Archive for August, 2007

George Ayittey, the noted economist from Ghana gave a talk, which TED describes as a ‘grab-you-by-the-throat speech’.

…economist George Ayittey unleashes an almost breathtaking torrent of controlled anger toward corrupt leaders and the complacency that allows them to thrive. These “Hippos” (lazy, slow, ornery) have ruined postcolonial Africa, he says. Why, then, does he remain optimistic? Because of the young, agile “Cheetah Generation,” a “new breed of Africans” taking their futures into their own hands.

On the 60th anniversary of India’s Independence, Time Magazine features ‘India Charges Ahead‘ (Asian, European and Asia-Pacific editions only- I wonder why the US edition is different).

The featured articles are all very good but a short article by William Dalrymple titled Why India’s Rise is Business As Usual puts in oft forgotten perspective. The article begins with this sentence:

The idea that india is a poor country is a relatively recent one.

and ends with sentence:

Extraordinary as it is, the rise of India and China is nothing more than a return to the ancient equilibrium of world trade, with Europeans no longer appearing as gun-toting, gunboat-riding colonial masters but instead reverting to their traditional role: that of eager consumers of the much celebrated manufactures, luxuries and services of the East.