with her sexual art. Oh well, it is not necessary that every prostitute should be highly skilled in sexual art. Yet, she demands money for whatever sexual satisfaction she provides to her clients.  On the other hand, a rapist is not a prostitute, she was never ready to be used for sexual pleasure by her rapist and at least she was not ready for that when she was being raped.</p>
<p>Since the rape victim is not a prostitute and she was not ready for being sexually used initially, she has a right to demand for a jail term or physical punishment for the rapist. What if the rapist doesn’t agree to accept physical punishment or jail term and insist for monetary fine? He may succeed in making a compromise with girl. If the girl accepts monetary fine, then she cannot say that she was being raped. If she accepts monetary payment/fine for being raped, she is no different than a prostitute. I guess any woman will accept monetary fine for being <a href="http://sweetiepie-freebird.blogspot.com/">raped</a> rather than forcing physical payment or jail term for her rapist.</p>
<p>Impostors of fake morality may oppose my guess, but the real life supports my idea of accepting monetary fine or punishment for rape victims and allowing rapists to remain free. Recently, the Supreme Court of India allowed three rapists to enjoy freedom and removed all charges against them after they won an agreement with the rape victim who asked for monetary fine from culprits in place of prolonged jail term for them.</p>
<p>The rapists were initially awarded with a jail term of 14 years. Justices Markandeya Katju and Gyan Sudha Mishra maintained the conviction of the three rapists and said that the sentence of 10 years stood reduced to three-and-a-half years, the period of imprisonment already undergone.</p>
<p>The court further directed the convicts, who had raped the victim in Ludhiana on March 5, 1997, to pay a fine of Rs 50,000 each. Now since the three rapists have already suffered three and a half years of jail term, they have been freed.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/a-case-of-rape-victim.html#footnote_0_4875" id="identifier_0_4875" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="SC lets off rapists before time, SC Let off rapists before time">1</a></sup></p>
<p>I don’t think anyone will now criticize the poor rape victim who appealed in the court to reduce the jail term for her rapists and to allow her to take monetary fine from each of the rapists. Obviously, it was her right and she made good use of it.</p>
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</script></div><ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_4875" class="footnote">SC lets off rapists before time, <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/SC-lets-off-rapists-before-time/articleshow/7559273.cms">SC Let off rapists before time</a></li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Aid to Pakistan</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/aid-to-pakistan.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/aid-to-pakistan.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Aug 2010 02:36:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Unpretentious Diva</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Asia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bank accounts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[democratic voting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Disaster/Accident]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[diseases]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Flood relief to Pakistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign relations of Pakistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Geography]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[India]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indian government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indo-Pakistani War]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[International relations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Iranian Plateau]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jammu and Kashmir]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mumbai]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Natural Disaster]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NGO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pakistan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pakistan government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pakistani government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[South Asia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Switzerland]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[USD]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.reasonforliberty.com/?p=4805</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/viamoi/3650717808/sizes/z/in/photostream/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Flood-Pakistan.jpg" alt="" title="" width="240" height="240" class="alignright size-full wp-image-4806" /></a>Pakistan is suffering the natural disaster of flood and heavy rains. Naturally one will feel to help Pakistanis in this tumultuous period of difficulties. Innocent women, children and elder people will be the first to suffer from the aftermath of the flood. They will face the dangers of various ills and diseases that will arise as a result of the receding flood waters. Those poor people already have lost their adobe. Most of their farmlands and huts have been washed out. There’s nothing left for their food. And this is the period of Ramjan.

Obviously, if some such Pakistani who is suffering extreme poverty and distress due to heavy floods comes out to your door and knocks at it to demand some humanly help in form of money, you will find yourself ready to help the Pakistani, to respect his needs in this period of natural disaster and will give him at least Rs5. ]]></description>
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<p>Pakistan is suffering the natural disaster of flood and heavy rains. Naturally one will feel to help Pakistanis in this tumultuous period of difficulties. Innocent women, children and elder people will be the first to suffer from the aftermath of the flood. They will face the dangers of various ills and diseases that will arise as a result of the receding flood waters. Those poor people already have lost their adobe. Most of their farmlands and huts have been washed out. There’s nothing left for their food. And this is the period of Ramjan.</p>
<h4>Who will not like to provide some monetary aid for those poor Pakistanis?</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/viamoi/3650717808/sizes/z/in/photostream/"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-4806" title="" src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Flood-Pakistan.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="240" /></a>Obviously, if some such Pakistani who is suffering extreme poverty and distress due to heavy floods comes out to your door and knocks at it to demand some humanly help in form of money, you will find yourself ready to help the Pakistani, to respect his needs in this period of natural disaster and will give him at least Rs5.</p>
<p>If a group of 1000 individuals from various private NGO’s working for helping those Pakistanis visits 100 Indian cities, connects with 10 Lakh Indian families and household and each family provides them Rs10 as a humanitarian help, the group will collect at least Rs 100 Lakh or Rs10 million. Some of the households may provide them higher amount of money as aid and at an estimate, it would not be too difficult for them to collect Rs 50 million (that is USD 5 million).</p>
<h4>Will you be ready to help those Pakistanis?</h4>
<p>Some will say that it would be wrong to help those Pakistanis. Most of them consider India as an enemy state. They facilitate terrorism in Kashmir and other parts of India. They were those who planned and attacked Indian cities regularly and killed people. Thousands of Indians have been killed due to Pakistan instigated terrorism, violence and mass murdering.<br />
In Mumbai alone, people killed in terrorist attacks during the last ten years were<br />
• 6 December 2002 &#8211; Bomb goes off in a bus in Ghatkopar killing 2<br />
• 27 January 2003 &#8211; Bomb goes off on a bicycle in Vile Parle killing 1<br />
• 14 March 2003 &#8211; Bomb goes off in a train in Mulund killing 10<br />
• 28 July 2003 &#8211; Bomb goes off in a bus in Ghatkopar killing 4<br />
• 25 August 2003 &#8211; Two Bombs go off in cars near the Gateway of India and Zaveri Bazaar killing 50<br />
• 11 July 2006 &#8211; Series of seven bombs go off in trains killing 209<br />
• 26 November 2008 to 29 November 2008 &#8211; Coordinated series of attacks killing at least 172.</p>
<p>Many of Indian families may deny giving money for Pakistanis even in such scenario of natural disaster in Pakistan only because how could they say that the group of people coming to their home and demanding money for helping the poor Pakistanis will actually help the Pakistanis and will not use that money to instigate further violence and terrorism on India?</p>
<p>How will you be so sure that the same amount of money you are paying to help the poor kids suffering in flood ridden Pakistan will be used actually to help those kids and not for fulfilling the pockets of violence lovers and terrorists?<br />
You may not be so sure, and yes, it is true that you may be fooled by any such organization that will use the money given by you against your nation or fellow men. May be your money will reach again in a terrorist squad and will help them to kill further people.<br />
Yet, you will have a chance to check the premises of the person asking for direct money with your consent. You will be able to see his/her truthfulness in his/her eyes. You will be able to have a choice either to give him money or to decline. Most probably, you will not fail to recognize the truthfulness and validity of the person asking you money directly for helping the poor kids suffering in flood waters in Pakistan.</p>
<p>At present, you are forced to pay money for Pakistan as an aid or flood relief. You are forced and nobody will even feel it necessary to ask or inform you about the money you are paying as an aid to Pakistan. Indian Government has already promised money for Pakistan government as an aid of $ 5 million to help the poor suffering from Pakistan<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/aid-to-pakistan.html#footnote_0_4805" id="identifier_0_4805" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="India&amp;#8217;s Flood Aid Offer to Pakistan, Timer of India">1</a></sup> It is your money that has been offered by the Indian government to the government of Pakistan. First of all, Indian government has no valid right to use your money without your consent to pay for any aid to any other body or government irrespective of the receiving country is Pakistan or India itself. It is your money and you should have a right to have a say on it to how to spend it and what for. It is true that government was chosen democratically and in democracy majority rules and minority obeys. Yet, there was no democratic voting for the issue of whether to pay aid for Pakistan or not to pay any aid. The Decision of so-called democratic government’s aid to Pakistani government is surely a tyrannical one and it is not democratic in any respect. If a voting is done to achieve a democratic decision over the issue, most probably No aid will be provided to Pakistan government, although people may democratically agree for a channel of direct help for the people suffering in Pakistan without involving any government including Indian government or Pakistani government.</p>
<h4>What is wrong in involving Indian or Pakistani government in this humanitarian cause?</h4>
<p>We cannot say how logically and honestly Indian government will pay the aid to Pakistan. It is not Indian government’s money, government does not create any wealth, government is parasite, we earn and government sucks our earning to exist. It is simply embezzling money earned and created by us. We do not know how the Indian government will tackle the issue of compensating the loss of this money that has been promised to be provided for Pakistani government. How much inflation will we suffer due to this aid of USD 5 million? We do not know. How much national debt we will have to cover off? We do not know. Every Indian citizen is already under the pressure of national debt, we suffer governmental fiscal deficit every year and yet, instead of managing their own monetary problems, Indian government is engaged in distributing alimonies and gifts and aids. We do not know how many corrupt figures it will add to the fiscal deficit of this year while the Indian politicians will fill up their bank accounts in Switzerland banks. Thus, this aid by Indian government to Pakistani government is a big loss for Indian citizen who is forced to pay this aid. It surely will not be an issue of Rs5 or Rs10 for every Indian family. It will reach too high because of the corruption of Indian government.</p>
<h4>Issue of Pakistan government is much more dangerous and serious.</h4>
<p>We think that it would be difficult to assess the true nature and honesty of a NGO member coming directly to your home and demanding humanitarian aid for Pakistani people suffering in floods. They may provide that money to terrorists. Yet, you have a choice to assess their nature. You are not such a fool who will give their money to any fraudulent person.<br />
Pakistan government on the other hand, is surely fraudulent. There is a record of Pakistani government to use the money given to it by international societies in other works including terroristic and warfare acts. The money given to Pakistani government for earthquake relief a few years ago was never used to provide relief for the poor people of Pakistan who suffered the aftermath of earthquake. The Pakistani government is a crook for sure and the government associations are too much corrupt. Not even Pakistanis can trust on ISI. Those were Pakistani citizens who were against Pakistani government during the issue of sacking of Justice Chowdhary. There are 100 percent chances that the money given to the Pakistani government for helping poor suffering in floods will never actually reach the poor people. First of all Pakistani government is corrupt, then the government includes a lot of red taping, the Pakistani officials are corrupt, police and army is corrupt. Why will they provide any money to the poor kid or woman or elder person suffering and dying in floods? Why will not they grab that money and put it in their own pockets? Or they may use it for enriching their collection of arsenals and weapons of mass destruction.</p>
<p>Overall, you are forcibly made to pay USD 5 millions for a wrong cause. Better would have been a way to help those Pakistanis directly through the help of some NGOs, at least you could have got a chance to provide money to an honest group and to avoid giving money to a dishonest one. At present, you were forced to give your money first to dishonest Indian government and then your money was given to another dishonest government, the government of Pakistan. It is a two way loot of Indian citizens.</p>
<ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_4805" class="footnote"><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/Indias-flood-aid-offer-to-Pak-a-tremendous-gesture-US/articleshow/6387278.cms">India&#8217;s Flood Aid Offer to Pakistan</a>, Timer of India</li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Legalizing Prostitution</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/legalizing-prostitution.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/legalizing-prostitution.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 13 May 2010 13:31:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Unpretentious Diva</dc:creator>
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		<category><![CDATA[Kenya]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.reasonforliberty.com/?p=4606</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/2703169951/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/2703169951_cb942e258e_m.jpg" alt="" title="" width="151" height="240" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4607" /></a>Prostitution is considered as misdemeanour or a "lesser" criminal act in almost all United States except Nevada, where the state government allows licensed brothels.
The police investigate and arrest persons involved in prostitution, even FBI glorifies itself from time to time while fighting against interstate prostitution. 
A proper examination and understanding of the activity of prostitution and its prohibition explains that prohibiting or il-legalizing prostitution is a wrong step causing wastage of resources, reducing the quality of life and the individual liberty in the society.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Prostitution is considered as misdemeanour or a &#8220;lesser&#8221; criminal act in almost all United States except Nevada, where the state government allows licensed brothels.<br />
The police investigate and arrest persons involved in prostitution, even FBI glorifies itself from time to time while fighting against interstate prostitution.<br />
A proper examination and understanding of the activity of prostitution and its prohibition explains that prohibiting or il-legalizing prostitution is a wrong step causing wastage of resources, reducing the quality of life and the individual liberty in the society.</p>
<h4>What is Prostitution?</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/2703169951/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/2703169951_cb942e258e_m.jpg" alt="" title="" width="151" height="240" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4607" /></a> Prostitution involves buying and selling of sexual services, it is simple act of mutual benefits between two consenting individuals without any compulsion.<br />
Having sex is not a crime; exchange of money is also not a crime because there is nothing wrong or illegal in exchange of money between two individuals. So, why is it <a href="http://sweetiepie-freebird.blogspot.com/">illegal</a>?</p>
<p>Most of the critics against the legalization of prostitution usually claim that if prostitution is allowed freely, the strong evil men may force women to involve in prostitution.<br />
Forcing anyone to do anything is an obvious crime, force or compulsion is simply against the individual rights of any civilized society, but prostitution does not involve any force or compulsion on anybody, it is simple exchange of money for the service provided with mutual agreement.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/legalizing-prostitution.html#footnote_0_4606" id="identifier_0_4606" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Reason for Liberty, Discussion on the issue of Prostitution on Objectivistic perspective">1</a></sup></p>
<h4>Sex as a Trade</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/11401580@N03/1410865019/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/1410865019_1a0b55089c_m.jpg" alt="" title="Preparing for work" width="240" height="180" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4608" /></a> People say that sex should be allowed only in marital limits and hence prostitution should be illegal. What people do not realize is marriage or a consensual love relation is nothing but transaction of love. If a man provides his girlfriend some precious gifts and in return she favours him with sexual affection, then it is no different than prostitution, similarly, a married woman providing sexual benefits for her husband in exchange of love and security of married life is nothing but trade of sex, <a href="http://sweetiepie-freebird.blogspot.com/">transaction of love</a>. What makes prostitution different from such love relations is the polygamous nature of prostitution. Thus, people opposing the demand of legalizing prostitution are not against the exchange of money for sexual services, rather they are against the polygamous nature of prostitution. Recent scientific researches show that it is quite natural for both males and females on biological levels to have a polygamous attitude and a desire to be in intimate relationships with many partners<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/legalizing-prostitution.html#footnote_1_4606" id="identifier_1_4606" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Dr. James J. Hughes, Monogamy as a Prisoners Dilemma: Non-Monogamy as a Collective Action Problem">2</a></sup> and animals of other species also get involved in activities like prostitution.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/legalizing-prostitution.html#footnote_2_4606" id="identifier_2_4606" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="A New York Times report, on a recent scientific research signifying that even monkeys get involve in money transaction for sex, that is Prostitution.">3</a></sup> </p>
<h4>Prohibition never helps</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sharman/3211291938/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/3211291938_2449d2f05f_m.jpg" alt="" title="Prohibition never helps" width="161" height="240" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4610" /></a> The Constitution of United States stands firm on individual liberty stressing on freedom of speech, religion and trade. Thus, illegalization of prostitution, which violates the premise of inalienable right of Individual, is simply against the Constitution that confirms full freedom for consenting adults for having mutually beneficial agreements, relations and transactions.<br />
Prohibition never helps though it causes wastage and corruption. Alcohol consumption was prohibited from 1920 to 1933 through Volstead Act, which made Bootlegging as an underground industry, home producers created whiskey and gin. The prices of alcohol skyrocketed in black market sales of alcohol because of heavy demand and corrupt governmental officers who surreptitiously helped the black-market<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/legalizing-prostitution.html#footnote_3_4606" id="identifier_3_4606" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Nancy Nixon, Nancy Nixon discusses over the effects of Prohibition on Alcohol during 1920 to 1933">4</a></sup> . Government lost a huge amount of tax from bootleg alcohol and it became impossible to check the quality of alcohol thus produced. The unsafe alcohol caused many accidents. Government spending to prohibit alcohol consumption increased $4.4 million to $13.4 million annually. Coast Guard spent at an average $13 million per year to check the prohibition during 1920&#8242;s. Government thought that prohibition would solve many social issues but the result was just opposite. The criminal activities increased as a result of prohibition. The homicide rates increased up to 66% during prohibition.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/legalizing-prostitution.html#footnote_4_4606" id="identifier_4_4606" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Mark Thorton analyzes the policy of prohibition on alcohol consumption during 1920&amp;#8242;s, stating that Alcohol Prohibition was Failure, Mark Thorton">5</a></sup><br />
History teaches us that prohibition never helps, rather they increase wastage of useful resources and causes increase in crime rates. Prohibiting prostitution also leads to similar results. </p>
<h4>Legalization reduces crime rate</h4>
<p>Prohibitionists suggest that legalizing prostitution may increase crime, but the facts say opposite. Serious crimes, such as rapes, homicides, robbery, kidnapping are noticed to be increasing because of prohibition. Countries that allow prostitution as legal activity do not suffer from high frequency of violent crimes. Canada, France, Israel, Singapore, United Kingdom all allows prostitution and all have lower crime rates than the crime rates in US.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/legalizing-prostitution.html#footnote_5_4606" id="identifier_5_4606" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Crime Statistics in Canada, 2006, Canada Government">6</a></sup><br />
After being charged with a sex-crime, a woman faces the social stigma and she becomes unemployable and hence forced to get involved with further criminal acts. Once she is jailed, it becomes impossible for her to gain any other means of living and that enforces her to work as prostitute for longer than they otherwise would. The experience of jail further makes women prone to get involved in other serious crimes.<br />
When police bans brothels, motels or other places where prostitution might generally be practiced, prostitutes find themselves forced to work in neighbouring streets and hence spoiling the neighbourhood. The dangers for prostitutes also increase many folds and they find themselves unable to care for health and safety precautions. Such prostitutes can easily be soft target for serial killers and sociopaths.<br />
Better way is to legalize prostitution in certain areas of cities where the prostitutes and their clients may work in safe environment.<br />
Other criminals who consider prostitutes and their customers as easy target to rob, blackmail, or rape also remains unchecked. Many a times, even the corrupt police also engage in corrupt exploitation of prostitutes. Thus, the criminals realize that prostitutes or their customers are most unlikely to report to police and that provides them an incentive to commit crimes against such people.<br />
If prostitution is legalized, such people would not flinch from reporting any criminal activity against them and that will reduce crime rate. </p>
<h4>Legalization promotes health care</h4>
<p> Prohibition causes health hazards. Because of laws against prostitution, most of the prostitutes often find themselves forced to involve in unsafe sexual activities. They cannot go for medical help too because of the fear of police. Prohibition on prostitution thus increases the probability of unsafe sex and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis, gonorrhoea, Chlamydia and herpes. If prostitution is legalized, the prostitution can be monitored and medical facilities can be provided to them and that will control the spread of such diseases.<br />
A public health review of World Health Organization<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/legalizing-prostitution.html#footnote_6_4606" id="identifier_6_4606" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Bulletin of the World Health Organization, Bull World Health Organ vol.79 no.9 Genebra  2001, Richard Steen">7</a></sup> states:</p>
<p> &#8220;In Kenya, where the importance of chancroid in HIV transmission was first described in the late 1980s, interventions targeting sex workers and STD patients were implemented. Reported condom use by sex workers has since increased to over 80% in project areas and the incidence of genital ulcers has declined. Chancroid, once the most common ulcer etiology, now accounts for fewer than 10% of genital ulcers seen in clinics in Nairobi, Kenya.<br />
In Senegal, HIV prevalence among pregnant women has been below 1% for more than a decade. A strong multisectoral response, an effective STD control programme and early legalization of prostitution have been credited for this low level. Special clinical services, for example, offer regular examination and treatment for registered sex workers. Not only has there been a significant decline in STD rates among sex workers and pregnant women between 1991 and 1996, but genital ulcers are also no longer common and chancroid is reportedly rare.&#8221;</p>
<p>It is very reasonable to legalize and regulate prostitution and medically monitoring the sex-workers and hence providing a safe environment to their client. Legalizing prostitution will also encourage the sex-workers to learn more about health issues, and ways of prevention. Canada, France, Denmark, Israel, Singapore and many other countries that have legalized prostitution have much less number of people living with HIV AIDS and the number of deaths due to HIV when compared with the records of US.</p>
<h4>Legalization of Prostitution and Social Condition</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/turkairo/2456961562/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/2456961562_5cdbe36281_m.jpg" alt="" title="" width="240" height="240" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4611" /></a>The societies that have allowed prostitution as a legal activity are providing much better social environment for the individuals. Countries like Canada, France, Denmark, Israel etc are spending much more of the percentage of their GDP on education and health-care than what US government spends. The suicide rates in such countries is also lesser.<br />
Legalization of prostitution promotes individual liberty and privacy; it also provides a way for the poor to alleviate their situation. In a free society, it makes no sense for the government to dictate people, specially the poor one that they cannot take money in exchange of the service they are willing to provide freely. Legalizing prostitution will also promote the privacy of individuals about their intimate relations and it will reduce the stigma the sex-workers suffer.<br />
Prohibition on prostitution causes a lot of wastage of resources. The law-enforcement bodies that devote a lot to monitor the prohibition on a harmless activity in between consenting adults can be used for better works and prevention of serious crimes. That will certainly help the society to reduce the crime rate and establish peace. Legalization will also reduce the police corruption and dangers of underground industry and provide safety for the sex-workers against organized crimes.<br />
<strong><br />
Conclusion:</strong> Prostitution is such an activity that harms nobody. Legalizing prostitution will serve the society in better way because that will tend the police to direct their efforts towards preventing and solving actual crimes which involves clear exploiter and victims and that will help the cause of justice. Legalizing prostitution will also help in improving the health care and social condition of United States.</p>
<p><a href="http://couplewriters.blogspot.com/">http://couplewriters.blogspot.com/</a></p>
<ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_4606" class="footnote">Reason for Liberty, <a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/anarcho-capitalism/legal-or-illegal-prostitution.html">Discussion on the issue of Prostitution on Objectivistic perspective</a></li><li id="footnote_1_4606" class="footnote">Dr. James J. Hughes, <a href="http://www.changesurfer.com/Acad/Monogamy/Mono.html">Monogamy as a Prisoners Dilemma: Non-Monogamy as a Collective Action Problem</a></li><li id="footnote_2_4606" class="footnote">A New York Times report, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/05/magazine/05FREAK.html">on a recent scientific research signifying that even monkeys get involve in money transaction for sex, that is Prostitution.</a></li><li id="footnote_3_4606" class="footnote">Nancy Nixon, <a href="http://www.lib.niu.edu/2001/ic010410.html">Nancy Nixon discusses over the effects of Prohibition on Alcohol during 1920 to 1933</a></li><li id="footnote_4_4606" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=1017">Mark Thorton analyzes the policy of prohibition on alcohol consumption during 1920&#8242;s, stating that Alcohol Prohibition was Failure</a>, Mark Thorton</li><li id="footnote_5_4606" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/85-002-x2007005-eng.pdf">Crime Statistics in Canada, 2006</a>, Canada Government</li><li id="footnote_6_4606" class="footnote">Bulletin of the World Health Organization, <a href="http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&#038;pid=S0042-96862001000900006&#038;lng=en&#038;nrm=iso&#038;tlng=en">Bull World Health Organ vol.79 no.9 Genebra  2001, Richard Steen</a></li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Going green or Going Nuclear?</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/going-green-or-going-nuclear-3.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/going-green-or-going-nuclear-3.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 10 Apr 2010 12:24:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Unpretentious Diva</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GlobalWarming]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[above discussed energy resources]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.reasonforliberty.com/?p=4574</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jkgroove/2884828385/sizes/s/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2884828385_d952afb1d8_m.jpg" alt="" title="" width="240" height="237" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4575" /></a> Energy is no different from a river, it flows or it is stored. We obtain all the required energy from the stored energy resources, otherwise we construct dams to capture the flowing energy and hence make it usable. 
The fake term "renewable energy" often used and advertised by environmentalist is nothing but the stored energy of the sun.
In reality, there is nothing like "renewable energy", every energy resource including the sun is limited. 
Environmentalists often shout against the use of Fossil fuel energy. Fossil fuels are also nothing but stored solar energy. The capturing of solar energy in form of fossil takes millions of years and fossil fuels are highly concentrated source of energy, almost 10 times more concentrated than wood. The wind energy or raw solar energy the flow of energy is too weak to be used. Solar energy is 10 to 50 times less concentrated than fossil fuel. There is no technology to concentrate solar or wind energy and hence, to harvest any significant amount of energy directly from flowing solar or wind energy, the only way is to use more and more land, but land space is limited and that limits the use of both solar and wind energy. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jkgroove/2884828385/sizes/s/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2884828385_d952afb1d8_m.jpg" alt="" title="Wind energy or Nuclear energy? CC Image courtesy by Johnnyalive" width="240" height="237" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4575" /></a> Energy is no different from a river, it flows or it is stored. We obtain all the required energy from the stored energy resources, otherwise we construct dams to capture the flowing energy and hence make it usable.<br />
The fake term &#8220;renewable energy&#8221; often used and advertised by environmentalist is nothing but the stored energy of the sun.<br />
In reality, there is nothing like &#8220;renewable energy&#8221;, every energy resource including the sun is limited.<br />
Environmentalists often shout against the use of Fossil fuel energy. Fossil fuels are also nothing but stored solar energy. The capturing of solar energy in form of fossil takes millions of years and fossil fuels are highly concentrated source of energy, almost 10 times more concentrated than wood. The wind energy or raw solar energy the flow of energy is too weak to be used. Solar energy is 10 to 50 times less concentrated than fossil fuel. There is no technology to concentrate solar or wind energy and hence, to harvest any significant amount of energy directly from flowing solar or wind energy, the only way is to use more and more land, but land space is limited and that limits the use of both solar and wind energy.<br />
According to T. Boone Pickens&#8217;s famous wind energy drive,<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/going-green-or-going-nuclear-3.html#footnote_0_4574" id="identifier_0_4574" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="T Boon Pickens, Pickens plan">1</a></sup> a single wind energy power station would require some 12,000 square miles of land area. That is too much when compared with the land space required for a Nuclear power plant.<br />
Another natural store of energy is coal that is extremely abundant in nature. We may never run out of coal no matter how much we use it. Coal is a concentrated store of energy, much concentrated than wood.<br />
Octane molecules of gasoline are further dense source of energy; they are densest form of all resources of carbon energy. Carbon energy itself is nothing but a natural dam of solar energy that is carbon energy is solar energy.<br />
Yet, environmentalists want to reduce world&#8217;s carbon footprints; hence, they want to ban usage of carbon energy resources. On the contrary, they support the use of solar energy, wind energy in crude, and dilute form.<br />
Nuclear energy is very different from any of the above discussed energy resources.<br />
Nuclear energy is not a form of solar energy; the Sun is not the source of nuclear energy. People in general know less about nuclear energy.<br />
A pinch of uranium contains more energy than 100 full trucks of coal. Despite the governments throughout the world providing support to solar and wind energy power plants by means of government subsidies (regulators forces utility companies to but renewable energy), the solar and wind energy plants produces only about 0.9% of the total electricity we consume.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ebacchus/80647439/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/80647439_f2f3a6fcef_m.jpg" alt="" title="Twelve miles of solar reflectors generate a meagre 300 megawatt of energy, CC Image courtesy of Ed Bacchus" width="240" height="151" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4576" /></a>The most effective solar panels (used on the space stations) are expensive and their conversion efficiency is only about 20%, which is too less. We cannot support the idea of using those much expensive solar panels with such less efficiency rate to be adopted on earth. Twelve miles of solar reflectors generate a meager 300 megawatt of energy, we can not rely on them, also, the reflectors must be kept exceptionally clean and maintained to the hilt, and otherwise they will not work. At the stage of current technological knowledge, no conceivable mix of solar, wind, sea or wave energy can fulfil even half of our demand for energy.<br />
Environmentalists are against carbon energy resources, one may think they are right, but they are against nuclear energy resource too and they support only the crude form of solar, wind and water energy. Obviously, they want to push us back to the dark ages<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/going-green-or-going-nuclear-3.html#footnote_1_4574" id="identifier_1_4574" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="The Catastrophic Lovers want to return to Dark Ages, Reason for Liberty">2</a></sup> .<br />
The wind, solar and wave energy can be made more efficient with improving science and technology, not by forcing all of us to go without electricity.<br />
The environmentalists call for massive subsidization for wind and solar energy, while they want to abort usage of carbon energy by applying carbon taxes.<br />
Subsidies for wind and solar energy along with ethanol, recycling and many other similar issues clarifies that they are not efficient, because if they are efficient, why do they need to be subsidized? They need to be subsidized because they are not efficient.<br />
Energy resources for which the environmentalist cries for are those, which benefit no one. The only reason environmentalist want them to be subsidized is the fact that they cannot compete in the market. No one will opt for wind or solar energy in a free market because it is inefficient very less, causes loss. In order to force people to opt for solar and wind energy, environmentalists suggest carbon taxes.<br />
All this clarifies solar and wind energy is not good enough yet.<br />
When the technology will improve and with that improve the efficiency of solar and wind energy, the free market will adopt them freely.<br />
Wind will still fail to be any major source of energy because of the difficulty of transmitting the wind energy power. Wind is also unpredictable and hence the production of energy will also remain unpredictable.<br />
Energy through nuclear fission is the proper alternative to any form solar energy that may solve out all the genuine environmental concerns, and they will ensure that we keep progressing in the future rather than being pushed backward to dark ages.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/austin80s/2303501094/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/2303501094_50a08291b7_m.jpg" alt="" title="Peaceful use of Nuclear Energy, CC Image courtesy of pdxjmorris" width="240" height="139" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4577" /></a>Uranium produces enormous amount of energy in a very little place that wind and solar energy together can not come close to.<br />
Those who oppose nuclear energy are simply against any realistic way towards sustaining and improvement of technological advancement and our life in turn.<br />
Uranium is abundant, clean and safe to use, furthermore, the residual of the nuclear reactors, that is, the &#8220;nuclear waste&#8221; can also be re-used after enriching plutonium.<br />
The environmental geeks show their concern about the safety of nuclear reactors.<br />
One of such nuclear accident happened at Chernobyl,<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/going-green-or-going-nuclear-3.html#footnote_2_4574" id="identifier_2_4574" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="The Chernobyl Disaster, wikipedia">3</a></sup> every green geek puts up that case, what they do not tell us is the fact that, that mishap happened just because that US government run reactor was highly unsafe.<br />
The greatest scientific feat of 20th century was the discovery of neutron and the knowledge about the highly concentrated nuclear energy. We discovered that the energy concentrated in nucleus of atom is 2 million times as more as the energy concentrated in the shell of atom.<br />
The energy in the shell of atom is known as the chemical energy. Everything from wood to coal, from crude oil to gasoline is the play of chemical energy. Using chemical energy thus does not necessarily decreases the carbon footprints. The only way to successfully decrease our carbon footprints without pushing us backward to dark ages is the Nuclear energy.<br />
The danger of nuclear waste is false because in reality, there remains nothing like &#8220;nuclear waste&#8221;; the waste of nuclear reactor can be used for further production of energy without hurting the environment by any means.<br />
That so-called nuclear waste is also being used as the medical isotopes. About 40% of advanced medicines now are Nuclear medicine.<br />
Conclusion: Nuclear energy is the safest, cleanest and most effective and efficient way we have, to not only to fulfil our current requirements but to meet all futuristic demands without leaving any carbon footprints.<br />
Anyone who opposes Nuclear energy is whole out wrong and is against human progress and prosperity. </p>
<ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_4574" class="footnote">T Boon Pickens, <a href="http://www.pickensplan.com/theplan/">Pickens plan</a></li><li id="footnote_1_4574" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/globalwarming/the-catastrophe-lovers-want-to-return-to-dark-ages.html">The Catastrophic Lovers want to return to Dark Ages</a>, Reason for Liberty</li><li id="footnote_2_4574" class="footnote"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_disaster">The Chernobyl Disaster</a>, wikipedia</li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>UID, Will it work?</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/uid-will-it-work.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/uid-will-it-work.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:10:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Unpretentious Diva</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.reasonforliberty.com/?p=4543</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://static-p3.fotolia.com/jpg/00/00/49/84/400_F_498405_AIIxUvEfTui9JGC8RsgUQMJFhdRsB7.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://static-p3.fotolia.com/jpg/00/00/49/84/400_F_498405_AIIxUvEfTui9JGC8RsgUQMJFhdRsB7.jpg" title="" class="alignleft" width="270" height="240" /></a>With its current status of world's largest producer of engineers and IT technicians, Indian government is now striving for implementing the technology in its administrative set-up and for doing that, the ruling class of India (The Politicians) have planned a grand program of provision of 'Identity' to all citizens of India through yet another identity card, although the new proposed identity card will be a 'little smart'. The rulers feel that by tuning the system with the help of technological assets, they will win over the heart of young voters, further they suggests that the new database of identity cards will provide an efficient way to curb corruption involved in its various welfare programs, yet another propaganda the politicians are spreading is the use of Unique Identity Card for the prevention of crimes and terrorism. So here, we will discuss the worth of the program UID that grabbed Mr. Nilekani from his INFOSYS success and converted him to be cabinet minister rather than an entrepreneur. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hello Friends, I have shifted my writing portal from here to http://rationallibertariancorner.com/ you may check for my New articles at my <a href="http://rationallibertariancorner.com/">website</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pritch/7475342/"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4544" title="Smart card" src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/7475342_df3519e034_m.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="180" /></a>With its current status of world&#8217;s largest producer of engineers and IT technicians, Indian government is now striving for implementing the technology in its administrative set-up and for doing that, the ruling class of India (The Politicians) have planned a grand program of provision of &#8216;Identity&#8217; to all citizens of India through yet another identity card, although the new proposed identity card will be a &#8216;little smart&#8217;. The rulers feel that by tuning the system with the help of technological assets, they will win over the heart of young voters, further they suggests that the new database of identity cards will provide an efficient way to curb corruption involved in its various welfare programs, yet another propaganda the politicians are spreading is the use of Unique Identity Card for the prevention of crimes and terrorism. So here, we will discuss the worth of the program UID that grabbed Mr. Nilekani from his INFOSYS success and converted him to be cabinet minister rather than an entrepreneur.</p>
<h4>UID card to tame Corruption</h4>
<p>Unique Identity Card is yet another attempt of the government to assert that socialism, and welfarism actually works, and if it is not working than it is because of the corrupt nature of individuals rather than the corrupt nature of system, government is thus hell bent to prevent any corruption involved in its various welfare programs like National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, National Rural Health Mission, Bharat Nirman etc.<br />
The government says that it will set up a UID Authority of India that will provide a unique identity for the targeted population of those welfare schemes and hence, the corruption inherited in such schemes may be reduced. That is, government yet again declines the fact that such welfare schemes are basically impotent and impractical while asserting that if government weave yet another security thread against the individual freedom, the corruption may reduce and things may work better. There is a basic problem in such a viewpoint. At present, government issues many of such identity cards that are being used to insure the proper beneficiary of the welfare schemes run by government. Yet, it is very easy to produce &#8220;fake credentials&#8221; and identity cards such as &#8220;Ration card&#8221;, voter ID card etc. So, by providing a UID smart card, that will contain a magnetic flash memory chip to secure the true information about the card holder that may not be duplicated without government officers concern, government thinks that corruption will be reduced, that is, its not the government officers, clerks and &#8220;babus&#8221; who are corrupt, but the public is corrupt, public provide bribes to the government officials to enjoy the benefits of schemes meant for helping the poor, while the poor as they cannot bribe, suffers. That may be true, yet how will the smart UID change the scenario? We already have a smart card for Driving Licenses since many years, which are no less sophisticated and technically sound than a UID, yet it fails to tame any corruption.<br />
<a href="http://static-p3.fotolia.com/jpg/00/00/49/84/400_F_498405_AIIxUvEfTui9JGC8RsgUQMJFhdRsB7.jpg"><img class="alignleft" title="Biometric Identification" src="http://static-p3.fotolia.com/jpg/00/00/49/84/400_F_498405_AIIxUvEfTui9JGC8RsgUQMJFhdRsB7.jpg" alt="" width="270" height="240" /></a>To record the biometric information of an individual such as his fingerprints, the shape of his hand bones, pattern of his retina, or voiceprint etc on to the idea can only confirm that the person holding the card is actually the owner of the card or not. That is, the UID is too much &#8220;fake-proof&#8221; it cannot be easily faked or duplicated. Yet, one can change the identity. The information such UID will hold can be as good as the source of information. Therefore, if the public and individuals are corrupt and if the corruption of Indian public is the soul reason behind the failure of governmental welfare schemes, than UID simply cannot help in removing any corruption and such schemes can never benefit the targeted group of individuals for which they are meant. The government officials entering the data in such &#8220;smart card&#8221; UID&#8217;s can be deceived by wrong information, fake birth certificates, salary or income certificates or they may be simply bribed for to issue fake ID&#8217;s that cannot be faked any further.<br />
That is, although government is trying to push the cause of removing corruption with the help of UID, yet the UID&#8217;s are simply impotent and incapable to remove or reduce any corruption. UID cannot reduce bribery. Yet government is ready to force Indians to bear the extreme spending of $19 billions for the provision of such identity cards that are simply meant to be a failure in the cause of their issuance. This huge amount of money could have been used to &#8220;help the poor&#8221; yet the government has decided to invest this money to weave yet another government authority (UIDAI) that will control the identities of individual. Therefore, instead of bribing the local government and municipality officials, now the &#8220;corrupt public&#8221; of India will bribe the specific central government authority officers working for UIDAI. It will not reduce any corruption overall. Instead of taking the responsibility of the inherited corruption in its own base, government thus is blaming individuals and hence is trying to stage a new pattern of controlling and authorizing. How can we trust the government that after the failure of all its management, this huge spending will make it possible for government to reduce any corruption?</p>
<h4>UID card for security reasons</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/24905220@N00/578827628/"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4545" title="Naxalism and Terrorism" src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/578827628_33898af96d_m.jpg" alt="" width="158" height="240" /></a>India is constantly suffering the evil of violent terrorism from within its borders in form of Maoists, Marxists and Naxals, and from outside in form of Islamic militants.<br />
Government thus suggest that the new &#8220;fake-proof&#8221; UID&#8217;s will help in strengthening the security system. The UID&#8217;s, which will contain the fingerprints, image of retina and a picture of the card holder are meant to be fake proof, yet are they really fake proof? The fingerprints can be faked by using a transparent rubber or plastic polymer on the fingers; retina can be faked out by using the contact lenses. That is, no matter how technically sound the system of UID will be, the same or other forms of technology will help the evil corrupt terrorists to deceive the UID security and hence, UID or any such smart card can never be fake proof. Imagine a terrorist simply uses the contact lens specially built for duplicating the retina of a genuine card holder along with using the plastic polymer on his fingers that is specially built to duplicate the fingerprints of same card holder; the picture can be simply duplicated on the card. The terrorist will use that card for entering a crowded building with his plans of violence. The &#8220;fake UID&#8221; will help him against any security check. The so-called wrong and overhyped security zone of UID will lax the security officials and that will further help the terrorist. The fancy technology of UID would give us a false logic of security and incur a dangerous overconfidence in the security officers who should be most cautious.<br />
A UID will not prevent terrorists from entering the country, it will not stop the terrorist from purchasing materials for making of bombs, and it will not restrict them for making a weapon of mass destruction. The UID will not stop a terrorist from entering a public building like a Hotel or restaurant or bank and opening up their vests full of bombs. A UID cannot prevent such terrorism. On the other hand, terrorists will get help in targeting their &#8220;venue of terrorist activities&#8221; they will simply look for the places requiring a UID card check as there will be huge crowd and will commit a mass attacks through other channels.<br />
In addition, the officials of the new proposed authority UIDAI will be the same people who are now in charge. Consider the level of their competency that will not increase because of a further new UID. The government had prior warning and information about the terrorists before 26/11 Hotel Taj attack. Government had prior inklings before the attack in Jaipur too. Government knew that the long coastal border of India is being used to infiltrate miscreants, yet because of its incompetency, it failed to secure Indians. Even after the attack of 26/11, Indian government failed to mend its ways and India suffered yet another brutal terrorist attack in Pune on German bakery, Maoists killed security officers at the police camp in West Bengal.</p>
<h4>Misusage of UID</h4>
<p>The governmental and political terrorists can also misuse the UID. The miscreants of MNS or Shivsena Hooligans may use the UID to confirm their victims and harass them. It would be very easy for government police to &#8216;identify&#8217; innocent Muslims to attack and harass them after any incident like that of Godhra case, and to plan an attack like that of &#8220;Best Bakery&#8221; in much sophisticated way. After the assassination of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, Sikhs were brutalized throughout the India, because of which, many Sikhs tried to save themselves by cutting down their hairs &#8220;Juda to Munda Sardar conversion&#8221;. That helped many Sikhs to save their lives, but with UID, it would be impossible for any Sikh in such a case to save himself. In a way, UID will be a breach of the freedom of an innocent citizen and he would be an easy target for the government or politically imposed terrorism.<br />
<strong>Conclusion:</strong> The UID can not increase the competency of government in either the case of security of citizens or the welfare of poor lot. The incompetent government and government officers may waste any amount of money on any such UID card, but I doubt it would help even a bit, yet the economic cost of the UID program is excessively high, that money could have been used for some real welfare purpose. Secondly, the UID will again threaten the individual liberty and government will further start controlling the innocent citizens while it is simply incompetent to catch and control Naxals, Maoists and Islamic terrorists.<br />
&#8220;Just as we must not allow terrorists to threaten our lives, we must not allow government to threaten our liberties.&#8221; Ron Paul</p>
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		<title>The Drama of Women&#8217;s Reservation Bill</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-drama-of-womens-reservation-bill.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-drama-of-womens-reservation-bill.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:04:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Unpretentious Diva</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.reasonforliberty.com/?p=4530</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/India-bombay-flood-relief2.jpg"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/India-bombay-flood-relief2-300x199.jpg" alt="" title="She doesn&#039;t need reservation to be able to work and earn. She knows she can" width="300" height="199" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4532" /></a>When Indians must oppose reservation based on Caste, religion and birth, the politicians of India has forced Indians to think about reservation based on gender too. 
The major humanitarian idea of no differentiation based on caste, creed, sex, religion, colour, ethnicity has been abused and the trend of specific privileges and entitlements for the gain of political vote banks has been enhanced. It is the process of weakening of Indian Individuals and the Indian society as whole, but the major victims will prove to be women alone. A woman full of ambition does not need any reservation to prove that she is able. By providing her reservation, it has been virtually proved that she is not able and she lacks ambitions. 
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/IndiaToday365.jpg"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/IndiaToday365-300x119.jpg" alt="" title="They are &#039;able&#039; and they don&#039;t need reservation to proove that" width="300" height="119" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4531" /></a> After all the ruckus of Parliament, the women&#8217;s reservation bill was passed on 9th of March. The brouhahas of the dramatic parliamentary debate over the women&#8217;s reservation and the consequential voting over it was no less dramatic than the fake emotional &#8216;atyachar&#8217; so commonly used and seen in various reality TV channels shows. All seemed to be pre-planned and directed and well-executed, and the result was huge TRP coverage for the ongoing Parliamentary debate over the women&#8217;s reservation bill and every news coverage related to it. News channels declared the passing of the bill as a historical milestone in the Indian political arena. Every person was forced to get involved with the issue of reservation for the women and literary was forced to accept that reservation actually is a noble idea that may provide equality and will improve the society by any means. Those who opposed the bill were wilfully shown as villains and those who supported it were shown as the heroes for the women cause, and the main leader was obviously the bigwig of Congress Mrs. Sonia Gandhi.<br />
The process of entitlements, reservations, and special privileges was shown as the process of liberty and hence the freedom of individual was virtually brutalized by means of the whip of reservation. More than 100 blue commandos were called to bundle out the villainous MP&#8217;s who were trying to offset and oppose the voting for the support of WRB (women&#8217;s reservation bill) in Rajyasabha, and in planned way, the opponents applied the most illogical and irrational way of opposition, their opposition was no less than &#8216;violent&#8217;. Nobody actually opposed the idea of reservation nor they supported the idea of empowerment of women, what all of the MP&#8217;s of Indian parliament were doing was an act to influence a particular voting sect or the other, and the winner came out to be the ruling party which facilitate the women&#8217;s reservation bill. Now Congress party may dream of getting most of the fairer votes in the upcoming elections, after all, they bribed the women of India by providing them special privileges over their male counterparts.<br />
<strong>Is the Women&#8217;s Reservation Bill of any Worth?</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/India-bombay-flood-relief2.jpg"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/India-bombay-flood-relief2-300x199.jpg" alt="" title="She doesn&#039;t need reservation to be able to work and earn. She knows she can" width="300" height="199" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4532" /></a> Women&#8217;s reservation bill assures 33% seats of MP&#8217;s in the parliament to be reserved for the women, i.e., at least 33% of MP&#8217;s would be women from now on. Will that change the scenario of politics, will that make Indian parliament look better or say &#8216;more beautiful&#8217;? The reservation for women may soon be enforced in public sector services of India too and then it may be enforced in the private sector too while enforcing a law on private sector to make it compulsory that every genuine company or enterprise must provide at least 33% of their jobs to females.<br />
Will that improve the society? As a matter of fact, such entitlements, special privileges and reservations divide and weaken the society, but this time, the attack is not on the society alone, it is directly an attack on the families of India. The reservation is not going to increase the employment but with the compulsion of at least 33% of jobs to be provided for women, the government will virtually force 33% of women of India to be the soul bread earners of their families. What will their husband do? Well they may choose to be house-husbands, or may choose to try for entrepreneurship. Will that provide equality of men and women in the society?<br />
More importantly, is the equality a virtue. </p>
<blockquote><p><strong>&#8220;Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.&#8221;</strong><sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-drama-of-womens-reservation-bill.html#footnote_0_4530" id="identifier_0_4530" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Timothy Leary, Timothy Leary Wikipedia">1</a></sup></p></blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/biswas_martialarts1.jpg"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/biswas_martialarts1-300x235.jpg" alt="" title="Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition!" width="300" height="235" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4533" /></a>Consequences: All this political drama of reservation and special privileges for women will weaken Indian society and Indian women. It will increase further egoistic clashes between the two genders and will decrease the familial harmony. The reservation for anyone itself is a curse to society but reservation for women will start cursing the families. There will be more divorces, more cases of unsatisfied, sad and deranged couples applying for divorces. It is not a good trend although it may increase the voting account of the political parties. When Indians must oppose reservation based on Caste, religion and birth, the politicians of India has forced Indians to think about reservation based on gender too.<br />
The major humanitarian idea of no differentiation based on caste, creed, sex, religion, colour, ethnicity has been abused and the trend of specific privileges and entitlements for the gain of political vote banks has been enhanced. It is the process of weakening of Indian Individuals and the Indian society as whole, but the major victims will prove to be women alone. A woman full of ambition does not need any reservation to prove that she is able. By providing her reservation, it has been virtually proved that she is not able and she lacks ambitions. </p>
<blockquote><p>
Although feminism speaks the language of liberation, self-fulfillment, options, and the removal of barriers, these phrases invariably mean their opposites and disguise an agenda at variance with the ideals of a free society.<br />
Michael Levin</p></blockquote>
<ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_4530" class="footnote"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Leary">Timothy Leary</a>, Timothy Leary Wikipedia</li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>The Devil of Debt</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/anarcho-capitalism/the-devil-of-debt.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/anarcho-capitalism/the-devil-of-debt.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 13 Feb 2010 18:26:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Unpretentious Diva</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anarcho-Capitalism]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.reasonforliberty.com/?p=4463</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sully_aka__wstera2/3330819045/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/3330819045_6234b27d08_o.jpg" alt="" title="The Devil of Debt" width="220" height="293" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4465" /></a>Reserve Bank of India does not produce wealth, but yes, it does produce currency by printing out notes out of thin air to meet the fiscal deficit requirements. When the RBI print out currency to fulfil the requirements of government, the currency reaches the market and that causes inflation and acute price rise.
The current acute price rise in India (especially in food sector) is evidently the result of the government stimulus it provided on behalf of borrowing from RBI that in turn simply print and dolled out currency in the market to increase the liquidity. Now those "stimulus" for the market is causing problems for the common man. That is, although government borrows money from RBI, which in turn, prints out money at the demand of politicians and government, the actual borrower who suffers the burden of debt is only the common man of India who has to face the yawning mouth of inflation every second day.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sully_aka__wstera2/3330819045/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/3330819045_6234b27d08_o.jpg" alt="" title="The Devil of Debt" width="220" height="293" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4465" /></a>Fiscal deficit is a common trend of current socialist mixed economy governmental regimes all round the world.<br />
Fiscal deficit is an economic phenomenon of collective state where the government&#8217;s expenditure exceeds the total revenues collected. Fiscal deficit gives the idea to the government about how much it need to borrow from the available sources to attain the budget requirements.<br />
In India, the Reserve Bank of India performs the deficit financing. Government may also borrow money from other banks of the money market.<br />
Reserve Bank of India does not produce wealth, but yes, it does produce currency by printing out notes out of thin air to meet the fiscal deficit requirements. When the RBI print out currency to fulfil the requirements of government, the currency reaches the market and that causes inflation and acute price rise.<br />
The current acute price rise in India (especially in food sector) is evidently the result of the government stimulus it provided on behalf of borrowing from RBI that in turn simply print and dolled out currency in the market to increase the liquidity. Now those &#8220;stimulus&#8221; for the market is causing problems for the common man. That is, although government borrows money from RBI, which in turn, prints out money at the demand of politicians and government, the actual borrower who suffers the burden of debt is only the common man of India who has to face the yawning mouth of inflation every second day.<br />
<a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/3328490186_84e0d38d93_o.jpg"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/3328490186_84e0d38d93_o.jpg" alt="" title="Socialism Trickle up Poverty" width="139" height="104" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4464" /></a> India&#8217;s fiscal deficit for the April to December 2009 was $66.9 billion.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/anarcho-capitalism/the-devil-of-debt.html#footnote_0_4463" id="identifier_0_4463" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="India Apr-Dec fiscal deficit at $66.9 bln &amp;#8211; govt, Reuter India">1</a></sup><br />
So we can say that Indian government works on the principle of &#8220;Aamdani Aththanni Kharchaa Rupaiya&#8221; (expenditure exceeds income), and to maintain the expenditures, government burdens the common man with the always exceeding debt.<br />
Anjalika Bardalai the senior economist and editor of Economist Intelligence Unit said in March 2009 that the fiscal deficit is probably the biggest downside risk that we see to the Indian economy.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/anarcho-capitalism/the-devil-of-debt.html#footnote_1_4463" id="identifier_1_4463" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="&amp;#8216;High fiscal deficit, biggest risk to India&amp;#8217; Anjalika Bardalai, senior editor/economist, Economist Intelligence Unit.">2</a></sup><br />
Reserve Bank Governor D. Subbarao also expresses his converns regarding the failure of regulated economy.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I worry that in resolving this financial crisis perhaps we are sowing the seeds of the next crisis&#8230;next crisis could be a currency or a fiscal crisis,&#8221; Subbarao said.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/anarcho-capitalism/the-devil-of-debt.html#footnote_2_4463" id="identifier_2_4463" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Next crisis could be related to currency or fiscal: RBI, D Subbarao, Governor of RBI">3</a></sup></p></blockquote>
<p>India is no new to the threat of extreme debt and bankruptcy. India faced the similar situation in 1990 when Indian government was forced to accept liberalization. Obviously, nobody would like to have a repeat of 1990 fiscal crisis. Yet, it is a possibility. To reduce that risk, Indian government strictly needs to control its expenditure and reduce the burden of welfare state, that is, government need to disinvest further. </p>
<h4>The Fiscal Crisis of Euro Zone</h4>
<p>The evidential repercussions of governmental expenditures and debt burden on the Euro zone countries are a matter of thought for financial world. The crisis began in Greece and is expanding to Spain and Portugal. It would be foolhardy to believe that the crisis will constrain itself to the weaker economies of Europe alone.<br />
In 2008, when Pakistan faced bankruptcy due to its fiscal debt, economist warned that Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Argentina could also slide into a downward spiral towards bankruptcy, and to that list, now we have added Greece, Spain and Portugal. Ex-IMF chief economist Simon Johnson openly stated that the UK should also be considered in the category of nations at the verge of bankruptcy because of huge governmental fiscal deficits.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/anarcho-capitalism/the-devil-of-debt.html#footnote_3_4463" id="identifier_3_4463" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="The UK should be seen in the same category of countries as Greece and Spain, who are facing severe debt problems, a leading economist has said, Ex-Chief Economist of IFA">4</a></sup> There is no reason to doubt the ex-Chief economist of IMF because of the fact that the euro-zone governments are predominantly welfare states with extreme high fiscal deficits year by year. The budget situation in all European countries is extremely weak with no hope for a manageable budget any soon. The government obviously provides huge welfare benefits for the citizens in shapes of free-education, Universal Health Care systems and other socialistic patterns that obviously increase huge collective wastage of resources produced by citizens.<br />
Simon Jones said, &#8220;They seem to show no awareness at all that much of Europe is facing a serious crisis and it&#8217;s not limited to Spain, Greece and Portugal, it&#8217;s also going to include Ireland. I think Italy is also very much in the line of fire. There&#8217;s a very serious crisis inside the Euro zone.&#8221;<br />
The only way for these economies to avoid the situation of bankruptcy is to reduce their fiscal deficit to minimal and that is possible only by reducing the governmental expenditures, i.e. by restricting government to very limited or no power to interfere with market.<br />
During the Global Meltdown, when the government of major countries were announcing &#8220;economic stimulus&#8221; for the market, socialists were claiming how the Market is unable to be free and needs governmental help. I mentioned how the Economical Stimulus are not a Cure it is Venom<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/anarcho-capitalism/the-devil-of-debt.html#footnote_4_4463" id="identifier_4_4463" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Economic Stimulus is not Cure, it is Venom, RFL">5</a></sup> . The current situation throughout the world is evidential proof for that opinion.<br />
The world is still to learn a simple fact that there is no such thing as a Keynesian free lunch, that government does not produce anything, and whenever it robs individuals of their wealth for the purpose of welfare of society or nation, such crisis evolves to brutalize every individual. </p>
<h4>US, the most powerful Borrower</h4>
<p>Larry Summer once asked in US Congress “How long can the world’s biggest borrower remain the world’s biggest power?”<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/anarcho-capitalism/the-devil-of-debt.html#footnote_5_4463" id="identifier_5_4463" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Larry Summers&amp;#8217; killing Question on US Fiscal Deficit, NYTimes">6</a></sup><br />
The question signified its strength when Moody’s Investors Service cautioned that the triple A credit rating of the US could not be taken for granted.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sully_aka__wstera2/3919218232/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/3919218232_d03c68d75c_m.jpg" alt="" title="President Obama has also dreams of Universal Health-care and Free Education for US citizens." width="180" height="240" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4466" /></a> For its grandeur position as a citizen friendly government providing them free gifts, entitlements, subsidies, stimulus, educational helps, Medicare, Medicaid and other social service programs, US government keeps borrowing money from Fed by issuing T-bonds. President Obama has also dreams of Universal Health-care and Free Education for US citizens. Further government need funds to keep its worthless and terrorizing schemes of War on Terror. The unaware citizens feel good and strong at such governmental gestures and politicians keep on playing with the future of citizens, burdening them with further huge debts, announcing further social programs like Universal Health care and free education. The current national debt on US is around 13 trillion. President Barrack Obama signed ceiling of $14.3 trillion public debt on February 12, 2010. The yearly Public debt chart shows that US debt never decreased and it will always keep on increasing.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/anarcho-capitalism/the-devil-of-debt.html#footnote_6_4463" id="identifier_6_4463" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="United States public debt, Wikipedia">7</a></sup><br />
Renowned economist, editor of Financial Times and author of &#8220;The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of World&#8221; Professor Ferguson stressed that </p>
<blockquote><p>The long-run projections of the Congressional Budget Office suggest that the US will never again run a balanced budget. That’s right, never.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/anarcho-capitalism/the-devil-of-debt.html#footnote_7_4463" id="identifier_7_4463" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Professor Ferguson,
A Greek crisis is coming to America, Financial Times">8</a></sup></p></blockquote>
<p>Such huge national debt increases the fears of default and currency depreciation, and an immediate hyperinflation that push up real interest rates. The higher interest rates drag down the growth further while the private sector also suffers the burden of debt. In addition, to pay back and avoid bankruptcy, government tries to increase revenues by confiscating private property, increasing taxes that in turn dilapidate the private sector completely causing extreme unemployment, poverty, food crisis, riots and complete chaos.<br />
According to International Monetary Fund, the developed countries need to manage their fiscal deficit within a decade in order to avoid defaults. Worst condition of nations under debt is of Japan and UK, than Ireland, Spain, Greece and at sixth place, is US.<br />
<strong>Conclusion:</strong> The economic stimulus proved out to be venom; the western countries are now in a deep fiscal crisis while India and China are facing the huge inflation problems. The collective welfare statist ideology is wrong at its base and the world need to understand that the only cure for the Market is Freedom from any sort of Governmental interference.<br />
With such huge debt burdens, the governments now need to heed the libertarian urge for free market. Governments need to restrict their welfare programs. There should be no government interference in market. Governments now need to work for reduction of expenditures and reduction of debts.</p>
<ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_4463" class="footnote"><a href="http://in.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idINDEL00261520100129">India Apr-Dec fiscal deficit at $66.9 bln &#8211; govt</a>, Reuter India</li><li id="footnote_1_4463" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.rediff.com/money/2009/mar/18bcrisis-high-fiscal-deficit-biggest-risk-to-india.htm">&#8216;High fiscal deficit, biggest risk to India&#8217;</a> Anjalika Bardalai, senior editor/economist, Economist Intelligence Unit.</li><li id="footnote_2_4463" class="footnote"><a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Next-crisis-could-be-related-to-currency-or-fiscal-RBI/articleshow/5569835.cms">Next crisis could be related to currency or fiscal: RBI, D Subbarao</a>, Governor of RBI</li><li id="footnote_3_4463" class="footnote">The UK should be seen in the same category of countries as Greece and Spain, who are facing severe debt problems, a leading economist has said, <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8503090.stm">Ex-Chief Economist of IFA</a></li><li id="footnote_4_4463" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/economic-stimulus-is-not-a-cure-it-is-venom.html">Economic Stimulus is not Cure, it is Venom</a>, RFL</li><li id="footnote_5_4463" class="footnote">Larry Summers&#8217; killing Question on US Fiscal Deficit, <a href=" http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/us/pol itics/02deficit.html ">NYTimes</a></li><li id="footnote_6_4463" class="footnote"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_public_debt">United States public debt</a>, Wikipedia</li><li id="footnote_7_4463" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f90bca10-1679-11df-bf44-00144feab49a.html?nclick_check=1">Professor Ferguson,<br />
A Greek crisis is coming to America</a>, Financial Times</li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>The Free Society Principle for Reducing Poverty</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-free-society-principle-for-reducing-poverty.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-free-society-principle-for-reducing-poverty.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:12:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Unpretentious Diva</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.reasonforliberty.com/?p=4453</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanestindian/111936115/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/111936115_99c3a4f64b_m.jpg" alt="" title="" width="189" height="240" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4454" /></a> A free society by definition is the society in which, each individual, i.e. the basic unit of the structure of society remains to pursue his personal pursuit of happiness, where he is free to achieve his most using his talent and hard-work and saved resources. Obviously, such a society depends on rational pursuit of self-interest and provides full freedom for the individuals from the shackles of social responsibility or altruistic motives. 
Often socialists claim that such a free laissez-faire capitalist society will turn out to be a system of dog race where no one will look for the poor, the impoverished an the depraved. Furthermore, socialists claim that for a poverty-free society, compulsory altruism is most necessary, where the producers and creators who can produce wealth, must be forced to pay for the living of the poor and depraved. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/meanestindian/111936115/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/111936115_99c3a4f64b_m.jpg" alt="" title="" width="189" height="240" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4454" /></a> A free society by definition is the society in which, each individual, i.e. the basic unit of the structure of society remains free to pursue his personal prosperity and happiness, where he is free to achieve his most using his talent and hard-work and saved resources. Obviously, such a society depends on rational pursuit of self-interest and provides full freedom for the individuals from the shackles of social responsibility or altruistic motives.<br />
Often socialists claim that such a free laissez-faire capitalist society will turn out to be a system of dog race where no one will look for the poor, the impoverished an the depraved. Furthermore, socialists claim that for a poverty-free society, compulsory altruism is most necessary, where the producers and creators who can produce wealth, must be forced to pay for the living of the poor and depraved. All governments throughout the world follow such Robin Hood&#8217;s philosophy and rob the producers, creators, entrepreneurs and investors for the name-sake of welfare state by means of compulsory taxation, price control, Universal Equality Programs and other similar dictatorial techniques. Yet, the world suffer the problem of poverty as always and despite all the huge socialistic efforts by the governments whole round the world, situations never improves.</p>
<h4>So what can help to eradicate the poverty?</h4>
<p>As per World Bank&#8217;s estimates, 60% of Indian population was living in poverty in 1981, during the socialistic regime of Indian government.<br />
Since 1991, India enjoyed the streams of economic liberalization and stepped towards the making of a free society. As a result, the current estimates of World Bank suggests that 42% of the total Indian population now live under the global poverty line of $1.25 per day (PPP). That is quite a big sweep.<br />
Similarly, in China, since the far changing economic reforms and liberalization were made in the late 1970s, the growth fuelled a noteworthy decline in the poverty rate from 64% at the beginning of reform to 10% in 2004.<br />
Obviously, the data suggests that economic reforms and liberalization is the key to the eradication of poverty. Before 1991, the government controlled almost all industries and production sectors of India but after that, step by step liberalization of industries from public sector to private sector took place and the OECD states the result in following words</p>
<blockquote><p>Annual growth in GDP per capita has accelerated from just 1¼ per cent in the three decades after Independence to 7½ per cent currently, a rate of growth that will double average income in a decade. [...] In service sectors where government regulation has been eased significantly or is less burdensome – such as communications, insurance, asset management and information technology – output has grown rapidly, with exports of information technology enabled services particularly strong. In those infrastructure sectors which have been opened to competition, such as telecoms and civil aviation, the private sector has proven to be extremely effective and growth has been phenomenal.       – OECD<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-free-society-principle-for-reducing-poverty.html#footnote_0_4453" id="identifier_0_4453" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="&amp;#8220;Economic survey of India 2007: Policy Brief&amp;#8221;, OECD, pdf">1</a></sup></p></blockquote>
<p>Similarly, China confronted economic reforms and liberalization in 1978 and now, as of 2005, 70% of China&#8217;s GDP is in the private sector. The relatively small public sector is dominated by about 200 large state enterprises concentrating mostly in utilities, heavy industries, and energy resources.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-free-society-principle-for-reducing-poverty.html#footnote_1_4453" id="identifier_1_4453" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="China is a Private-Sector Economy, Economist Fan Gang points to a 70% share of GDP now in private hands, but he acknowledges that much improvement is still needed">2</a></sup></p>
<h4>Free Market Entrepreneurship is the Key to riddle of Poverty</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/2185328433_55f678805a_m.jpg"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/2185328433_55f678805a_m.jpg" alt="" title="happy eating rice" width="180" height="240" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4455" /></a>The examples of China and India clearly show that a free market based on Individual freedom is obviously a solution for the poverty in the society itself.<br />
What impels an entrepreneur, investor, producer or creator in a private sector to remove poverty is not his &#8220;altruism&#8221;, rather it is his selfishness, his motive to produce and earn more, bigger profits. Yet for making profits, he needs to increase the productivity of the workers. As productivity of workers increases, the poverty reduces.<br />
Social governmental constraints, regionalism, nationalism, license raj, price controls, taxes and subsidies etc only reduces the productivity of individuals and hence causes further poverty.<br />
<strong>Examples of Entrepreneur trends eradicating poverty</strong><br />
While the politicians and government of Maharashtra is playing cards of protectionism, regionalism and linguistic discrimination by framing such ridiculous rule like permitting a taxi license only for those who can speak and write Marathi,<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-free-society-principle-for-reducing-poverty.html#footnote_2_4453" id="identifier_2_4453" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Want a taxi permit in Mumbai? Read, write Marathi, Mumbai: The Maharashtra government framed new rules for taxi drivers to get permits in Mumbai.">3</a></sup> the youth from North East is enjoying various job ventures in private sector freely in Indian metros. For their productive efficiencies, girls and boys from North East are in great demand for jobs in private sector as service providers, sales persons, mall, showrooms or boutique managers etc.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-free-society-principle-for-reducing-poverty.html#footnote_3_4453" id="identifier_3_4453" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="North East Youth ride high on Reatial Boom, The Economic Times">4</a></sup><br />
This contrasting difference between the private entrepreneurs and government authorities is because of the fact that private entrepreneurs are motivated by the single aim of satisfying their customers in best possible and productive way for doing which, they need to come above any such linguistic, regional or religious discriminations. On the other hand, government and politicians have nothing to do with customer&#8217;s satisfaction or individual rights; what they look for is potential vote bank.<br />
The Astaire Research suggests the hurdles in Indian economic reforms and progress in following words&#8211;</p>
<blockquote><p>A Balance of Payments crisis in 1991 pushed the country to near bankruptcy. In return for an IMF bailout, gold was transferred to London as collateral, the Rupee devalued and economic reforms were forced upon India. That low point was the catalyst required to transform the economy through badly needed reforms to unshackle the economy. Controls started to be dismantled, tariffs, duties and taxes progressively lowered, state monopolies broken, the economy was opened to trade and investment, private sector enterprise and competition were encouraged and globalisation was slowly embraced. The reforms process continues today and is accepted by all political parties, <strong>but the speed is often held hostage by coalition politics and vested interests</strong>. – India Report, Astaire Research<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-free-society-principle-for-reducing-poverty.html#footnote_4_4453" id="identifier_4_4453" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="&amp;#8220;The India Report&amp;#8221;, Astaire Research.">5</a></sup></p></blockquote>
<p>Another example of entrepreneurs helping the cause of eradicating poverty is the success of entrepreneurs like Vikram Akula<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-free-society-principle-for-reducing-poverty.html#footnote_5_4453" id="identifier_5_4453" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Vikram Akula, CEO and Founder of SKS Microfinance">6</a></sup> or Irfan Alam.<br />
Irfan Alam an MBA from prestigious IIM-Alhmedabad is the founder and chairman of the SAMMAAN Foundation. His enterprise innovated for the help of the millions of Rickshaw pullers across the country. Most of them are illiterate and poor. Over 90% of them are farm workers who migrate to cities for want of employment at home. They hire rickshaws for which they pay owners Rs 30 to Rs 40 per day and end up with a pittance for themselves.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pupil_bcn/3028492260/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/3028492260_ce1b1b7a16_m.jpg" alt="" title="Highway to Prosperity Highway to Free Market" width="160" height="240" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4456" /></a> He managed and persuaded banks to finance rickshaw-pullers. His enterprise SAMMAAN designed rickshaws that can put on hold newspapers, mineral water bottles and other such small items for sale if the passenger needs them. These rickshaws also carry advertisements and the pullers get 50% of the ad revenue, the remainder going to SAMMAAN.<br />
Thus apart from the fare, the rickshaw-puller also earns from the ads and the sales. Gradually they become the owners of the rickshaw after re-paying the bank loan in instalments.<br />
Irfan started off with 100 such rickshaws in 2007. Today, over three lakh rickshaw-pullers from across the country are registered with SAMMAAN. While 10,000 and odd are pedalling the special rickshaws, the process is underway to benefit others.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-free-society-principle-for-reducing-poverty.html#footnote_6_4453" id="identifier_6_4453" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Obama invites Bihari Entrepreneur to entrepreneur summit, The Economic Times">7</a></sup><br />
Conclusion: It is the selfish motive of the entrepreneurs to make profits that entails the solution of poverty. As the governments will start to leave the market and society free of their dictatorial regime, the society itself will reduce the poverty to minimum.</p>
<ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_4453" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/17/52/39452196.pdf">&#8220;Economic survey of India 2007: Policy Brief&#8221;</a>, OECD, pdf</li><li id="footnote_1_4453" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_34/b3948478.htm">China is a Private-Sector Economy</a>, Economist Fan Gang points to a 70% share of GDP now in private hands, but he acknowledges that much improvement is still needed</li><li id="footnote_2_4453" class="footnote"><a href="http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3561468">Want a taxi permit in Mumbai? Read, write Marathi</a>, Mumbai: The Maharashtra government framed new rules for taxi drivers to get permits in Mumbai.</li><li id="footnote_3_4453" class="footnote"><a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-company/corporate-trends/North-East-girls-ride-high-on-retail-boom/articleshow/5550059.cms">North East Youth ride high on Reatial Boom</a>, The Economic Times</li><li id="footnote_4_4453" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.ukibc.com/ukindia2/files/India60.pdf">&#8220;The India Report&#8221;</a>, Astaire Research.</li><li id="footnote_5_4453" class="footnote"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikram_Akula">Vikram Akula</a>, CEO and Founder of SKS Microfinance</li><li id="footnote_6_4453" class="footnote"><a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Obama-invites-Bihari-to-entrepreneur-summit/articleshow/5551421.cms">Obama invites Bihari Entrepreneur to entrepreneur summit</a>, The Economic Times</li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Quota in Crimes</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/quota-in-crimes.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/quota-in-crimes.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:03:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Unpretentious Diva</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/7933170@N03/2414752526/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Quota-in-Crime.jpg" alt="" title="Quota in Crime" width="240" height="157" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4440" /></a> The Article 7 of the Human Rights declaration suggests that 
"All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination."
The law is supposed to be enforced uniformly, and without any discrimination against the guilty based on their economic and social background.
Yet recently, the Indian Apex Court decided to go against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
On Monday, the Supreme Court said that the courts should consider the economic status of a murderer before sentencing him to death penalty of life sentence even in cases of crimes falling in the category of "rare of rarest".]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Article 7 of the Human Rights declaration suggests that </p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/quota-in-crimes.html#footnote_0_4439" id="identifier_0_4439" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations">1</a></sup> &#8220;</p></blockquote>
<p>The law is supposed to be enforced uniformly, and without any discrimination against the guilty based on their economic and social background.<br />
Yet recently, the Indian Apex Court decided to go against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.<br />
On Monday, the Supreme Court said that the courts should consider the economic status of a murderer before sentencing him to death penalty of life sentence even in cases of crimes falling in the category of &#8220;rare of rarest&#8221;.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/7933170@N03/2414752526/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Quota-in-Crime.jpg" alt="" title="Quota in Crime" width="240" height="157" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4440" /></a> The Bench comprising of Justice P.Sathshivam and H.L Dattu said that poor background of the accused should &#8212; along with old age and years spent behind bars while awaiting death sentence &#8212; be considered as mitigating factors when courts ponder whether life sentence should be used in an otherwise fit case for death penalty.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/quota-in-crimes.html#footnote_1_4439" id="identifier_1_4439" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Poverty could mitigate crime, even murder: SC, Times of India">2</a></sup><br />
It would be fascinating to know why Supreme Court judges are seeking for the populist issues, is the Supreme legal body of India the Apex Court trying to be the champion of socialism?</p>
<h4>Significance of the Supreme Court Statement</h4>
<p><strong>Reservation for the Poor in Crime</strong><br />
The Supreme Court believes that socio-economic factors might not dilute guilt, but they may amount to mitigating circumstances. That is, if a girl walking on road is raped and murdered by a rich tycoon, than he is surely guilty and must be punished in the harshest manner, but if the rapist murderer belongs to middle class, than the punishment should not be that harsh, furthermore, if the rapist belongs to lower-middle class, than the punishment must be further &#8220;mitigated&#8221; and if the rapist is a poor (there is no definite definition of poor), than the punishment can only be for the name-sake. After all, he is poor, he should have reservation to be morally depraved, and he should be having freedom to rape or murder, steal, or rob.<br />
<a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/376049073_e0490403f5_m.jpg"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/376049073_e0490403f5_m.jpg" alt="" title="Should the poor have the right to rape, murder or rob the others?" width="178" height="240" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4441" /></a> The idea behind this is a morally strong, talented, intelligent person is obviously a criminal to some degrees, on the other hand, a lazy, stupid person, who obviously is poor, is certainly innocent to some degrees. Alternatively, the idea can be, to be rich, hardworking and intelligent is a crime in itself.<br />
Obviously, it is akin to show a green flag for all who consider them poor, to be casual about the moral standards and feel free to commit crimes. It is just like showing the shortcut for the poor to be criminals and make money through mean ways.<br />
Apparently, this trend will increase further crime in cities as now; the poor will get a certain &#8220;mitigating&#8221; security while committing a crime. The police and law bodies are supposed to deal with &#8220;poor criminals&#8221; with ease. </p>
<h4>Consequences of Such Ridiculous Ruling</h4>
<p>As now poor have reservation in committing the crime, they can easily innovate and employ themselves in various crimes. Not only they will feel free to commit robbery, theft, rapes or murders for their benefits, they may be employed by the other &#8220;richer&#8221; criminals to pursue their benefits. Furthermore, any criminal, if he is rich, can easily deal with some poor and pay him a chunk of money to take the responsibility of the crime. The poor will also feel no harm in taking the responsibility of the crime as that will provide him high money and the Supreme Court has already provided him an assurance that his punishment will be much &#8220;mitigated&#8221;.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mbiskoping/4120185389/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/4120185389_9dcbd36b25_m.jpg" alt="" title="Result of Quota in Crime would be an abrupt increase in crime!" width="240" height="135" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4442" /></a> Results will be an obvious increase in crimes, further increase in jail maintenance and police expenses, terrorizing environment for middle class individuals and exploitative situations for the poor individuals. The mafia of government, police, politicians and oligarchic corporatists will enjoy the foolery of Indian public that will appreciate the socialistic thought of Supreme Court and Indian government to give priorities for the poor in committing crime, Nonetheless, the Apex Court ruling have provided an easy money making job for the poor. The poor now doesn&#8217;t need to be hardworking, morally strong, intelligent and talented for making his life better, he just need to be morally depraved and ready to commit a crime, or to take the responsibility of any already committed crime.</p>
<h4>Trailing the Law further</h4>
<p>Indian politicians always remain hungry for any such populism so that they may divide the society in various fragments; cause them to struggle within and than rule over them. Yet this time, the Apex Court of India has taken the route of populism. No politician could have thought such a new sector to be divided in various sects of society. SC has already announced the reservation for the poor eventually the High Court of various states may announce a similar quota for Muslims in crime too and then being a Muslim will also be a mitigating factor for punishment for a crime. Well, terrorism is also a crime, so if a terrorist is poor, SC suggests that he should not be punished severely, if High Court of West Bengal announces similar mitigating quota for Muslims, then if a terrorist is a Muslim, he will also not be punished severely.<br />
Quota for crime based on economical state has been announced, sooner or later politicians will again install some committee&#8217;s recommendation, suggesting that Muslims should also get reservation in crime, after all Muslims are predominantly minority, no less than poor. After that, politicians may further divide the criminals among their various castes as SC criminals, ST criminals or OBC criminals, with various &#8220;mitigating&#8221; degrees that would certainly be prescribed by the Supreme Court bench of judges. Ultimately, government and law authority have started encouraging the crime and producing the criminals.<br />
<strong>Conclusion::</strong> Socialism, or the idea altruism, that is, the obligatory immorality of having &#8220;pity&#8221; on the poor ultimately leads to the destruction of not only the poor but also of the whole social set-up. Whenever the government or central collective law authority takes such altruistic step, irrespective of their good intentions, the results come out to be devastatingly opposite. The recent statement of Supreme Court to discriminate the criminals based on economical class will certainly increase the crime in society and will further cause deterioration. The best way a society can assert uniform justice is by providing free or privatized legal services.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/quota-in-crimes.html#footnote_2_4439" id="identifier_2_4439" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Prospects of Private Judicial System in India, RFL">3</a></sup></p>
<ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_4439" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/">The Universal Declaration of Human Rights</a>, United Nations</li><li id="footnote_1_4439" class="footnote"><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Poverty-could-mitigate-crime-even-murder-SC/articleshow/5549996.cms">Poverty could mitigate crime, even murder: SC</a>, Times of India</li><li id="footnote_2_4439" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-prospects-of-private-judicial-system.html">Prospects of Private Judicial System in India</a>, RFL</li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Gun Control Is People Control</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/gun-control-is-people-control.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/gun-control-is-people-control.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:23:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Deadman On Campus</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[India]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Terrorism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Australia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Charles Reese]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Political arguments of gun politics in the United States]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[The Ministry of Home affairs, Government of India, is on the way to amend the Arms and ammunitions policy. The document issued by MHA says “Proliferation of arms and ammunition in the country disrupt the social order and development.” How true is it? As in many other issues, the conventional wisdom could be wrong. India [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/1214507617361.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4421" src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/1214507617361-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>The Ministry of Home affairs, Government of India, is on the way to amend the Arms and ammunitions policy. The document issued by MHA says “Proliferation of arms and ammunition in the country disrupt the social order and development.” How true is it? As in many other issues, the conventional wisdom could be wrong. India has very strict gun control laws. In India, people were prevented from bearing arms by the British under Lord Lytton as Viceroy through the Arms act of 1878 after the mutiny of 1857.  Though the Arms act, 1858 was repealed in 1959, Arms Act, 1959 was put in place, supplemented by the Arms Rules, 1962. As a result, there was improvement in several development indicators, after Independence, but crime rates in India have gone up several times, mostly in urban areas.</p>
<p>With all these gun control laws, we were not able to prevent the terrorist attacks in 2008, Mumbai. A reporter in the location was caught saying he wished he had a gun instead of a camera.  Only people loyal to the British were allowed to possess arms. Many freedom fighters were opposed to this rule. Even Mahatma Gandhi opined in his Autobiography:”Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of its arms as the blackest. &#8220;I do believe that when there is only a choice between cowardice and violence. I would rather have India resort to arms in order to defend her honor than that she should in a cowardly manner become or remain a helpless victim to her own dishonor.”</p>
<p>Proponents of gun control usually argue that gun rights will lead to high crime rates. Firstly, a criminal is a person who violates the law. Is it logical to assume that such a violator will obey gun control laws? A criminal planning to attempt a murder won’t think “Oh, I am sorry. I don’t have a gun. So, I am not going to do this!” In one way or the other, he will get hold of a gun or some other powerful weapon. Vikram Kona writes: “There are around 40 million illegal small arms in circulation in India. Most of them are either illegally smuggled in or manufactured in the illegal cottage industries. Criminals never apply for licenses, nor do they spend a fortune to buy illegal guns. They get them cheaply and easily on the black market, and use them against law abiding citizens with impunity.” Gun control would only disarm innocent, law abiding citizens. Secondly, there is no empirical evidence to prove that gun rights lead to severe crimes. Quite the contrary, in fact! Nations with the highest crime rates are the ones with the strictest gun control laws. The low crime rate of Switzerland is illuminating. Violent crime skyrocketed after gun measures were prohibited in Australia in the last 90’s. When Washington D.C. enacted a ban on handguns, homicide rate rose 200%, while the U.S. rate rose 12%. Often, it is argued that Gun controls are the reason for the low crime rate in UK. There are two points to be noted here. Crime rates were extremely low in UK, even before the hand gun ban. Crime rate rocketed after the ban. As it is said, “Your chances of being mugged in London are now six times greater than in New York.” A study by the US Department of Justice found that there were 40 percent more muggings in England, and burglary rates were almost 100 percent higher than in the United States.</p>
<p>It follows from the philosophy of self-ownership and the right to own property that people have the right to defend their lives and property- If necessary, by force. If so, people should have the right to bear arms. It goes without saying that people should be held accountable for their actions too. But, it makes no sense to punish a person before the criminal act is performed. It is absurd to prevent some people from being armed simply because there are people who use guns for wrong purposes. Why should ones rights be determined by the actions of others? Should a person be prevented from driving an automobile as others drive recklessly? (People killed by their own guns are an extremely rare minority) Charles Reese perceptively noted: “To believe that guns cause crime is as stupid as believing that hammers and saws cause houses. Cars and doctors kill a lot more people than firearms, but nobody wants to ban them.” There is even an NRA slogan: “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”</p>
<p>Not for a single moment am I saying that gun rights will prevent crimes. But, people will have a more chance of protecting themselves if they are free to defend themselves. Murderers, thieves and terrorists would think twice before attacking their victims if there is a chance that they are armed. Women and physically weak people could be made strong only through gun rights. It’s ridiculous to expect policemen to be omnipresent. Defending oneself is a skill which anyone can acquire.</p>
<p>It should also be said that a ban of guns won’t eliminate guns from the society. There will always be people who get hold of guns, just like people have access to drugs despite of strict penalty. Such laws can only be enforced selectively. Almost always, people who are not in good terms with the authorities will be punished. The real intention of the people in power is to increase their power through disarming people. Gun control is the greatest threat to individual liberty.</p>
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		<title>The Changing Climate</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-changing-climate.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-changing-climate.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:08:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Unpretentious Diva</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GlobalWarming]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.reasonforliberty.com/?p=4404</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/3410783929/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/3410783929_051d93bc86_m.jpg" alt="" title="The Growing Glaciers" width="240" height="173" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4406" /></a> It is very common to hear some environmentalist on any main stream media freaking out about the global warming and rehashing the swan song of environmentalists concerning assumed disasters that await the world if it carry on with its evil ways of fossil fuel consumption: the disappearance of islands beneath the sea, the flooding of coastal cities, more severe droughts and hurricanes, famines, disease, the displacement of tens of millions of people from their traditional homelands and the disappearance of glaciers. 
However now the climate is surely changing and in this new climate, those environmentalists surprisingly are accepting their faults, yet they are not ready to take the responsibility.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/3410783929/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/3410783929_051d93bc86_m.jpg" alt="" title="The Growing Glaciers" width="240" height="173" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4406" /></a> It is very common to hear some environmentalist on any main stream media freaking out about the global warming and rehashing the swan song of environmentalists concerning assumed disasters that await the world if it carry on with its evil ways of fossil fuel consumption: the disappearance of islands beneath the sea, the flooding of coastal cities, more severe droughts and hurricanes, famines, disease, the displacement of tens of millions of people from their traditional homelands and the disappearance of glaciers.<br />
However now the climate is surely changing and in this new climate, those environmentalists surprisingly are accepting their faults, yet they are not ready to take the responsibility.<br />
Recently, the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which is a panel of 2500 of the best climate scientists in the world, accepted that they made a huge goof-up regarding their blow-horns about the melting of Himalayan glaciers.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-changing-climate.html#footnote_0_4404" id="identifier_0_4404" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Times of India IPCC retracts 2035 alarm on Himalayan glacier melt">1</a></sup><br />
The IPCC, which is a noble winning organization of environmentalist alarmed about the catastrophic threat of melting of Himalayan glacier by 2035, that is, within 20 years, IPCC expected the disastrous end of the Himalayan range. Now when there are no signs of any such apocalyptic change in any new future, they have accepted that it was mistake. The mistake was a result of extreme irresponsibility and carelessness of these climate scientists of the noble winning IPCC organization. First of all, they never studied the Himalayan glaciers with any objectivity and the report they issued was borrowed from a 1996 Russian study, obviously, the study was not at all authentic. Not only that, the Russian study by V M Kotlyakov also predicted a date of 2350 for an expected decrease in Himalayan glacier. The IPCC scientists and climate reporters not only copied a non-authentic study, they also goofed up with the predicted date and made it to 2035. It might be a small typographical error that advanced the apocalyptic deadline by 300 years.<br />
Similarly, the same reputed UN&#8217;s union of environmentalists also issued a report regarding the disappearance of Amazon forests based on another baseless report by some advocacy group WWF.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-changing-climate.html#footnote_1_4404" id="identifier_1_4404" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="The Telegraph After Climategate, Pachaurigate and Glaciergate: Amazongate">2</a></sup>  The author of that report on Amazon was also not written by any specialist on Amazon forests, but by a freelance journalist with no authenticity. IPCC never considered the importance to check the validity of such apocalyptical threat before lamenting it as a possible danger to force their socialistic dream of stern governmental actions throughout the world.<br />
Now it is well known through out the world that all these environmentalists keep lying about the shrinking glaciers, increasing hurricanes, rising sea levels and depleting rainforests. Yet nobody in the IPCC, not even the chairman Mr. R.K Pachauri is ready to take the responsibility of such so-called mistakes. Were they intentional? </p>
<h4>Changing views of Climatologists</h4>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/2872121203/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/2872121203_583831e828_m.jpg" alt="" title="The stratospheric vapour is easing out Global Warming" width="160" height="240" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4407" /></a> Some of the climate scientists have started trying to search out some feasible excuses to suggest why not all their predicted warnings about the apocalyptic changes in environment are proving to be true. Such a recent study suggests that the Earth did not warm up noticeably over the period of last decade even though the greenhouse gases are increasing dramatically because of a new stratospheric phenomenon 10 miles above our heads. The study suggests that somehow, the water vapour in the stratosphere has been decreased. As the water in atmosphere traps heat, lesser water in stratosphere means lesser heat. That is, although greenhouse gases are continually increasing, the atmosphere has changed itself in such a way that there is no global warming and in fact there is lesser heat. The atmosphere thus, has acted for the benefit of humanity.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-changing-climate.html#footnote_2_4404" id="identifier_2_4404" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="NPR News ,Atmospheric Dry Spell Eases Global Warming">3</a></sup><br />
Although it is just an excuse, it suggests that now instead of keep issuing the threats of apocalypse every second day, environmentalists and climate scientists need to stress over searching for better excuses to hide out their deceits.</p>
<h4>The Growing Glaciers</h4>
<p>Despite all hullabaloo of global warming, the glaciers are growing all around the world. How is that possible that IPCC issues an unauthentic report about the disappearance of Himalayan glaciers, while the scientists from other group make a documentary about how the Himalayan glaciers are ever increasing since the last three decades?<br />
Here is a list of 12 glaciers that have not heard the news about Global warming. They are growing and growing fast.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-changing-climate.html#footnote_3_4404" id="identifier_3_4404" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="12 more glaciers that haven&rsquo;t heard the news about global warming, Turns out the IPCC&rsquo;s chicken little story that all the Himalayan glaciers are melting is just another exaggeration. Or fraud. Take your choice. You know, like the stats coming out of East Anglia CRU. And its claim that Antarctica is melting. And that Greenland&rsquo;s ice cap is melting. And that sea levels are rising. And that the polar bears are dying. Fact is, some glaciers are retreating, but many others around the world are growing.">4</a></sup><br />
It is a fact that the fake calls of apocalyptic dangers of global warming are not going to pay the socialist set of environmentalists any success. Yet, it would also be wrong to say that climate is not changing, climate is always changing and so do the human beings and other life forms. We evolve with time we change.<br />
Professor Ian Plimer (University of Adelaide) in his book &#8220;Heaven an Earth&#8221; explains why CO2 cannot be a cause of global warming; here is a transcript of his scientifically recognized book <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/rn/ockhamsrazor/stories/2009/2716078.htm#transcript">Heaven and Earth</a>.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-changing-climate.html#footnote_4_4404" id="identifier_4_4404" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Professor Ian Plimer is Professor of Mining Geology at University of Adelaide and Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences at University of Melbourne">5</a></sup><br />
Despite the 21st century decrease in global temperature, we are perpetually warned of dangerous global warming. Every evening one can see a disturbing documentary over some news channel showing some absurd claims (just like that of IPCC claims of disappearing Himalayan glaciers etc.) all these environmentalists and green activists obviously want us to believe that if we try to live a happy, healthy prosperous life, we will be no better than the devil ready to cause havoc on earth. Obviously, they want the governments to control us and force us to sacrifice ourselves, our progress for the greater cause of saving the environment from the alleged threat of global warming.</p>
<h4>Alternative solutions for alleged global warming</h4>
<p>In the book Super Freakonomics<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-changing-climate.html#footnote_5_4404" id="identifier_5_4404" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="SuperFreakonomics,Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance">6</a></sup> the author argues that even if CO2 is causing global warming and if global warming is a real threat, then also it is not necessary that governments all around the world need to enforce draconian laws and cuts in carbon dioxide emission that would cost many trillions of dollars and will force the poor to be poorer. Rather some better geo-engineering solutions can be adopted to keep the earth cool despite the increased concentration of green house gases in the atmosphere.<br />
Just like the present water vapor in the stratosphere can actually cause the globe to cool down irrespective of increased concentration of carbon dioxide, engineers can pump sulphur dioxide in stratosphere by a suspended hose using helium balloons. There can be numerous ways to actually control any global warming if it is occurring at any dangerous rate, but the fact is, since the 21st century, the earth is cooling off.<br />
The environmentalists knows that it would be hard for them to contend at the issue of global warming because the evidences are totally against them and hence they are playing the new trick. Now days, the catastrophe lovers does not shout for Global Warming, rather they call for Climate Change. Climate change is a reality, climate keep changing since ever and forever. Mainstream economists, along with scientists and engineers, are increasingly joining in the climate change debate as technical experts, with the prospects of lucrative funding ultimately paid for through coercive taxation. The evolution of the climate change debate mirrors the almost universal support of economists as expert technical advisers for central banking and Keynesian policy prescriptions such as Cap and Trade policy etc.<br />
<strong>Conclusion:</strong> Global warming is gradually proving out to be another fake call of the socialists just to dishearten the freedom loving individuals and to force common public to suffer under governmental duress and keep thinking that freedom is sinful and progress is evil. We need to save ourselves from such unholy misguiding tirade of socialist environmentalists, economists and media persons who are trying to baffle public to enforce governmental control over their life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.<br />
Update: A good article against Global warming fraud in &#8220;Open&#8221; : <a href="http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/international/the-hottest-hoax-in-the-world">http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/international/the-hottest-hoax-in-the-world</a></p>
<p>Indian Environment Minister Jairam ramesh says:: There is a fine line between climate science and climate evangelism. I am all for climate science but not for climate evangelism. I think people misused the IPCC report,&#8221; Ramesh told a news channel here.<br />
Stressing that the IPCC&#8217;s weakness was that <strong>it didn&#8217;t do original research and derives assessments from published literature</strong>, the minister announced a climate change panel for India. <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5536074.cms">Economic Times</a></p>
<ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_4404" class="footnote"><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/IPCC-retracts-2035-alarm-on-Himalayan-glacier-melt/articleshow/5482397.cms">Times of India</a> IPCC retracts 2035 alarm on Himalayan glacier melt</li><li id="footnote_1_4404" class="footnote"><a href="http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100023598/after-climategate-pachaurigate-and-glaciergate-amazongate/">The Telegraph</a> After Climategate, Pachaurigate and Glaciergate: Amazongate</li><li id="footnote_2_4404" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123075836">NPR News</a> ,Atmospheric Dry Spell Eases Global Warming</li><li id="footnote_3_4404" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.ihatethemedia.com/12-more-glaciers-that-havent-heard-the-news-about-global-warming">12 more glaciers that haven’t heard the news about global warming</a>, Turns out the IPCC’s chicken little story that all the Himalayan glaciers are melting is just another exaggeration. Or fraud. Take your choice. You know, like the stats coming out of East Anglia CRU. And its claim that Antarctica is melting. And that Greenland’s ice cap is melting. And that sea levels are rising. And that the polar bears are dying. Fact is, some glaciers are retreating, but many others around the world are growing.</li><li id="footnote_4_4404" class="footnote">Professor Ian Plimer is Professor of Mining Geology at University of Adelaide and Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences at University of Melbourne</li><li id="footnote_5_4404" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/SuperFreakonomics-Cooling-Patriotic-Prostitutes-Insurance/dp/0060889578">SuperFreakonomics</a>,Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance</li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Noble Laureate Obama and Afghanistan</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/noble-laureate-obama-and-afghanistan.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/noble-laureate-obama-and-afghanistan.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:57:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Unpretentious Diva</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.reasonforliberty.com/?p=4296</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tsevis/2340664539/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Noble-Laureate-Obama-A-Pacifist.jpg" alt="Noble Laureate Obama, A Pacifist" title="Noble Laureate Obama, A Pacifist" width="240" height="180" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4297" /></a> War has a Role in Peace 
While accepting "Noble Peace Prize" at Oslo, Obama did not forget to mention his recent decision to escalate conflict in Afghanistan soil. He further argued that his decision to increase 30,000 some more US troops in Afghanistan is justified to protect the world from terrorism and extremism and to maintain peace.
In short, Obama declared that wars are essential for the establishment of peace. He also paid his tribute to his "Heroes" Mahatma Gandhi and civil rights leader Martin Luther King.
Some will say that Obama wrongly mentioning Mahatma Gandhi as his ideal; Mahatma Gandhi obviously is known as apostle of peace and pacifism. How could a Gandhian support wars? Could Gandhi be a supporter of wars? Are not wars the ultimate and most excruciating form of violence?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h4><strong>War has a Role in Peace<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/noble-laureate-obama-and-afghanistan.html#footnote_0_4296" id="identifier_0_4296" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Obama :War has a role in Peace, Times of India">1</a></sup>  </strong></h4>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tsevis/2340664539/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Noble-Laureate-Obama-A-Pacifist.jpg" alt="Noble Laureate Obama, A Pacifist" title="Noble Laureate Obama, A Pacifist" width="240" height="180" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4297" /></a> While accepting &#8220;Noble Peace Prize&#8221; at Oslo, Obama did not forget to mention his recent decision to escalate conflict in Afghanistan soil. He further argued that his decision to increase 30,000 some more US troops in Afghanistan is justified to protect the world from terrorism and extremism and to maintain peace.<br />
In short, Obama declared that wars are essential for the establishment of peace. He also paid his tribute to his &#8220;Heroes&#8221; Mahatma Gandhi and civil rights leader Martin Luther King.<br />
Some will say that Obama wrongly mentioned Mahatma Gandhi as his ideal; Mahatma Gandhi obviously is known as apostle of peace and pacifism. How could a Gandhian support wars? Could Gandhi be a supporter of wars? Are not wars the ultimate and most excruciating form of violence?<br />
It is a well known fact that wars ultimately causes violence, wastage and poverty. Yet, if some nation is all set to attack you and threat other nation, than the nation under the threat of attack would presumably try to defend itself. Self-defence is a natural right, no one can argue against it. Self-defence cannot be termed as violence. Yet, what about pre-emptive wars?<br />
Is it right to attack a nation just because it may or may not attack you in future?<br />
Does self-defence includes pre-emptive wars to be staged in order to dishevel and destroy the other nations. Is it necessary to destroy and defeat all in order to establish peace? Are wars necessary to sustain peace?</p>
<h4><strong>Mahatma Gandhi on Wars</strong></h4>
<p>As Obama reverberates himself as being a disciple of Gandhi, we should look at Gandhi&#8217;s attitude about Wars. Gandhi ji was obviously against staging any war, he was a supporter of Non-violence, yet there was not a war that he did not support. He supported all the wars in his life time. The apostle of peace Gandhi himself supported British in the Boer War, Zulu War, WW1, WW2.<br />
In 1914, Gandhi himself joined British army as volunteer for the Ambulance corp. to serve the injured Indian and British soldiers at Zulu war. One may understand his compassion for the suffering of soldiers; he was not taking part in active violence.<br />
Yet, in April 1918, Mahatma Gandhi urged Indian youth to take part in British army as war recruits. Perhaps to show his support for the Empire and help his case for India&#8217;s independence, he deemed it necessary to take part in the war.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/noble-laureate-obama-and-afghanistan.html#footnote_1_4296" id="identifier_1_4296" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Role of Mahatma Gandhi in WW1, Wikipedia">2</a></sup>  He might have considered it as pacifist way of non-violence, that is rather than fighting against the British rulers, let the Indian youth fight for the British Empire and in turn demand or beg independence as reward. It should be mentioned that while he openly demanded Indian youths to help British army in World War1, he felt aghast when some Indian youth tried to protest against British brutality on Indians &#8220;violently&#8221; and because of that, he took his Non-cooperation movement back in 1922.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/noble-laureate-obama-and-afghanistan.html#footnote_2_4296" id="identifier_2_4296" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Mahatma Gandhi, Non-cooperation, Wikipedia">3</a></sup> Obviously, Gandhi was strictly against any form of violence against British Empire by Indians, yet he was ready to recruit Indian youths to kill enemies of British empire, including the Zulu protesters. For Gandhi, the most necessary peace was, peace of Indians against British Empire.<br />
For Gandhi, the pacifist form of war in order to establish and sustain peace was non-violent, hence although he urged Indian youths to fight and die in battle grounds for British Empire, he also maintained that Indian youths must not fight against British rulers in India, because that would be direct violence, and that was not acceptable to Gandhi. <strong>Why was Gandhi ready to recruit Indian youths to &#8220;co-operate&#8221; with British Army in Imperial wars, while he himself was launching the Non-cooperation movement?</strong><br />
During the WW2 again, Pacifist Mahatma Gandhi again favored offering Indian moral support to British army in 1939 when Nazi Germany invaded Poland. Obviously, it seemed right decision as Nazi Germany obviously was violent. Yet, when other leaders of India objected Indian youth&#8217;s inclusion in British war, Gandhi declared that India could not be party to a war ostensibly being fought for democratic freedom, while that freedom was denied to India itself. As the war progressed, Gandhi drafted a resolution demanding for British to Quit India. Obviously, his pacifist support for British army during the wars became the saddle of deal for Indian independence. Gandhi realized that British Empire would be exhausted after the two consecutive world wars and hence he declared that even if some Indians directly fight violently against British Empire, he would not take his Quit India demand this time as he did after the World War1.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/noble-laureate-obama-and-afghanistan.html#footnote_3_4296" id="identifier_3_4296" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="World War2 and Quit India, Wikipedia">4</a></sup><br />
He knew it was the ripe time to force exhausted British Empire to Quit India.<br />
Thus, <strong>it can be seen that if Obama mentions that he took his inspirations from Mahatma Gandhi, he does not sound hypocrite or wrong. </strong></p>
<h4><strong>Changing standards of Noble peace prize community</strong></h4>
<p>Mahatma Gandhi was nominated for Noble Peace prize many a times, but he was rejected every time. The last time Gandhi was nominated, the Noble prize committee rejected Gandhi because of his known support for Indo-Pak war.<br />
Based on a telegram from Reuters, The Times, on September 27, 1947, under the headline &#8220;Mr. Gandhi on &#8216;war&#8217; with Pakistan&#8221; reported:</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Mr. Gandhi told his prayer meeting to-night that, though he had always opposed all warfare, if there was no other way of securing justice from Pakistan and if Pakistan persistently refused to see its proved error and continued to minimise it, the Indian Union Government would have to go to war against it. No one wanted war, but he could never advise anyone to put up with injustice. <strong>If all Hindus were annihilated for a just cause, he would not mind.</strong> If there was war, the Hindus in Pakistan could not be fifth columnists. If their loyalty lay not with Pakistan, they should leave it. Similarly Muslims whose loyalty was with Pakistan should not stay in the Indian Union.&#8221;<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/noble-laureate-obama-and-afghanistan.html#footnote_4_4296" id="identifier_4_4296" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Mahatma Gandhi, the Missing Laureate, Nobleprize.org">5</a></sup> </p></blockquote>
<p>That became the reason for Gandhi&#8217;s rejection for Noble price of peace.<br />
Yet now, when every body is familiar with Obama&#8217;s support for Afghanistan war, when Obama himself argues and justifies his decision to escalate combat against Afghanistan on the platform while receiving the Noble price, nobody really think that he should not get a Noble because his support to wars.<br />
Maybe now, the Noble Committee agrees that War is necessary for maintaining peace and that preventive war are a part of establishment of peace. Obviously, this is a change in the attitude. <strong>Gandhi was rejected the Noble for his support to war against Pakistan in order to keep peace, while Obama has been given Noble despite of his support to war at Afghanistan to keep peace.</strong></p>
<h4><strong>How Gandhian Idea would help Afghanistan Situation?</strong></h4>
<p>Pacifism of Gandhi suggest that the native Afghans should openly help US troops in order to fight against Taliban and Osama Bin Laden and after the end of Taliban and Osama Bin Laden, the Afghans should peaceful demand evacuation of US troops from Afghanistan. That is the appropriate way and it will ensure the non-violence of Afghans supporting US army against Taliban. Gandhi might have urged Afghan youth to recruit themselves along with US troops to fight against Taliban. A Gandhian may request Indian government too, to help US army to fight against Taliban as a &#8220;<strong>pre-emptive non-violent measure to maintain peace.</strong>&#8221;</p>
<h4><strong>Libertarian Idea on Pre-emptive Wars</strong></h4>
<p>Unlike Pacifists, a libertarian does not believe in preventive wars. A libertarian cannot support an attack on a nation or a person on the name of defensive necessity. The right to self-defense does not mean to attack first in order to remove any chances of being under attack. Libertarian sense of Self-Defense necessarily means No use of Violence at first but full right to defend yourself within your limits if you are being attacked. An Indian libertarian might not have thought of fighting for British Empire and than to argue for his own independence. Rather he would have preferred to fight against the British Empire, as they were the invaders, attackers because self-defense is not a right, it is basically a duty of a freedom lover, a Libertarian, or a <strong>Libertarian might have simply adopted non-cooperation in all accounts, including no-operation for British Empire in their wars too.</strong><br />
Unlike a pacifist Gandhian, a libertarian will oppose Obama&#8217;s decision to increase troops in Afghanistan and will demand a sudden end to all war fronts, just like Ron Paul did during his famous Libertarian speech &#8220;What If&#8221; in assembly&#8211;<br />
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<ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_4296" class="footnote"><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/War-has-a-role-in-peace-Obama/articleshow/5324682.cms ">Obama :War has a role in Peace</a>, Times of India</li><li id="footnote_1_4296" class="footnote"><a href=" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhi#Role_in_World_War_I ">Role of Mahatma Gandhi in WW1</a>, Wikipedia</li><li id="footnote_2_4296" class="footnote"><a href=" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhi#Role_in_World_War_I ">Mahatma Gandhi, Non-cooperation</a>, Wikipedia</li><li id="footnote_3_4296" class="footnote"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohandas_Karamchand_Gandhi#World_War_II_and_Quit_India">World War2 and Quit India</a>, Wikipedia</li><li id="footnote_4_4296" class="footnote"><a href="http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/articles/gandhi/index.html">Mahatma Gandhi, the Missing Laureate</a>, Nobleprize.org</li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Babri Masjid –The Saga of a Historical Monument</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/atheism/babri-masjid-%e2%80%93the-saga-of-a-historical-monument.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/atheism/babri-masjid-%e2%80%93the-saga-of-a-historical-monument.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:23:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Unpretentious Diva</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Atheism]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.reasonforliberty.com/?p=4208</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://flickr.com/photos/68868401@N00/249840249" title="HAPPY RAMADHAN [Mobarak Alaikom Al Shahar]"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/249840249_c636b63d97_m1.jpg" alt="" title="" width="240" height="180" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4224" /></a>Long ago at the shores of Indian Ocean, there used to be a country. It was an officially democratic nation whose ruler caste (whom we now a days know as Politicians) were very happy and prosperous. As the nation was officially Democratic, no one was actually puzzled against the extreme prosperity of the politicians, the rulers of that nation. The general population was also presumably satisfied at their standards. 
Many people were happy because they could get the rationed LPG fuel cylinder while standing in the queue, while some others were happy because they could get the Gas cylinder easily at a little higher price through black marketing. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://flickr.com/photos/68868401@N00/249840249" title="HAPPY RAMADHAN [Mobarak Alaikom Al Shahar]"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/249840249_c636b63d97_m1.jpg" alt="" title="" width="240" height="180" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4224" /></a>Long ago at the shores of Indian Ocean, there used to be a country. It was an officially democratic nation whose ruler caste (whom we now a days know as Politicians) were very happy and prosperous. As the nation was officially Democratic, no one was actually puzzled against the extreme prosperity of the politicians, the rulers of that nation. The general population was also presumably satisfied at their standards.<br />
Many people were happy because they could get the rationed LPG fuel cylinder while standing in the queue, while some others were happy because they could get the Gas cylinder easily at a little higher price through black marketing. Most of the people were happy because they could earn two-time bread for their living and could arrange a little bit of clothing. It was a god blessed nation and as it was a secular democratic state, every religion held specific importance; the populace was religiously superstitious and god-fearing. Nobody used to believe that they are the soul earner of their living, rather they considered it as God&#8217;s blessing, and hence there were seldom any agitation for individual rights. Religion became the very power of politicians to proclaim there right to rule over the populace.<br />
Gradually, the ruler started feeling that the &#8220;religion&#8221; is loosing its effect in the nation and that became the cause of worry for the politicians. As all &#8220;religions&#8221; were equally important tools for the politicians to rule, they realized that if the religions loose their glory, people might start feeling agitated, demanding and querying.  Thus it seemed necessary for the politicians to plan and act to ascertain the importance of religion, they sincerely wanted to establish the ruling power of that nation as the protector of all religions. The think-tank of politicians was engrossed to plan the possible ways to reassert the sanctity of religion.<br />
At last, the think-tank of ministers conjectured the importance of a very old building situated at a historical town (Ajodhya) of the country. The building was hugely dilapidated and nobody used to care to visit it. It was in a sense, unimportant for the present populace with no significance. It was believed that once upon a time, that building was a great temple, a religious place. Once, an infiltrator came and attacked that religious temple, destroying it, he ensued to make a new religious building, a Minaret and named it after his own name (Babri Masjid).<br />
<img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/babri_masjid-300x163.jpg" alt="" title="" width="300" height="163" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4210" />The general population was indifferent about that historically disputed religious place. There were already plentiful religious temples, minarets, gurudwaras and churches.  Yet, a section of the ruler caste (the politicians) determined to make a new temple at the place of that dilapidated worthless minaret. They thought, it would bring huge applause and happiness in the masses and that will again establish a religiously sanctimonious rule over the nation. The other section of the ruler caste (politicians) used the opportunity to overplay the tool of other religion, debated about saving the already dilapidated Minaret, and proposed of renewing it. The debate grew gross and took the form of agitation accompanied with violence. Consequentially, the common men of the nation found themselves divided over the issue of religions and that became a further triumph of the politicians. At last, the old ramshackle building was attacked and destroyed. Nobody could say if the common men felt any happiness or satisfaction at the destruction, yet all sections of ruler cast (the politicians) were exuberant about the instruction, it provided them a further cause to establish their power to rule.<br />
Thus, the ramshackle of a building that was generally of no importance for the common people of the nation suddenly became the most important issue for the public. Everyone was forced to think about it. The issue of making a temple became the hottest debate. Some people were sad for the destruction of a meagre minaret, some were happy for the hope of making of already redundant temple. The division of public grew angry and caused huge bloodshed. Women were raped, children were butchered, villages were burnt, and people were murdered. The religions were reclaiming their glory at the expense of blood of common men.<br />
The prime ruler of the nation established a Commission<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/atheism/babri-masjid-%e2%80%93the-saga-of-a-historical-monument.html#footnote_0_4208" id="identifier_0_4208" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Liberhan Commission, wikipedia">1</a></sup> to examine the destruction of the minaret. The building was no longer of no importance; it suddenly became the potent farm of political ventures and profitable vote banks.<br />
Gradually, the issue of the destruction of minaret started fading. People again found themselves busy for living their own life peacefully, trying to improve their living standards and finding ways of prosperity. They again started seeking for their happiness. The issue of temple and minaret again became obsolete. Yet, the rulers felt that it is not good and they should try to venture at the use of the tool of religion to reclaim their right to rule. Thus, they remembered about the Commission and the report of the Commission over the destruction of that minaret that was Commissioned decades ago.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/atheism/babri-masjid-%e2%80%93the-saga-of-a-historical-monument.html#footnote_1_4208" id="identifier_1_4208" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Babri Demolition meticulously planned: Liberhan Commission, Indian express">2</a></sup><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wold/3118257899/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Babri-Masjid2.jpg" alt="" title="" width="240" height="150" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4213" /></a> The report was announced publicly in the biggest house of public representatives (Sansad Bhawan) openly. At the report <sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/atheism/babri-masjid-%e2%80%93the-saga-of-a-historical-monument.html#footnote_2_4208" id="identifier_2_4208" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Liberhan Commission report, PDF file">3</a></sup>, the different sectors of the ruling caste (the politicians) again started debating to show how much they care for the general public and how happy the common men would be about there representatives fighting for their religious sanctity. Yet, the public was further smart this time. Common men saved themselves from the trap of the ruling caste (the politicians) to divide and rule the public. The common men already had found ways to prosperity and happiness elsewhere. The public was religious even then and used to pray every morning, but they were smart enough to ignore any debate over the obsolete dilapidated building any further. Thus, the ramshackle of that building, which was forced to be the reason of violence and agitation within the populace, again became unconcerned, unnoticed and unable to divide the public and cause further violence and bloodshed.</p>
<ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_4208" class="footnote"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberhan_Commission">Liberhan Commission</a>, wikipedia</li><li id="footnote_1_4208" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Babri-demolition-meticulously-planned-says-Liberhan-indicts-Atal-Advani/544995/3/">Babri Demolition meticulously planned: Liberhan Commission</a>, Indian express</li><li id="footnote_2_4208" class="footnote"><a href="http://data.ndtv.com/downloads/liberhan.pdf">Liberhan Commission report</a>, PDF file</li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Power cuts, Brownouts and Blackouts</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/power-cuts-brownouts-and-blackouts.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/power-cuts-brownouts-and-blackouts.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:30:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Unpretentious Diva</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[India]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Privatization]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[desired electric services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economic policy]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Indian government]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.reasonforliberty.com/?p=4162</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/reutc/278685448/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Electricity.jpg" alt="" title="" width="240" height="180" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4165" /></a> The two major political propagandas of Indian political parties are "Education for All" and "Electricity for everyone at every Village". Despite all the technical advancements government failed to provide electricity for every village of India, not only that, government failed to provide incessant electricity to any city too. India suffers acute electric shortage. Most of the cities suffer brownouts. Generally, any common city or town of India suffers electric cuts for 4-6 hours daily, while some more industrial cities and towns of India (like that of cities of Uttar Pradesh) suffers acute blackouts for even 12 hours a day. 
It would be nothing new to stress again that it is impossible for any government to ensure and provide anything like "Free-education" or "Free-electricity" as citizen's rights in any condition. As it is impossible, governments are bound to fail to meet such promises. 
The Destruction of Power Sector under Government]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/reutc/278685448/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Electricity.jpg" alt="" title="" width="240" height="180" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4165" /></a> The two major political propagandas of Indian political parties are &#8220;Education for All<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/power-cuts-brownouts-and-blackouts.html#footnote_0_4162" id="identifier_0_4162" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Education For All, Reason For Liberty">1</a></sup>&#8221; and &#8220;Electricity for everyone at every Village&#8221;. Despite all the technical advancements government failed to provide electricity for every village of India, not only that, government failed to provide incessant electricity to any city too. India suffers acute electric shortage. Most of the cities suffer brownouts. Generally, any common city or town of India suffers electric cuts for 4-6 hours daily, while some more industrial cities and towns of India (like that of cities of Uttar Pradesh) suffers acute blackouts for even 12 hours a day.<br />
It would be nothing new to stress again that it is impossible for any government to ensure and provide anything like &#8220;Free-education&#8221; or &#8220;Free-electricity&#8221; as citizen&#8217;s rights in any condition. As it is impossible, governments are bound to fail to meet such promises.<br />
<strong>The Destruction of Power Sector under Government</strong><br />
We have seen how the price controls destroys the power of market and producers to supply the required commodity to meet the demands and hence creates shortages<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/power-cuts-brownouts-and-blackouts.html#footnote_1_4162" id="identifier_1_4162" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Reason of Price Rise and Consequences of Price Control, Reason For Liberty">2</a></sup>. In order to neutralize the effect of price control, government thus tends to exclusively control certain sectors of production completely under the monopoly. As government controls the production and supply of electricity thoroughly in India, it may be assumed that the price control on electricity may not affect the supply because it is the government only, that is producing and supplying electricity and hence government may provide electricity sufficiently at controlled lower prices or even at no price at all. As a matter of fact, government even tries to provide free-electricity for various purposes, yet government suffers acute shortage of electric power and hence fails to meet the demand of electricity. The natural law that price controls brings shortages works even in such exclusively government franchised production sector.<br />
<strong>Role of inflation in electric shortages</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/striatic/664713/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Electric-Power.jpg" alt="" title="Power Sector is crucified by the Government Monopoly to suffer deficits, losses and incapability to meet demands, consuers are forced to suffer Shortages" width="169" height="240" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4166" /></a> If there is no inflation and government is providing electricity at lowest minimal prices, government often fails to gain any profit over the power sector and hence suffers acute financial deficits to increase the production of electricity to meet the required demand. Even the minimal possible price for electricity certainly remains much higher than the prices that would have prevailed in free market because not only the electric sector suffers any vital competition to increase production and decrease prices; it actually prohibits any such effort. All efforts to increase production are surmounted by the increase in demand.<br />
If there is a genuine inflation rate, the cost of production of electricity keeps increasing, while the government and regulatory bodies either refuses to increase the price of electric power or allows only insufficient increase in prices. As a result, power sector suffers losses and deficits and ceases to grow rapidly and increase production because it gets no profit to save and invest in further production. Hence, government is forced to provide subsidies and capital for the power sector to keep producing from the compulsory tax collected. As a result, the citizens are forced to pay much higher price for the comparably insufficient and menial electric services than what they would have been paying for much better and sufficient electric services in free market. As the power sector under government regulations remains in deficit and suffer losses, it fails to replace worn-out equipments and service lines at higher prices due to inflation and that increase wastage and forces power sector to actual decline.<br />
<strong>Corruption in power sector</strong><br />
Because of the natural losses and deficits in power-sector, government is forced to pay the required amounts to keep the production of electricity from the budgets of compulsory tax collected. This enforces a certain corruption where the more hardworking and able persons who are obviously making higher incomes, are forced to pay much higher prices for the power-sector (or any commodity/service under government monopoly), while the lazy, dishonest and incapable ones are getting the same services of electricity at much lower prices, often at no price at all. This obviously is acute corruption that forces every citizen to actually accept corruption in his own demeanour. As any consumer realizes that he is actually paying much higher prices for the electricity in form of various taxes he is forced to pay than the others, who are paying lesser taxes, he feels cheated, and that increases the tendency of consumer to steal electricity. Often consumers tend to tamper the electric meters and other ways to actually use more electricity and pay less. This seems to be genuine too because they are already paying much higher prices in form of other compulsory taxations. Often, because of controlled prices of electricity people over-consumes and hence waste the electricity. Overall, the power sector is forced to keep suffering great losses, insufficient amount to keep increasing production, to replace worn-out equipments, supplying lines, and almost no amount for development, innovation and inventions to reduce wastage and increase production. The amount that could have been used to increase production of electricity is wasted upon creating better meters to prohibit stealing, which seems impossible because in a way, stealing becomes necessary to reduce the already forced corruption by the government on citizens.<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mfl/216344689/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Power.jpg" alt="Power" title="Power sector under Monopoly suffers lack of profits to replace worn-out equipments, lines and lacks any investment in innovation to increase the production of Electric power" width="240" height="160" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4167" /></a> As government is forced to pay for the power sector through the budgets and compulsory tax collected, the amount that could have been used for progress in other sectors is wasted upon the already suffering power sector and that decreases the overall progress.<br />
<strong>Will the Nuclear technology reduce the scarcity of power?</strong><br />
It is assumed that nuclear technology may increase the production of electricity and hence reduce the shortage, but it is not possible because the nuclear technology is a replacement for thermal and hydroelectric production. Thus, at one hand the production of electricity will be increased, at other hand, it will be decreased too while the basic reason for the shortage of electricity, that are government monopoly and regulation, price control and inflation, will remain unanswered.<br />
The solution for the acute power shortage India is facing is to reduce the regulation and ultimately culminate the monopoly of government on power sector. If private bodies are allowed to invest in power sector freely with property rights, the production of electricity will increase manifolds; the wastage in supplying electricity will reduce to minimal. Because of competitive free market, the price for electricity will tend to decrease and that will promote the private electric service providers to increase the reach their facilities to more and more consumers at much lesser prices.<br />
Furthermore, the producers and investors, in order to increase their profits will keep investing in innovating and inventing ways to increase progressive technology and production of electricity. As consumers will get their desired electric services at the genuine prices, the tendency to steal electricity will be reduced to minimal and that would further decrease the wastage to much extent.<br />
Conclusion: The new 123 deal is hugely insufficient to solve the shortage of electricity in India. Indian government need to privatize the power sector and let the investors and entrepreneurs to invest in innovative ways and technology (including nuclear technology) to increase production of electricity and hence decrease the actual price of electricity for the consumers.</p>
<ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_4162" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/education/education-for-all.html">Education For All</a>, Reason For Liberty</li><li id="footnote_1_4162" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/anarcho-capitalism/reason-of-price-rise-and-consequences-of-price-control.html">Reason of Price Rise and Consequences of Price Control</a>, Reason For Liberty</li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Reason of Price Rise and Consequences of Price Control</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/anarcho-capitalism/reason-of-price-rise-and-consequences-of-price-control.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/anarcho-capitalism/reason-of-price-rise-and-consequences-of-price-control.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:59:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Unpretentious Diva</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Anarcho-Capitalism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[India]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Objectivism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reason]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BJP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Commodity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Congress]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gold Standard]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[inflation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Law of demand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[maximum vote bank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Monetary policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[monopoly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[printing currency]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[printing fiat currency]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rationing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scarce products]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[speculation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Supply and demand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vote bank]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.reasonforliberty.com/?p=4121</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/16230215@N08/3546108403"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Inflation-engrossing-Individuals.jpg" alt="Inflation engrossing Individuals" title="Inflation engrossing Individuals" width="240" height="187" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4122" /></a> The skyrocketing prices of common commodities is becoming the main political issue around which, the BJP is trying to make their case against Congress lead government. It is true that government is responsible to the price rise, but can government control the prices or the price rise?  
It is a common myth that producers, hoarders, speculators and dealers control the prices and tries to bring the prices as high as possible to make maximum profits at the expense of poor consumers who have no choice but to be exploited by such corrupt speculators, hoarders and dealers. It is certainly an irrational myth because to make maximum profits in a competitive market, the speculators, hoarders and dealers need to adjust selling their commodities at the minimum possible prices.
Who Decides the Prices?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/16230215@N08/3546108403"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Inflation-engrossing-Individuals.jpg" alt="Inflation engrossing Individuals" title="Inflation engrossing Individuals" width="240" height="187" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4122" /></a> The skyrocketing prices of common commodities is becoming the main political issue around which, the BJP is trying to make their case against Congress lead government. It is true that government is responsible to the price rise, but can government control the prices or the price rise?<br />
It is a common myth that producers, hoarders, speculators and dealers control the prices and tries to bring the prices as high as possible to make maximum profits at the expense of poor consumers who have no choice but to be exploited by such corrupt speculators, hoarders and dealers. It is certainly an irrational myth because to make maximum profits in a competitive market, the speculators, hoarders and dealers need to adjust selling their commodities at the minimum possible prices. </p>
<h4><strong>Who Decides the Prices?</strong></h4>
<p>The price of a commodity depends on its demand and its supply. Demand and supply being the amount of commodity the buyers are prepared to buy and sellers are prepared to sell, at all prices.</p>
<blockquote><p><strong>If supply is constant, The higher the price of a commodity, the lesser is its demand, the lower the price of a commodity, the higher is its demand.</strong></p></blockquote>
<p>As the speculators and sellers reduce the price of their commodity, the demand of that commodity increases. People obviously are willing to buy more shirts at Rs20/- per shirt and they will buy lesser shirts at price of Rs40/- per shirt. Since the lower price increases consumers, speculators and sellers tend to decrease the price to the minimal possible value so that they can outcompete the other speculators and sellers. Most of the consumers will opt to buy from that seller who is asking the least prices and hence, that seller will make maximum profits. Obviously, a speculator cannot decide price for his stored commodity any less than the actual cost of that commodity plus cost of its storing and his share of profit.<br />
Thus, it should be clear that speculators could not decide the price variation of a commodity as price is directly proportional to the demand of consumers. A speculator or a seller may merely speculate the increasing or decreasing trends of the demand of a commodity and adjust the supply of commodity by either storing it or flooding the stored quantity of the commodity in market in accordance with their share of profit.</p>
<h4><strong>Can Government decide and control the prices?</strong></h4>
<p>Speculators cannot decide and control prices because they cannot force anybody, they cannot use violence against anybody. So, if a speculator decides to sell stored commodity at higher prices, he will loose his consumers, as they will have choice to go for that speculator and seller that provides the commodity at lower prices.<br />
Yet, government can decide and control the prices because government do not need to look for the supply of a commodity, on the other hand, government works under the pressure of vote banks. In order to obtain maximum of the vote bank, government can actually decide the prices of various commodities lower than the cost of production and storage of those commodities. That is why, just in order to gain maximum vote bank, government can promise to sell wheat or rice at a price of Rs2/- per kg, or even at free of price. This is absolute corruption and fraud because the cost of production of any commodity or service is always higher than the price dictated by the government and hence government always works at loss that ultimately burdens the poor consumers, voters. Government can control the prices too because it has monopoly on violence, government can force all speculators and sellers to sell the product at the dictated prices; it can illegalize speculating and selling and may control selling services completely by collectivizing the market. Government can jail speculators, sellers and dealers if they do anything against the monopoly of government, government can kill them too by means of police force.<br />
Obviously, government has no responsibility or need to look for the quantity, quality and supply of the commodities of which it dictates the prices because the basic means of government income is confiscatory, compulsory taxation. Yet, when supply of a product reaches too much lower and the demand increases too much higher, government succumbs under the pressure of demand and supply and resorts to increase the prices, that again creates havoc for the consumers.</p>
<h4><strong>Reason of Price Rise and Consequences of Price Control</strong></h4>
<p>In order to hide its irresponsibility and fraud, government often suggests that the reason of price rise is population explosion and scarcity of products. Yet, it is again a myth. It is true that Indian population increased almost 4 times since 1947, yet the thing to be noted is, Indian production increased 100 times (or more). So comparably, production is too much more in relation with present population than what it was in 1947 in relation with the population of 1947.<br />
Price rise is direct consequence of Inflation<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/anarcho-capitalism/reason-of-price-rise-and-consequences-of-price-control.html#footnote_0_4121" id="identifier_0_4121" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Story of Money, What Causes Inflation?">1</a></sup> . As government has monopoly on printing fiat currency out of thin air, it keeps increasing the fiat currency. As a result, the purchasing power of citizens increases. Since the purchasing power of consumers&#8217; increases, their demand also increases and it exceeds the quantity of available supply.<br />
Whenever the quantity of demand of consumers&#8217; increases than the quantity of supply the producers and sellers can provide, the situation of shortage occurs where the consumers are willing to buy, but the sellers and suppliers cannot provide, they have nothing to sell.<br />
Such situations creates tensions within the society and may erupt in violence as every consumers suddenly comes to realize that although they have fiat currency, they have no wealth, they have been robbed and they are poorer than what they were years before. To avoid such situation, government feels forced to increase prices of commodities because price rise actually solves out the problem of shortage. At higher prices, demand of consumers decreases and tends to come closer to the quantity of supply available in market. Yet again, government may loose vote bank because of price rise, hence it resorts to price control again.<br />
Price control is again a fraud and creates chaos in market. Due to lower dictated prices, demand of consumers remains high irrespective of the supply and that increases wastage of scarce products causing shortage. As production and supply never meets the demand of consumers in such scenario, the consumers suffers.</p>
<h4><strong>Solution of Price rise and Shortage</strong></h4>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/toastforbrekkie/1881931777/"><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Gold-Currency.jpg" alt="Gold Currency" title="Gold Currency" width="180" height="240" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4123" /></a> As price rise is result of Inflation and government&#8217;s monopoly on printing currency<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/anarcho-capitalism/reason-of-price-rise-and-consequences-of-price-control.html#footnote_1_4121" id="identifier_1_4121" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Story of Money, What Causes Inflation?">2</a></sup> , the solution of price rise obviously is a denial of fiat currency and acceptance of 100% gold standardized currency and end of government monopoly at issuing currency<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/anarcho-capitalism/reason-of-price-rise-and-consequences-of-price-control.html#footnote_2_4121" id="identifier_2_4121" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Fiat Money Versus Gold Standard, Privatization of Currency">3</a></sup> . The increase in supply of such money would always be ineffective and small and would be limited by the high costs of mining additional quantities of gold.<br />
Price rise became a chronic social problem because government replaced the Gold standard of currency by unworthy paper currency whose quantity can be raised without limit and without cost. There is no other solution for this chronic problem.<br />
In addition, the problem of shortage and all the frustrations, corruption and violence attached with it is because of the government control over prices. In order to avoid any shortage of any commodity in market, it is necessary for government to leave the market and pricing system free of any interventions and let the producers, sellers, speculators, hoarders and dealers take care of the pricing system.<br />
Speculators and hoarders saves the consumers from shortages by speculating any change in the trend of demand and supply and adjusting the prices to that level at which, the demand of consumers decreases or increases to the equalizing levels of the available supply.<br />
When demand is higher and supply is less, speculators increase the prices and hence decreases the demand to equalize it with the supply and hence saves the consumers from the frustrations of not being able to buy, and thus avoids any wastage and shortage. </p>
<ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_4121" class="footnote">Story of Money, <a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-story-of-money-what-causes-inflation.html">What Causes Inflation?</a></li><li id="footnote_1_4121" class="footnote">Story of Money, <a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-story-of-money-what-causes-inflation.html">What Causes Inflation?</a></li><li id="footnote_2_4121" class="footnote">Fiat Money Versus Gold Standard, <a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/fiat-money-versus-gold-standard-privatization-of-currency.html">Privatization of Currency</a></li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>On Making A difference</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/on-making-a-difference.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/on-making-a-difference.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:04:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Deadman On Campus</dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.reasonforliberty.com/?p=3919</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<a href="http://flickr.com/photos/27391161@N07/3186012706" title="Tiger attak..."><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/3186012706_5413e8021e_m1.jpg" alt="" title="" width="240" height="240" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-3921" /></a>Our country India has a long history of Socialistic policies. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister India, and an admirer of Stalin, modeled the nation on the brutal slaughterhouse of Soviet Union-In the name of intelligent planning. It didn’t occur to him that planning of a central authority tampers with the plans of individual citizens. Rulers who came after him weren’t any better . It is true that things have improved slightly in the past few decades as of economic reforms, but the essentials remain the same. The concept of individual liberty is unknown to most Indian citizens.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://flickr.com/photos/27391161@N07/3186012706" title="Tiger attak..."><img src="http://reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/3186012706_5413e8021e_m1.jpg" alt="" title="" width="240" height="240" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-3921" /></a>Our country India has a long history of Socialistic policies. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister India, and an admirer of Stalin, modeled the nation on the brutal slaughterhouse of Soviet Union-In the name of intelligent planning. It didn’t occur to him that planning of a central authority tampers with the plans of individual citizens. Rulers who came after him weren’t any better . It is true that things have improved slightly in the past few decades as of economic reforms, but the essentials remain the same. The concept of individual liberty is unknown to most Indian citizens.</p>
<p>Most Indians are unsatisfied with the state of things. They long for a radical change. Some of them are conceited enough to think that they can change things for good if they rise to positions of power. Though some are slightly aware of the inherent systemic problem, their understanding is not deep enough. They fail to realize the complex level of understanding of social sciences it takes to bring about a change.They step into action instead of trying to bring about a radical change in the mindset of people through intellectual means.Recently I came across the manifesto of such a political party, <strong>Jago</strong><sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/on-making-a-difference.html#footnote_0_3919" id="identifier_0_3919" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Jago Party website">1</a></sup> . What makes this political party different is that it pays lip service to the free market economy. They vaguely understand the importance of a high level of economic freedom, but are unable to understand the inherent contradictions in their views. Let us analyze their political positions in some detail.</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>People would be granted individual freedom over and above a social minimum-which means: basic survival needs such as food, clothing, shelter, education, healthcare and security needs will be met by the Government.</strong><br />
None of these basic services grow in the nature, or are absorbed from the atmosphere. They are produced by individuals. If some people are to be provided with these facilities, who is to produce them? What if people who produce them are not willing to share their produce? Will they be purged? Inflating the rights of man can’t be done without an outright infringement of their fundamental rights. Often people talk of the right to a free education or health care, for instance, without giving a moments thought to its cost. When some sane person opposes their Utopian dreams, he is casted off as a person who doesn’t care for the poor. It should be noted here that these services are demanded as people should have the freedom to pursue their self interest. Nothing is said of the self interest of their innocent victims. The fact that it is not in ones rational self interest to gain the unearned too, is evaded. So much for their belief that the free market economy is ethically superior. The “basic minimum” can’t be provided without mulcting the tax payer, and hampering capital accumulation. It is capital accumulation which makes high wages and a high living standard possible. The welfare state is totally incompatible with the free market economy. One can’t choose both. Both are mutually exclusive possibilities. They have made their choice. There is no other.</p>
<li><strong>Soviet Russia made impressive initial progress.</strong><br />
This is a distortion of facts. It concedes too much. The majority of people were starving themselves to death even in the initial phase. If even enemies of collectivism are duped by such propaganda, we can’t blame the communists for spreading them.</p>
<li><strong>A Government is necessary for maintenance of law &amp; order, enforcement of contracts, justice, defense, currency.</strong><br />
All these services could be provided by the market, and in a much efficient manner. Apart from the inherent immorality of taxing people and monopolizing these sectors, it should be said that  Government is an  inefficient organization. As law, defense , police and currency are presently provided by the Government, most people have problems imagining how this could be done by the market. However our living standards shouldn’t be dragged down to the level of imagination of such retards. It is an elementary fact of economics that monopolies are bad for the consumer. It applies to defense , law and police too. Government control of money and credit , as we all know, had led to continuous debasement of money. Arbitrary credit expansion in not possible under a free, full reserve banking system based on Gold Standard.</p>
<li><strong>Reservations would be replaced with free and mandatory school education.</strong><br />
One interesting thing about most opponents of reservations is that they propose quality primary education as the solution. They are too dull to realize that free primary education is as, or more harmful than reservations. Both infringes personal freedom. There should be no such free gifts. Mandatory school education is abduction. Children of parents willing to homeschool their children, shouldn’t be dragged to Schools which are similar to prisons. Subsidization of education would only prevent most children from acquiring the education they would have acquired, if left alone.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/on-making-a-difference.html#footnote_1_3919" id="identifier_1_3919" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Read more at Hypocrisy of Anti-reservation activists">2</a></sup></p>
<li><strong>There would be only one syllabus for all schools and only one all India level examination conducted by only one board at class 12.</strong><br />
Potential dictators want to decide what is good for the society, and ram it down their throats. The education scene can’t be improved by forcing everyone into the same mold. There is great variation in the skills and interests of various children. A common syllabus decreed by the Government does injustice to all sorts of children. They should be free to pursue their interests. Only competition among various modes of education for Objective truth would improve the state of education.</p>
<li><strong>All infiltrators coming from Bangladesh and other countries are to be identified &amp; punished.</strong><br />
No one with the slightest understanding of the concept of liberty would support this. Government doesn’t rightfully own all the land of a country, hence and shouldn’t have the right to have a say in these issues.</p>
<li><strong>Capital punishment for major crimes.</strong><br />
Capital punishment is barbaric. One can’t be absolutely certain that a person has committed a crime in many cases. So, it makes little sense to take their lives off. Moroever, history proves that such severe punishment doesn’t prevent the likelihood of crimes.</p>
<li><strong>All voters will get Rs. 800/- per month</strong><br />
No comment is necessary on such stupid schemes.</p>
<li><strong>Low tax rate would mean better compliance, more revenue and less corruption.</strong><br />
It seems this conclusion is based on the fallacious “Laffer curve”. 1) It is not at all evident why Government revenues should be maximised. 2) There is no guarantee that a reduction in the tax rate would increase the revenue. It depends on the scale of reduction and several other factors.</p>
<li><strong>The function of the government would be to see that no deforestation takes place.</strong><br />
As long as there is demand for wood, people will grow trees. It is a profitable business. If a particular owner stops producing them, there is an opportunity to make profits and others will. Every good that is in demand will be provided by the market. If no one produces wood, someone can easily make profits by producing it. There will always be people willing to wait for years if it is necessary. There is no shortage of people to engage in such activities. Who is more likely to preserve a land and grow trees-A bureaucrat who has no incentive to preserve a land, and has to exploit the land as much as possible during his time, or a private owner who has every incentive to preserve the land, and grow trees as his revenues from the land depends on the preservation of that land?<br />
People are more likely to preserve trees when it is profitable to do so. In Europe, where private ownership of forests is far more common (Unlike in the US) less people complain of destruction of timber resources.</p>
<li><strong>Population growth should be controlled.</strong><br />
Population doesn&#8217;t impede development. New York City is highly populated. But a lot of wealth is being generated there. Japan is thickly populated. It is a very rich country.Holland, Monaco, Britain and Liechtenstein are thickly populated.Europe is a thickly populated continent, next only to asia, whereas African countries are heavily underpopulated. Hong Kong has a higher density of population, yet it is much wealthier than India and China.  Most people point out the large population of India and China, for instance, as a cause of underdevelopment.That&#8217;s plain nonsense. It is the lack of economic freedom, not population which makes countries poor.</p>
<li><strong> Ban on child-labor will be strictly enforced.</strong><br />
Banning child labor would only throw some many children and poor families into poverty and starvation. Children join the labor force only when it is an economic necessity. A ban on child labor doesn’t change the fact that these children badly need those jobs. Such children , in the words of Ludwig Von Mises, would &#8220;infest the country as vagabonds, beggars, tramps, robbers and prostitutes.&#8221;
</ol>
<p>By now, it should be evident that the goals of Jago party has nothing to do with Individual freedom. Libertarians should think twice before supporting such inconsistent defenders of Individual freedom. It would only harm our cause of pure liberty.</p>
<ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_3919" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.jago.in/">Jago Party</a> website</li><li id="footnote_1_3919" class="footnote">Read more at <a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/education/hypocrisy-of-anti-reservation-activists.html">Hypocrisy of Anti-reservation activists</a></li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Indian Health Care-an Overview</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/indian-health-care-an-overview.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/indian-health-care-an-overview.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2009 08:16:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Unpretentious Diva</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[India]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Observation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Privatization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Baba Ramdev]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[deregulated health insurance market]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health care in the United States]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health care systems]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health economics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health-care insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health-care services]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health-insurance industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health/Medical/Pharmaceuticals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[healthcare]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indian government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[insurance agencies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[insurance agency]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[insurance policies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kerala]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[labor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Patanjali Ayurvedic Hospital]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pharmaceutical products]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[required services]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Types of insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Universal health care]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uttar Pradesh]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.reasonforliberty.com/?p=3692</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3694" src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Health_and_wealth_-300x150.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="150" />Like all of the other major industrialized countries, India also have a Universal Health Care System run by the state and central government. The governmental hospitals provide health care to the masses at the tax-payer expense. Most important drugs are often provided free of charge. Obviously, on papers, nothing can seem any better than the universalized health care system. Universal Health Care system is the proposed health care facility for all the eligible residents of a political region, and the costs of the treatment and care are borne by the government funded program, that is by the tax-payers money.
Somehow, government establishes the idea that the health care is a sort of fundamental right for the citizens and it is governmental duty of the system to provide health care facilities; obviously, the tax-payers need to pay for that duty.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3694" src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Health_and_wealth_-300x150.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="150" />Like all of the other major industrialized countries, India also have a Universal Health Care System<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/indian-health-care-an-overview.html#footnote_0_3692" id="identifier_0_3692" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Universal Health Care system, Wikipedia">1</a></sup> run by the state and central government. The governmental hospitals provide health care to the masses at the tax-payer expense. Most important drugs are often provided free of charge. Obviously, on papers, nothing can seem any better than the universalized health care system. Universal Health Care system is the proposed health care facility for all the eligible residents of a political region, and the costs of the treatment and care are borne by the government funded program, that is by the tax-payers money.<br />
Somehow, government establishes the idea that the health care is a sort of fundamental right for the citizens and it is governmental duty of the system to provide health care facilities; obviously, the tax-payers need to pay for that duty.<br />
In 1981, there were approximately four medical practitioners per 10,000 citizens, in late 80&#8242;s that number fell to 3 medical practitioners per 10,000 citizens. One can assume that as a reflex of population increase. In late 90&#8242;s there were approximately 10 hospital beds per 10,000 individuals.<br />
The abysmal data further deteriorates when one look at the geographical distribution of medical facilities and hospitals. Uttar Pradesh, with a 1991 population of more than 139 million, had 735 hospitals as of 1990, while Kerala, with a 1991 population of 29 million occupying an area only one-seventh the size of Uttar Pradesh, had 2053 hospitals. The data suffices the evidences of failure of the government planning of health care system.<br />
Yet, it would be wrong to criticize or blame the government for the failure because it is not the failure of government itself; rather it is the failure of the corrupt idea that health care is some sort of fundamental right. It is the failure of our own perception that there is a need of a governing body to regulate our most personal orders of life.<br />
<strong>Here is a proposal for improvement.</strong><br />
<strong>&gt;</strong>The major problem of Indian Health Care System is the terribly low number of medical practitioners&#8217; available for the citizens.<br />
In order to improve and increase the number of available medical experts we need to eliminate all licensing requirements for medical schools, hospitals, pharmacies, and medical doctors and other health-care personnel, that is, we need to industrialize the health care sector. There is a huge demand for medical professionals, yet Indian government is not able to provide them, the only reason is the governmental regulations. Once such regulations are removes or eased out, their supply would almost instantly increase, prices would fall, and a greater variety of health-care services would appear on the market.<br />
One may ask that without any governmental regulating body, <strong>how will it be possible to discriminate between an eligible and efficient medical practitioner and a &#8220;Neem Hakim&#8221;?</strong><br />
The solution is within the market premises; competing voluntary endorsement agencies would take place of the compulsory government licensing. Obviously, these endorsement or accreditation agencies would be run by the same social organizations and NGO&#8217;s that keep promoting the causes of citizens and society welfare.<br />
<strong>Why would a medical college or hospital look for any such accreditation or certification from a NGO?</strong><br />
The health care providers will look for such accreditation if they believe that such recognition would enhance their own reputation, and that their consumers care about reputation, and are willing to pay for it.<br />
Furthermore, as there won&#8217;t be illusion in the consumers mind that there is any thing like &#8220;national standard&#8221; of health care, they would be more cautious, will increase their search costs for better facilities and make more discriminating health-care choices, and that trend would further the need of the health-care providers to have some certification from some reputed NGO to bank on that.<br />
<strong>Won&#8217;t the Health-Care Providers bribe the Competitive Endorsement Agencies and corrupt the market?</strong><br />
Governmental licensing system is already corrupt, the only problem is, there is no other way out to get rid of the corruption. In a free market, once a health-care provider commits a mistake, it would loose its market. In addition, the certification provider agency will also loose its reputation and credentials to provide any further endorsement.<br />
<strong>&gt;</strong> The other major problem of the Indian health care system is the huge prices of medicines and medical devices. <strong>Would the free market be able to cater all those costs? Will the medicines be further costly due to the lack of governmental subsidies?</strong><br />
Governmental subsidies are not the solution for the high costs of medicines and medical facilities. The solution is to eliminate all governmental restrictions on the production and sales of pharmaceutical products and medical instruments that currently hinders innovations and increases costs.<br />
In absence of governmental interference and restrictions, costs and prices would fall and a wider spectrum of better products would reach the consumers faster.<br />
The free market would force the health care providers and the consumers to act in accordance with their own risk assessment. The competitive drugs and medical instruments manufacturers and sellers, in order to safeguard themselves against product liability cases and also to increase their customer belt, would provide increasingly better product descriptions and guarantees.<br />
<strong>&gt;</strong>The other important issue in the Indian health care market is the presence of alternative health care facilities such as Ayurveda and Unani herbal medicinal practices. <strong>Should government restrict or ban someone like Baba Ramdev or private institutes like Patanjali Ayurvedic Hospital services? Should government devote further more resources and tax-payers money to scientifically verify the validity of Ayurveda and Unani medical practices? </strong><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3695" src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/ayurveda-234x300.jpg" alt="" width="234" height="300" /><br />
In reality, governmental interference always causes deterioration, corruption and wastage.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/indian-health-care-an-overview.html#footnote_1_3692" id="identifier_1_3692" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Separation of Science and State, Reason For Liberty">2</a></sup> The market itself provides checks for any such stream of medical practices. Any such institute that stands on its own credentials and the reputation it gains within the consumers&#8217; belt itself remains enough self-cautious and answerable. The free market would obviously promote the alternative health care systems freely to innovate and invigorate.<br />
<strong>&gt;</strong>Another issue in the urban Indian health care sector is the rising prices of the medical insurances. The solution is the deregulation of health-insurance industry.<br />
Insurance agencies can provide insurance against the events over whose outcome the insured has no control. Since a person&#8217;s health or lack of it lies within his own hands, many of the health risks are basically uninsurable. Furthermore, for the insurable health risks also, better pooling system free of governmental restrictions should be provided. Because the current system (which obviously is a huge failure) is only partly concerned with insurance, rather it is more concerned with the corrupt idea of Universal free medical facilities for all citizens, it restricts the right of the insurer to refuse or to exclude any individual risk as uninsurable, and the industry cannot discriminate freely amongst different groups&#8217; risks.<br />
This is a case where egalitarianism holds no worth. Health-care insurance is a case where discrimination is justified and necessary. As for example, anyone can have heart problems, but the risk with an alcoholic consumer are surely much more than the risk with a non-alcoholic consumer. Obviously, the non-alcoholic consumer should not be pooled in the same group of the alcoholic consumer, the insurance agency should discriminate the two consumers and the heart health risks involved with the two on the premises of one being alcoholic and other being non-alcoholic.<br />
Deregulation of health insurance industry will remove such discrepancies.<br />
Deregulation of the industry means to restore it in an unrestricted manner. It means to allow the insurers to offer any possible contract whatsoever for the consumers, to include or exclude any risk, and to discriminate among its consumers to pool them in different groups based on any criteria including their hereditary conditions, health habits and addictions. In deregulated health insurance market, the uninsurable risks would lose coverage and the individuals will become further more cautious. The variety of insurance policies for the remaining insurable risks would increase and prices will fall drastically. The most important thing is, the individual responsibility of the consumer in health care will gain more emphasis and that would provide an environment for better habits and proper living attitudes amongst the citizens.<br />
We have further discussed this particular issue of health insurance here &#8211;<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/indian-health-care-an-overview.html#footnote_2_3692" id="identifier_2_3692" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Indian Insurance System and Free Market., Reason For Liberty">3</a></sup><br />
India has a huge demand of medical services and as discussed earlier, governmental restrictions cannot supply the much required services.<br />
Until the governmental restrictions are not removed, the health-care system of India will have serious problems and we, being the consumers will suffer those problems. Furthermore, we being the tax-payers will keep paying for the same problem</p>
<ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_3692" class="footnote"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_health_care">Universal Health Care system</a>, Wikipedia</li><li id="footnote_1_3692" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/reason/separation-of-science-and-state.html">Separation of Science and State</a>, Reason For Liberty</li><li id="footnote_2_3692" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/reason/indian-insurance-system-and-free-market.html">Indian Insurance System and Free Market.</a>, Reason For Liberty</li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>The Illusion of Gay Rights</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-illusion-of-gay-rights.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-illusion-of-gay-rights.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:27:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Unpretentious Diva</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ethics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[India]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Objectivism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Observation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[anti-discriminatory law]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[discrimination]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gay Marriage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gay rights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gender]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[homophobia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[homosexuality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Homosexuality in India]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indian government]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Indian parliament]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jessica Thompson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LGBT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LGBT social movements]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mandal commission]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Obama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Phobias]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[president]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Same-sex sexuality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Save Our Children]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sexual orientation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[spousal health insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Times of India Group]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[United States]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.reasonforliberty.com/?p=3570</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Some_People_are_Gay-300x225.jpg" alt="" title="" width="240" height="175" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3578" />The government is all set to stage a platform for the debate over gay rights in the Indian parliament.
Often people complains that the homosexuals and the activists supporting them are corrupting India with "evil western culture", and their complaints get some strength because of the fact that US is also going through similar sort of debates over gay rights in US with the president Obama in a mood to support the homosexuals strongly.
It can be true that the gay right movement in US inspired the Indian activists, but can we say that it is the western culture, which is corrupting India?
Jessica Thompson answers it well in her blog at Times of India.
Obviously, it is not about corrupting India, it is about amending a wrong.
The article 377 simply makes homosexuality an unnatural act and thus illegal and that is wrong.
Removing the article 377 will let many homosexuals live freely without any fear of blackmailing. Yet the real issue is not just to decriminalize homosexuality, but it is to recognize the individual's right to be homosexual if he wants to.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Some_People_are_Gay-300x225.jpg" alt="" title="" width="240" height="175" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3578" />The government is all set to stage a platform for the debate over gay rights in the Indian parliament.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-illusion-of-gay-rights.html#footnote_0_3570" id="identifier_0_3570" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title=" Parliamentary Debate over Gay Rights, Times of India">1</a></sup><br />
Often people complains that the homosexuals and the activists supporting them are corrupting India with &#8220;evil western culture&#8221;, and their complaints get some strength because of the fact that US is also going through similar sort of debates over gay rights in US with the president Obama in a mood to support the homosexuals strongly.<br />
It can be true that the gay right movement in US inspired the Indian activists, but can we say that it is the western culture, which is corrupting India?<br />
Jessica Thompson answers it well in her blog at Times of India. <sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-illusion-of-gay-rights.html#footnote_1_3570" id="identifier_1_3570" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title=" Gay rights not a Western Idea, Jessica Thompson">2</a></sup><br />
Obviously, it is not about corrupting India, it is about amending a wrong.<br />
The article 377 simply makes homosexuality an unnatural act and thus illegal and that is wrong.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-illusion-of-gay-rights.html#footnote_2_3570" id="identifier_2_3570" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title=" Artificial Vs Natural, Reason for Liberty">3</a></sup><br />
Removing the article 377 will let many homosexuals live freely without any fear of blackmailing. Yet the real issue is not just to decriminalize homosexuality, but it is to recognize the individual&#8217;s right to be homosexual if he wants to.<br />
The disturbing thing is the fact that gays do consider government&#8217;s approval to marry as necessary. According to the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, any marriage between two Hindus performed as per the common customs of that community of one of the two partners is legally valid. No license is required to marry, and most heterosexual Hindu marriages in India today takes place by religious rites alone, without a marriage license and most of them are unregistered.<br />
Most couples do not seek state recognition because it confers few or no benefits. Most couples seek the validation of family and community.<br />
So basically, it is not the government, which need to recognize the homosexual behaviour, but it is the common society. On government&#8217;s ground, only the scrapping of section 377 of IPC is enough.<br />
It is not as if Indian society does not recognize gay rights at all, there are several female couples in rural areas and small towns have received this validation. Yet, homosexuality is not widely accepted. Furthermore, even though Hindu community is not as vehement opponent of Gay rights and homosexuality, Muslim community, Christians, totally oppose any trend of homosexuality, and even now, when government is going to debate over article 377, concerns have been voiced by some Christian and Muslim religious groups against the step.<br />
So the question arises, should Indian government interfere in the matter of gays anymore than the scrapping of section 377 totally?<br />
I do not recognize government or any other authority giving license for couples, be heterosexual or homosexual to marry, I do not recognize any essentiality for a governmental marriage certificate. Rather an enforceable contract will do better job than any marriage certificate provided by government.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-illusion-of-gay-rights.html#footnote_3_3570" id="identifier_3_3570" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title=" Dowry-The other facet, Reason for Liberty">4</a></sup><br />
Therefore, here are some points for which I denounce any governmental interference in gay matter other than to repeal article 377:<br />
The call to remove article 377 means to decriminalize homosexuality, it is reasonable and essential, but what do gay rights mean? Gays doesn&#8217;t need government to allot them any right or license to marry, even heterosexuals doesn&#8217;t seek one, further it doesn&#8217;t help by any means, gays and lesbians need validation of their families and friends rather than the government. Even if the families do not support their marriage, they do not need to seek governmental license, as many heterosexual couples also marry against their families wishes, not all of them are arranged, some girls marry after eloping too.  Yet that is not the major issue, the problem lies behind these lines. As I explained that gay rights activists are more or less influenced by the US gay movement, we can expect them to follow the same suit. Once you involve government with gay rights, it no longer remains a socio-cultural issue; rather it becomes a socio-economic-political issue.<br />
It would not be hard for the gay rights activists and the government to recognize that gays are oppressed minority and hence they need specific protections and that will cause larger economic consequences. Will it be punishable to discriminate against gays?<br />
We should realize that gays do not represent any different community, rather they are amongst us with specific sexual nature, homosexuality is individual behavior and not group behaviour, and hence we cannot treat homosexuals as minority.<br />
Some enjoys smoking; it is behavior, some other do like neither smoking nor smokers. What if government announces smokers as minority? <img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Gay-Rights-300x253.jpg" alt="" title="" width="240" height="200" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-3581" /><br />
Since homosexuality is behavior, it is not readily apparent. If a lesbian goes for a job interview, the interviewer has no way to recognize her as a lesbian. Homosexuality is often kept a secret for varied reason as it is matter of personal sexual life, even heterosexuals keep their sexual life a secret, and hence homosexuals cannot be discriminated. Yet, if government intervenes and tries to help out gays by not only removing section 377, but also, by making some anti-discriminatory law against gays, it will cause situations of real discrimination. To experience true &#8220;discrimination,&#8221; a gay job applicant would have to go the job interview and proclaim his homosexuality: &#8220;I&#8217;m gay; any problems?&#8221; If government intervenes, not to hire this person would be an actionable offense. Now that is not necessary, is it?<br />
Furthermore, it is not government&#8217;s job to decide on what accord a person can appoint an employee and on what account he can deny giving him a job.<br />
As for example, if a Hindu does not want to keep a Muslim house cleaner, it is his choice.<br />
Also, if government is ready to be the agent of gay liberation movement, why will not it announce some sort of quota for gays?<br />
In first place, government has no moral authority to announce any quota or special treatment for any group based on religion, caste, or sexual preferences as governmental reservation never helps. Rather employers should have the freedom to discriminate in favour of gays with favoured treatment, quotas, or by installing an all-gay work force if they so desire. Similarly, employers should be free to impose a no-gays-allowed policy.<br />
Some insurance company may decide giving special helping policies for gay couples making specific pools of insurance for them, while some other insurance company may decide pricing higher on insurance for gays or may deny spousal health insurance to gay couples.<br />
Furthermore, if government intervenes and supports gay rights considering them as minority or second citizens, things may go awry. How will such gay rights be regulated? One would need to count the number of known-homosexuals in a given company/agency to make sure they are proportionally representing, otherwise some Mandal commission will further increase the % quota for gays and will monetarily penalize the company. May be employers will have to give bonuses to employees who announces themselves gay. May be next time, there will be specific seats for gay students in IIT and IIM entrance examinations.<br />
One should realize that government interventions in socio-cultural trends seldom helps, rather it creates skewed situations.<br />
<strong>Conclusion:</strong> One should support the removal of article 377 as it is against Individual liberty, homophobic and irrational, no government can decide what is natural and what is unnatural.<br />
Yet Homosexuals cannot be treated as secondary citizens or minority inviting government to intervene and confirm gay rights, it would be a mistake causing further governmental oppression on Individuals, it will be further against free market.</p>
<ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_3570" class="footnote"><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Moilys-U-turn-on-anti-gay-law/articleshow/4717487.cms"> Parliamentary Debate over Gay Rights</a>, Times of India</li><li id="footnote_1_3570" class="footnote"><a href="http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/chandnichowktochicago/entry/gay-rights-not-a-western"> Gay rights not a Western Idea</a>, Jessica Thompson</li><li id="footnote_2_3570" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/reason/artificial-vs-natural.html"> Artificial Vs Natural</a>, Reason for Liberty</li><li id="footnote_3_3570" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/reason/dowry-the-other-facet.html"> Dowry-The other facet</a>, Reason for Liberty</li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Breaking Free Of Nehru</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/breaking-free-of-nehru.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/breaking-free-of-nehru.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:25:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Deadman On Campus</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Economy]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.reasonforliberty.com/?p=3547</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/bfn2-229x300.jpg" alt="Breaking Free of Nehru - Lets Unleash India" width="229" height="300" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3555" />Even in the modern day India, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru are considered as “Gods”. Any attempt to criticize them is met by denial and hatred. I remember that years back, when I made a case against the socialist policies of Nehru in my college hostel, every one of them present there turned emotional. They argued that India is a poor country, and hence need intelligent planning, to which Nehru made significant contributions. Their response was similar to what you would get from sulky children when you point out that their parents could be wrong.  “Breaking Free of Nehru”, by Sanjeev Sabhlok, a resigned IAS officer, flies in the face of such an attitude. Sabhlok is one of the very few Indian authors I have read who has a reasonably good understanding of Free Market Economics. He points out  with extreme clarity and precision that the legacy of Nehruvian Socialism has done incalculable harm to India.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3555" src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/bfn2-229x300.jpg" alt="Breaking Free of Nehru - Lets Unleash India" width="229" height="300" />Even in the modern day India, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru are considered as “Gods”. Any attempt to criticize them is met by denial and hatred. I remember that years back, when I made a case against the socialist policies of Nehru in my college hostel, every one of them present there turned emotional. They argued that India is a poor country, and hence need intelligent planning, to which Nehru made significant contributions. Their response was similar to what you would get from sulky children when you point out that their parents could be wrong.  “<a href="http://www.sanjeev.sabhlokcity.com/breakingfreeofnehru.pdf">Breaking Free of Nehru</a>”, by Sanjeev Sabhlok, a resigned IAS officer, flies in the face of such an attitude. Sabhlok is one of the very few Indian authors I have read who has a reasonably good understanding of Free Market Economics. He points out  with extreme clarity and precision that the legacy of Nehruvian Socialism has done incalculable harm to India.</p>
<p>The author begins by clearly stating that this is not a book about blaming Nehru. He doesn’t question the allegedly “good” motives of Nehru, and is of the opinion that he was an honorable man. It is not the ends Nehru had in mind he questions, but the means he used to achieve them. He takes for granted that not many would argue against helping the poor. Using violent coercive means to achieve this end, however, produces the exact opposite result. This should be obvious. Nothing good was ever done through coercive means.</p>
<p>Sabhlok, who served the Indian Government for eighteen years, knows from his own experience that such policies breed corruption, poverty and inefficiency. He remembers an IAS officer who joined with him in 1982 saying that his “sole objective in joining the service was to make money”. He was once asked by a young man whether he moved to the Assam cadre from Haryana cadre as more money is to be made in Assam. In all the years he served the Indian Government, he didn’t come across a single officer who even compares with the public officials he met in Australia, where he works now. I don’t have to quote extensively from his work. Everyone knows these facts.</p>
<p>I find it really sad that Sabhlok’s attempt to set up a liberal political party in India didn’t succeed. India badly needs politicians who have studied political economy from a Classical and Austrian point of view. India, needless to mention, has never known the concept of liberty. Even when our freedom fighters and other politicians used words like “freedom”, they never clearly understood what it really means. A hampered market economy was the intellectual default. This wouldn’t have happened if people who know better had spoken up for the cause of Individual liberty. And that precisely is what books like “Breaking Free of Nehru” do.</p>
<p>I have, however, several differences with the book. I would like to mention it here. I don’t think Nehru’s motives were good. I think we should be really careful when branding the motives of a person as good, when the end result is chaos. Good-By what standard? We should remember the words of Ayn Rand-“Do not ever say that desire to do good by force is a good motive. Neither stupidity, nor power lust is a good motive”.</p>
<p>The author says that, in India, there was forceful expropriation of property and land in the manner of Robin Hood. Several thinkers, including Ayn Rand and her followers, have made this mistake. Robin Hood, in my opinion, was actually a good guy. I shall quote the philosopher Tibor Machan: “Often it is Robin Hood who is held up as the role model for justifying taxation: Didn’t he “steal” from the rich to “give” to the poor? Well, not, not really. In the original version of the legend, Robin Hood did just the opposite: He stole from those who stole from the poor and returned the loot to the rightful owners. In those days the upper classes, from the king to all his cronies, routinely engaged in extortion. They disguised this, however, with the phony claim that everything belongs to the king and his cronies. Yes, monarchs and those who rationalized monarchy spun this fantasy and managed to sell it to the people that they where the rightful owners “of the realm,” that they had a “divine right” to rule us. This way when the bulk of the country went to work on the farm or wherever, they had to pay “rent” to the monarch and his cronies.”</p>
<p>Like the author, I don’t think that progressive taxation is compatible with Capitalism. It is true that marginal utility of money decreases with increase in wealth, and a rich person cares far less for a thousand Rupees than a poor person. However, this doesn’t contradict my position. There is a limitless need for wealth. The total utility of the wealth a person has should go on increasing so long as wealth has any positive marginal utility to him. There is a need for more wealth so long as additional wealth has any marginal utility. Progressive taxation would only undermine savings and capital accumulation. Taxation is completely incompatible with Capitalism. There is also the Inherent immorality of taxing Peter to pay Paul.</p>
<p>There are some statements in the book, which libertarians like me can’t agree with. Freedom, the author says, is good, and anarchy is bad. I can’t disagree more. Anarchy is the logical end result of total freedom. Anarchy and Capitalism are fully compatible. There is no justification for a bunch of robbers to take money forcefully from you and providing you services, forbidding that you buy from others. All services, including defense and security services could be provided by private individuals. Government is in fact a criminal organization which robs murders and drafts the citizens in a particular geographical area.</p>
<p>The author makes a case for Government regulations quoting an example of a coal miner working under dangerous conditions. However, it is not at all evident that there is a need for a Government to ensure safety for the worker. In case a worker dies in a free society, the Insurance Company of the employer would have to compensate the employee’s family. Insurance companies, hence, would have a policy to make sure that its customers ensure safe working conditions, as their profits would depend on it.</p>
<p>Another point where I disagree with Sabhlok is on social security and public funded education. We libertarians don’t want the poor to starve or children to go without education. Quite the contrary! We believe that the society would deal with these issues in a better manner in the absence of Government coercion. Under Capitalism, people who deserve such aid would not be many and could easily be taken care of by private organizations and voluntary charity.</p>
<p>All said, I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand Individual liberty in an Indian context. Also visit his <a href="http://freedomteam.in/?file=main">Freedom Team Of India</a> website, and consider joining the Freedom team.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>The Cost of being Green</title>
		<link>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-cost-of-being-green.html</link>
		<comments>http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-cost-of-being-green.html#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2009 23:52:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Unpretentious Diva</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GlobalWarming]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.reasonforliberty.com/?p=3449</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<img src="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/2342380918_d4c8a29e15-300x197.jpg" alt="" title="" width="300" height="197" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3458" />While whole world is blindly running for the goal of being green, the latest annual survey of National Geographic Society has announced India as the winner. The Greendex of Indians is 59.5 and India is at the top. The Greendex indicates the consumer behavior of a certain region or country and compares the sustainable power consuming behavior of the consumers.
For some environment crazy folks, this might prove to be an encouragement and they might feel great about the fact that Indians have been declared as the forerunners of the campaign Green Earth, yet, the question that is to be asked is, what keeps India at the topmost position of that green index? How come one of the most populous country is the least power consuming too?]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://flickr.com/photos/95572727@N00/2342380918" title="The Lost Hindu Temple in the Jungle Mist"><img src="http://reasonforliberty.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/2342380918_d4c8a29e151.jpg" alt="" title="" width="500" height="329" class="alignright size-full wp-image-3458" /></a><br />
While whole world is blindly running for the goal of being green, the latest annual survey of National Geographic Society has announced India as the winner. The Greendex of Indians is 59.5 and India is at the top. The Greendex indicates the consumer behavior of a certain region or country and compares the sustainable power consuming behavior of the consumers.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-cost-of-being-green.html#footnote_0_3449" id="identifier_0_3449" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Indians are world&amp;#8217;s greenest, Times of India">1</a></sup><br />
For some environment crazy folks, this might prove to be an encouragement and they might feel great about the fact that Indians have been declared as the forerunners of the campaign Green Earth, yet, the question that is to be asked is, what keeps India at the topmost position of that green index? How come one of the most populous country is the least power consuming too?<br />
Some will believe that Indians are naturally environment friendly and they care for earth, some may say that Indians are well-mannered about their consuming habits, yet the reality is different. The topmost position of India on that Greendex also indicates the poverty ridden situation of Indian power sector and the consumers&#8217; plight.<br />
Despite an ambitious rural electrification program, some 400 million Indians still have no access to electricity. While 80 percent of Indian villages have at least an electricity line, just 44 percent of rural households have access to electricity. According to a sample of 97,882 households in 2002, electricity was the main source of lighting for 53% of rural households.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-cost-of-being-green.html#footnote_1_3449" id="identifier_1_3449" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Indian Power Sector, Wikipedia">2</a></sup><br />
Now the reality comes out to be clearer, Indian consumers are not consuming lesser power by will or because of their habits, rather they have no electricity to use, their nights are as dark as they were before Edison invented the first electric bulb. They cannot use fans, coolers or heaters, they cannot imagine of an air conditioned bedroom for their kids.<br />
The situations are no better in urban India. Even the most busy and important metropolitans of India constantly suffers 3-4 hours blackout everyday.<br />
All Cities in Maharashtra like Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, Navi Mumbai,<br />
Thane, Kalyan-Dombivali, UlhasNagar, Nashik..the list is endless have 20 hours per day electric supply. Pune is the 7th largest city in India and Navi Mumbai and Thane are also very large cities too. Most of villages in Maharastra face power cuts for 16 hours a day. In some states like UP, Haryana and Bihar even cities are no better than villages and suffers heavy power cuts for 6-8 hours every day. Almost all Indian cities suffer a minimum of 2 hour power cut. Even Delhi and Mumbai suffer power cuts, can we expect a power cut of 4 hours in Las Vegas or New York?<br />
Obviously when there is no electricity, how can anyone consume electricity?<br />
That is obviously one of the reason of why India lacks domestic consumption of electronic appliances too.<br />
The result is the higher position of India on that Greendex.<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-cost-of-being-green.html#footnote_2_3449" id="identifier_2_3449" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Indians are world&amp;#8217;s greenest, Times of India">3</a></sup><br />
Electricity is not the only issue. Indians are the most frequent consumers of self-grown food, with 35% eating what they grow several times a week or daily. No wonder there is lack of awareness of nutrition content and that is the reason why India faces maximum cases of malnutrition, Indian mothers faces maximum cases of miscarriage and infanticides.<br />
Indian consumers obviously are least likely to own a car or any private transporting system, rather they uses public transportation system. One can check the troubles of local trains and blueline buses. Would not any Indian prefer to have his own car if he could? With the advent of Nano and other smaller and cheaper cars, things will change fast. So yes, Indians are most likely to use a scooter or motorcycle or at the most, a compact car and hence the mileage of Indian consumers is pretty lower than the average of consumers of other countries.<br />
All this proves that the Indian Green-ness is driven out of compulsion rather than conviction. India is green because Indians do not have access to electricity, Indians cannot afford to have personal vehicles although they want to, and the luxurious cars are still beyond the reach of common Indians. Indians are greener because they are addicted to malnutrition.<br />
Now the question is, should Indians try to remain green, or will Indians like to remain green? Should not all Indians have access to electricity, nutritious food better health-care system? Should not a middle class or lower middle class Indian have the potential to buy a car or a motorcycle?<br />
Green is synonymous of poor. Yet crazy environmentalists keep shouting for Go Green and for their crazy ideas of global warming catastrophic fear mongering<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-cost-of-being-green.html#footnote_3_3449" id="identifier_3_3449" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="Global Warming is cooling down to ice Age, Reason for Liberty">4</a></sup> they tend to implicate poverty and malnutrition on masses.<br />
Basically, the major carbon dioxide emitter is the power sector of any country. In India, 63.3% of electricity is produced by coal or oil or gas based thermal power plants. Merely 7% of power is produced by renewable source of energy, and that cannot be increased anyhow because of geographic positions and inconsistency of solar power or wind mills, the options left are either hydro power or nuclear power. Hydro power is obviously dangerous as they pertain to increase tectonic tensions and cause massive earthquakes as one was seen by China<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-cost-of-being-green.html#footnote_4_3449" id="identifier_4_3449" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="China, Communism, Corruption and Earthquakes, Reason for Liberty">5</a></sup> recently. Hence, the remaining is nuclear power, and that too is not so proper, as nuclear wastes are much more hazardous than any waste the thermal power plants can produce.<br />
Nobody want to remain poor, nobody really want to remain without electricity too, they do want to own a TV, a computer, a fan, an air cooler and other simple electric and electronic appliances and they do have a right to have one if they can earn and afford. Thus, even though India is at the top of Green Ladder at present, it is not going to last long.<br />
Should we worry for it?  Or ask, should we keep Indians to remain poor always with no access to electricity, and a better life, or should we just forget about the crazy idea of &#8220;Go Green&#8221; and global warming?<sup><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/the-cost-of-being-green.html#footnote_5_3449" id="identifier_5_3449" class="footnote-link footnote-identifier-link" title="The Catastrophe lovers want to return to Dark age, Reason for Liberty">6</a></sup><br />
Climate is meant to be changed, evolution and technology makes it possible for us to bear any sort of change.</p>
<ol class="footnotes"><li id="footnote_0_3449" class="footnote"><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Indians-are-worlds-greenest-Survey/articleshow/4527041.cms ">Indians are world&#8217;s greenest</a>, Times of India</li><li id="footnote_1_3449" class="footnote"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Power_Sector ">Indian Power Sector</a>, Wikipedia</li><li id="footnote_2_3449" class="footnote"><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Indians-are-worlds-greenest-Survey/articleshow/4527041.cms ">Indians are world&#8217;s greenest</a>, Times of India</li><li id="footnote_3_3449" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/current-affairs/global-warming-is-cooling-down-to-ice-age.html">Global Warming is cooling down to ice Age</a>, Reason for Liberty</li><li id="footnote_4_3449" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/reason/china-communism-corruption-and-earthquakes.html">China, Communism, Corruption and Earthquakes</a>, Reason for Liberty</li><li id="footnote_5_3449" class="footnote"><a href="http://www.reasonforliberty.com/reason/the-catastrophe-lovers-want-to-return-to-dark-ages.html">The Catastrophe lovers want to return to Dark age</a>, Reason for Liberty</li></ol>]]></content:encoded>
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