tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post4170824715077615347..comments2023-11-17T03:55:40.736-05:00Comments on Ink Spots: Demanding good governance vs. meddling in internal affairs (UPDATED)Lilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18373158801523577733noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-54141239452854156812010-10-16T18:27:08.680-04:002010-10-16T18:27:08.680-04:00Anonymous, who cares how much rich people make?
I...Anonymous, who cares how much rich people make?<br /><br />If rich people facilitate technological innovation that makes the world as a whole more affluent and successful, isn't that a good thing?Anandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03040200275831896147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-69265066860662236312010-10-16T01:05:20.754-04:002010-10-16T01:05:20.754-04:00Iknow Gullliver finds this stuff tremendously bori...Iknow Gullliver finds this stuff tremendously boring, as well as irrelevant, but the graphs are informative.<br /><br />http://globalsociology.com/2010/10/14/the-cloud-minders-2010/<br /><br />Change has to happen somewhere, and start some when.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-29064273752601481122010-09-30T16:55:09.202-04:002010-09-30T16:55:09.202-04:00Umm. Unless Pakistan becomes a successful self con...Umm. Unless Pakistan becomes a successful self confident prosperous free democracy the entire world is probably doomed.<br /><br />Well, maybe a slight exaggeration, but not much of an exaggeration.<br /><br />Rajiv Shah has a lot of experience with development in developing countries and his suggestions for Pakistan are dead on. Some of this stuff isn't that controversial.<br /><br />Lets simplify things. India was a very poor country in 1991. Then India changed 180 degrees on a dime under the leadership of finance minister Manmohan Singh [helped by a financial crisis and IMF imposed austerity.] India imposed free market and pro business reforms. Fast forward 19 years. India is a huge and much envied international success story.<br /><br />If Pakistan becomes another India; AQ/Taliban/Takfiri/extremism problem is mostly solved in South and Central Asia. The real objective, to put it crassly, is to transform Pakistan into another India [or Malaysia, or Indonesia, etc. etc.]<br /><br />Ergo, Pakistan should probably do some of the things India started to do in 1991.<br /><br />How can Pakistan possibly afford to pay for its COIN campaign, and how can Pakistani civil society weaken and supplant the crazies unless the Pakistani economy grows rapidly and increases tax revenues. Improving the Pakistani education is correlated with faster economic growth. Improving Pakistani education will likely do wonders to reduce Pakistani conspiracy theories. Something like a third of Pakistanis still believe that the "JOOOOS" did 9/11. I mean seriously. Not joking. Many Pakistanis still believe the 2004 Asian Tsunami was the result of some geological test by the "JOOOS", Hindus, and CIA.Anandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03040200275831896147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-60888242358083190702010-09-30T01:25:34.708-04:002010-09-30T01:25:34.708-04:00Thanks, laurenist.
Madhu - There seems no doubt t...Thanks, laurenist.<br /><br />Madhu - There seems no doubt that sufficient 'aid' will change cultures, and the nations in which they exist. It seems equally lacking in doubt that the changes that result will not be those expected by the instigators.<br /><br />I place my hope in the new cohorts just now ascending to power. <br /><br />I hope, and actually do believe, that we have taught them well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-5033049073922508632010-09-29T18:43:00.061-04:002010-09-29T18:43:00.061-04:00Well done. Thoughtful post.
Isn't foreign aid...Well done. Thoughtful post.<br /><br />Isn't foreign aid always a form of meddling? Our aim is that the hoped for consequences happen and that the unintended consequences are not too bad.<br /><br />I remain, as ever, skeptical of the ability to shape entire nations and cultures based on aid packages. At least, skeptical that we can control the outcomes as much as we'd like.Madhunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-39480578204965749792010-09-29T17:08:22.026-04:002010-09-29T17:08:22.026-04:00Since you got mad Twitter props for disavowing exp...Since you got mad Twitter props for disavowing expertise on Pakistan, I also disavow expertise on Pakistan! <br /><br />I think, though, as far as development and foreign aid go, we're seeing a shift in U.S. policy towards economic growth. In less free countries, economic growth is kind of crapshoot. For every Thailand, you have a Kuwait (whose growth rate over the last 50 years isn't that good, oddly.) So, promoting good governance is sort of like promoting economic growth and I think those are both things that would be good for Pakistan.<br /><br />That said, good governance is more than raising taxes. In fact, even were the Pakistani government to raise taxes, would it necessarily have the immediate benefit of paying for the rebuilding of livelihoods in Swat? Pakistan has over $50 billion in external debt, if they were to raise taxes I think they might get some collectors calling. If they don't have the governance structures in place to collect taxes in the first place, how are they going to raise taxes and collect more?<br /><br />If U.S. policy is really about developing Pakistan, it needs to be about real political reform, not just one sector of the bureaucracy. If the Pakistani government has no credibility now, it raising taxes isn't going to help its standing either at home or internationally. Insert something about corruption. [I bet that was in the Granta article.]<br /><br />Plenty of other countries with poor governance and worse governance get U.S. aid dollars. To me, this sounds more like politicking. Obama is a Muslim, midterms are coming up, we're selling arms to Saudi Arabia, and now we're sending millions to Pakistan? You're raising my taxes but sending free money overseas? HEADS! HEADS WILL ROLL!<br /><br />The problem is I can't imagine this will get much play with American constituents the same way it will overseas where it will (rightly?) be seen as egregious American meddling. Another threat to the stability of the government won't be good for anyone, rich or poor people. Or Americans who will end up having to pay for it later on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-47389591641876022992010-09-29T15:16:28.634-04:002010-09-29T15:16:28.634-04:00How would taxation of those in the land-owning cla...How would taxation of those in the land-owning class contribute to the socio-economic/class stratification of Pakistan?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-45686491760999206922010-09-29T14:57:55.836-04:002010-09-29T14:57:55.836-04:00I think Clinton's comment was pretty fair actu...I think Clinton's comment was pretty fair actually - why should the U.S. continue to give American taxpayers' money to a country whose elite doesn't pay their taxes? Yes, people might get angry, but it's not as angry as people in Pakistan who actually pay their taxes. If all the people who defaulted on loans or didn't pay taxes paid up, maybe we wouldn't be so dependent on foreign aid!Kalsoomhttp://www.changinguppakistan.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-59102480226731314882010-09-29T13:18:47.834-04:002010-09-29T13:18:47.834-04:00I'm going to chalk this disagreement up to a f...I'm going to chalk this disagreement up to a failure in reading comprehension. Can you please explain in clear language what exactly your objection is to this sentence:<br /><br /><em>Most of us are prepared to acknowledge that Pakistan at least has the potential to become -- if it's not already -- the most dangerous country in the world for the U.S., right?</em><br /><br />NOTE: Not interested in a threadjack about class warfare, considering that "class warfare" is not a country, and thus cannot be "the most dangerous country in the world for the U.S." Cool? The wealth of others, including those who are wealthy enough to influence our media, is of no particular concern to me when I consider the various threats arrayed against our security. If you're not interested in participating in this conversation about Pakistan, cool, but I can assure you I'm not interested in participating in your nonsense.Gulliverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12558335790019565924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-24072461670611520792010-09-29T13:11:32.966-04:002010-09-29T13:11:32.966-04:00The relation of perceptual bias (in this instance,...The relation of perceptual bias (in this instance, regarding the nature of Pakistan as the nation most dangerous for the U.S.)to media (and to manipulation of public perception by those who are wealthy enough to influence our media) might be illustrated by the concern you express.<br /><br />Tax the wealthy? Perish the thought.<br /><br />Yet another link you may find irrelevant:<br />http://globalsociology.com/2010/09/28/class-warfare-illustrated/<br /><br />IMHO, factionalism in the US is as great a problem for the US as anything happening anywhere else on the globe, and those who prefer not to be taxed, much less pay any of the costs of doing business, are the driving cause of that factionalism.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-86308783251183287692010-09-29T12:15:34.082-04:002010-09-29T12:15:34.082-04:00Yeah, I saw this already. Funny, but I'm not s...Yeah, I saw this already. Funny, but I'm not sure I understand how it's relevant to that claim.Gulliverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12558335790019565924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-63920356404282253402010-09-29T12:14:08.260-04:002010-09-29T12:14:08.260-04:00http://www.granta.com/Online-Only/How-to-write-abo...http://www.granta.com/Online-Only/How-to-write-about-Pakistan<br /><br />see in reference to "the most dangerous country in the world for the US".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-32843259086705289212010-09-29T11:17:17.886-04:002010-09-29T11:17:17.886-04:00I guess one of the points being made in the NYT ar...I guess one of the points being made in the NYT article linked in the update is that a refusal to raise taxes on the rich will further exacerbate the socio-economic tensions I've cited. I don't mean to suggest that the government should take the side of the landed rich just because it can't afford criticism from all sides, either. I don't know -- this is why I'm asking for educated opinion on this.Gulliverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12558335790019565924noreply@blogger.com