India needs China-style social discipline for progress

I was on my fourth visit to China recently. But it was the first occasion when I stayed in the country for five consecutive nights.

- Shashi Shekhar

I was on my fourth visit to China recently. But it was the first occasion when I stayed in the country for five consecutive nights. Undoubtedly, China has successfully transitioned from being a developing country to being the second most-powerful nation on the planet in the last couple of decades.

Today, its per capita income stands at $14,875. This has seen a three-fold increase in the last five years. So, you shouldn’t be surprised if US President Donald Trump — who is usually breathing fire and threatening everyone — was unusually restrained and demure during his visit to China.

The detractors of this scintillating economic success keep harping on the fact that China has no democracy. They reap the benefits of an authoritarian government. These detractors should know better. Since the dawn of civilisation till 1772, China was the world’s leading economy while India used to be number two. After their liberation from the colonial yoke, both countries pursued their unique paths of progress. But China has taken an unassailable lead. The reason is that, since 1972, driven by the lure of cheap labour, the US has invested phenomenal resources in China’s industrialisation. The US’ and Europe’s investments of $123 billion and $1 trillion, respectively, in China are powering its economy.

India, on the contrary, always finds itself in the US’ crosshairs.