Indian government’s earlier attempts to allow FDI in retail sector was defeated by democratic forces but they have some commitments to fulfill. Our government welcomed this New Year by opening foreign investment in our stock market. Mainstream media celebrated it as a New Year gift. In the last twenty years we have been blessed with many such gifts. Again and again our government representatives request us not to mix politics with economics. They say – these are different things… like water and oil.
We can surely do that….for that please tell them to remove history text books from schools….tell them to stop teaching lessons of colonial exploitations and freedom struggle…..why??
The colonial rule came to India through economical means. East India Company was a multinational company which was constituted by British Empire to do business with other countries. The business interests of the company lead to military interventions and we lost our political freedom. They harvested profit by exploiting our natural resources and man power. History teaches us that every economic intrusion has political consequences.
The colonial rule first destroyed our economical freedom and increased dependence on foreign goods and markets. Destruction of our indigenous textile sector is a good example of that. Through cultural means we were taught to use foreign made commodities to become more civilized (cultured) people. The word “fashion” was introduced in our day to day life.
Indian independence movement lead by Gandhi understood the fact that our fight for political freedom is closely associated with our economical freedom. The dream of “Swaraj” was interwoven with self determination and self sustainability. Boycott of foreign made commodities, use of handmade dresses strengthened our struggle for independence. When India got political freedom our new government was committed to uphold the values of freedom struggle. The independent India adopted socialist economic policies to build the nation. The generation which gone through colonial rule was committed to the values of equality and common goodness.
By the late years of eighties India started to adopt new economic policies through which our markets were opened to Indian and foreign multinationals. The new generation which never experienced a colonial rule in their life forgets to learn the lessons from history. We saw a sudden explosion of consumerism in our life. Our identity is shrinking to that of a consumer. Our social status is valued not in terms of our moral and cultural values but it is measured in terms of our purchasing capacity. The more we consume the more value we have in the society. We are once again hooked in the hysteria of consumption of foreign goods. These are symptoms of a dangerous decease called capitalism.
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