WORLD TROUBLES

VENTS illustrate the consequences of inaction rather eloquently—be it in the socio-political arena, or in the political economy that informs the social geography of nations.

- SHANKKAR AIYAR

The rise of angst after Charlie Kirk's murder symbolises the impotence of haplessness. The data is stark. Every hour, two lives are lost in the US to wilful and malicious gun violence—one every 11 minutes, if one includes all shootings. The toll exceeds 10,411 for the 250 days of 2025. Gun violence has claimed over 160,000 lives between 2015 and 2024. Verily the second amendment to the US Constitution, often deemed to guard rights, is overwhelming the first amendment.

Ideally, the data should compel introspection and propel action. But as Immanuel Kant observed, the moral construct of 'ought to' is a synthetic proposition; and the expectation of 'ought to' does not imply that politicos or the state can or will.

Not even in the oldest democracy, which is a superpower and the world's largest economy at $30 trillion. 'Ought to' is a politically expedient construct. Poor rich G7 countries are haunted by their version of third world troubles.

The phenomenon is vividly illustrated by headlines across advanced economies that appear more like emerging markets.

On Tuesday, Kemi Badenoch, leader of the opposition in the UK, observed that Britain may have to go "cap in hand to the IMF for a bailout", as it did in 1976 following the sterling crisis. The headline-grabbing observation brought back memories of the lettuce moment from the Liz Truss budget.