The Lament Of Bengal's Luddites

Sangeeta:

``Kindly ask the farmers to build roads. For how long is this going to sustain them? Option: Lifelong fixed occupation of being farmers (in lands of their forefathers or even their own small pattas) versus being a temporary brick-laying/cement hauling labourer?``

Going by your argument, the Industrial Revolution was terrible for the world since peasants got kicked off their land and greedy capitalists took over. And yet, the countries that put their faith in it like the U.S., UK, France, Germany, Japan and lately, the Asian Tigers, South Korea et. al. have raised the standard of living of all their people by leaps and bounds compared to their agrarian past.

This is the same tired argument of arm-chair socialists. One which has been disproved by an astonishing scene I saw yesterday. As I fumed at the four-wheel cart hauling cement being pulled by a cow for blocking the road with it`s glacial speed movements, I spied the cement dust covered driver clutching something at his ear: it was a cellphone! And to think, you have to wait a year or more for sarkari phones 15 years ago.

I will put my faith in the Tatas, Mittals, Ambanis and the like to take all of India forward than any of the self-servient intelligentia and political class any day.

#8 Tvard
USA is very resource full and large country with no food shortage atleast capacity to cultivate on its own if it was needed
lthough at the present it imports everything from oil ,coal, to food...

comParing the usa to the poor farmers of benami lands is apple and oranges more like gluttony to stavation .
Not veryy ong ago common perception and real;ity was reflected in rascist remark `bhooka bangali`
there have been famine twice in bengal and not more than 3 decades ago riots for high prices of rice the staple diet there.

The tatas as you said are planning for whole asia and how is it be useful to bengal or india

in the competitive market even G.M is being ousted by Toyota...
Ambassador wihih is made inBengal Uttarpara is amost closed
why another car factory ?

and not revive the ambassador car factory...

#9 Tvarad
True Industrial revolution was missed by India and may in inform u China is also not indutrialised they are JUST trying
the reault of it will be seen in the future and cannot be counted as yet.
Chinese majority are living in rural areas and still cultivate and are farmers despite the hype about china...
The information technology as touched ever country rich and poor and do not be too happy to be giving all u r hard money to reliance and other capilatists when its use is more abused than necessary...
can cell phone feed you or physically transport you or wash you dishes or cook u r food