Why India can never be France !!!!!

2023: THIS POST WAS WRITTEN IN 2009...NOT APPLICABLE TODAY

Ok, got a really interesting topic to write on.

Phhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, and I landed (for the first time) in foreign soil. Everything around was different and new, it really looked like "Phoren". And Finally, we had made it, after a real struggle back home.

So, why does this place look like foreign ????? Whats different ????? And why ?????

Exactly these questions drove me to write this.

The first noteable difference was the amount of automation and organization everywhere. Especially so in the public transport systems. Right from taking Bus Tickets, display of time left for the arrival of next bus, the entire Trains system, seats, high speed trains, even the trams.
"The public system here makes US look piteable" quoted by an American here. Why is it so remarkable ????? Well, the histroy goes back to the Industrial Revolutions. But, how is it so sustainable. The answer is "Managed Population". The labour cost is so high here that automation is automatic.
First comparison with India.........Hugely populated..........High unemployment..........Anything automated, killing even more jobs, what the hell ???????? So difficult to maintain this balance in India.
Lesser the automation, lesser the organization. But hey, who questions systems in our country to be unorganized. Lets make a realistic comparison. The Metro connections in Paris is one of the best in the world. Equivalently, Local train connections of Mumbai. Now see - population of Paris is 5 times lesser than Mumbai but area of Paris is 5 times that of Mumbai - in effect, the population density of Mumbai is 25 times that of Paris.
And we are comparing two systems that are equivalently optimized, leave apart the crowd thats there in Mumbai local trains (thats to do with the "Unmanaged population").

Let me now talk about something more interesting...........culture. Everyone here is cool headed. Example - so much respect for pedestrains, wow !!!!! U dont need to always check left-right while crossing a road (but ya, only at zebra crossings), they will stop 5-10 metres before and when u have crossed the road, will give a smile and then only, advance further !!!!! Well, this follows from the fact that France is a PEBME. Working more than 35 hrs a week is illegal here. What will the company do with the extra profits, already everything is developed, where to invest further ???? So just chillax, be cool - headed, no frowning manager sitting on your head, so whats the hurry, enjoy guys, take a break, have fun, get into a relationship, out for a holiday - net effect - no hot-headedness, "smiles" to all the pedestrains, no need to honk anytime. And the climate here makes sure there is no error term in the assumption "everyone is cool headed". Coming back to our "Hot" country, working 35 hrs a week might lead your manager to fire you. Its a highly competition oriented economy which reflects in our culture............the other guy worked full night yesterday..............I have already missed the deadline...........Performance Appraisal is just round the corner...........getting late for office..............honking honking honking............feel like breaking the ****ing Signal, will some day drive over these zebra-crossers !!!!!!!!!!

That was just a small example............so much difference in culture but the underlying reason remains the same.

What do you think then, can India ever be France ????? The answer is "No" in my opinion just because of the huge huge population we have and we dont see the rate of population explosion decreasing in near future. Does that mean India can never be a developed economy ?????? Thats a really tricky question, but I got some pointers from the session held (by Dr. Indu Shahani, the Sheriff of Mumbai) in IESEG, Lille. She presented a McKinsey report stating that in 2020, all countries will face a shortage of manpower (even after the high degrees of automation) except India. India will supply labour force to all parts of the world, they will gain strategic positions in companies everywhere around. The untiring efforts put by the Indian population to increase the population will ultimately pay off. Feels better !!!!!!!!
Now, if you combine this fact with the fast growth rate of the Indian economy, one can see India gaining the status of a developed country, sooner or later. But, unlike France. This level of automation and organization will still not be possible. Probably, the very concept of a developed country will change with time....................India and China will be the two leading powers (as is famously quoted everywhere these days)............a developed country would then imply huge populations with everyone getting more than what is needed rather than a country with low population with everyone getting the best possible !!!!!!!!