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Posts tagged with: China
Jun 29, 2011    |       2 comments

Addressing Pakistan’s Sovereignty Deficit

Christine Fair writes a fairly good assessment of the Pakistan-US love-hate relationship at the German Marshall Fund of the United States to say -> The Pakistan government’s inability to provide for the security and prosperity of its own people has led to questions about its sovereignty, whether in terms of its monopoly of violence, fiscal solvency, or human security. Admittedly, the United States has often compromised long-term goals for short-term access.

Pakistan can certainly do better by following India’s example of self-sufficient economic growth. Pakistanis should also question Chinese and Saudi intentions as vigorously as they do those of the United States. Both countries have used Pakistan for their own interests, without attempting to invest in the country’s people. Pakistan can only escape the leash of donors and manipulative outsiders by raising revenue, securing its territory, providing for its citizens, and becoming a responsible international actor. [Read the full text in PDF]

Aug 4, 2009    |       6 comments

La Demos Kratos

I was thinking about the process of selection of Secretary General of UN, and why America, Russia, China, France and UK hold the power to veto any selection? I was thinking about the process through which the Pope, who holds the post important position in the Christian world, gets elected? I was also thinking about the process of selecting judges for top positions in judiciary? Also about the process followed to select a Head of Department or CEO in the corporate world? About the selection of leading positions in executive bodies, or Military around the world … etc

One thing was disturbingly common in all! … The individuals which are expected to hold key positions, liable to make decisions effecting a group of people ranging from a few hundred to many millions, are not elected by a process of voting. Instead of electing the figure most popular, democratically, the most qualified and talented individual, having relevant and required experience, with proven track record of performance and character is considered most suitable for the position purely on merit basis. Same is the case with process of making critical decisions, they are made by heavy weights in any department, organizational or state, not by the masses voting to select from a set of decisions.

Now the million dollar question … If selection of key positions in every state department or in organization of international importance like UN or IMF, doesn’t imply a democratic process then why the top hotshot of a country is selected through it?

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Jun 17, 2009    |       7 comments

People’s Republic of United States

The United States comprises approximately 4.5% of the world’s population and consumes 25% of the world resources. According to the US department of Commerce, the 2008 deficit on international trade in goods and services was $677.1 billion. This is down from $700.3 billion in 2007 but still 4.7 percent of GDP. In order to cover the deficit of past years US has borrowed $ 11.338 Trillion from international sources. According to IMF report US Per Capita income for 2008 was estimated to be $ 47,000 compared to Congo with $328.

In an ideal world, with 4.5% of world’s population US should be consuming same amount or at the most 5% of world resources. Higher consumption of world’s resources was justified because of higher GDP and Per Capita income. In fact it was not the real wealth which pushed the US Per Capita income and GDP. It was result of manipulation by creating money which does not involve production of goods or provision of services and still adds up the GDP and Per Capita figures. The very basis of a capitalist economy!
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