Will Russia-China Axis bring about a new phase of Cold War?

Cold war conceptually refers to an ongoing state of political and military tension between opposing geopolitical power-blocs. My analysis would seek to address the dynamics of the Russia-China Axis, the emergence of a new phase of cold war, and its inevitable effect on India. Even as I am attempting this analysis, the state of tension unfolding between western bloc lead by United States and Russia & China over the Iran nuclear agreement exemplifies this new phase of cold war. On one hand while there is an attempt by the western bloc to renegotiate the deal and thus salvage it by factoring in the belligerent American demand of scrapping it altogether and on the other hand we have the Russian and Chinese insistence that no change in the agreement framework is warranted.

Before Coming to the inevitable conclusion of emerging Russia-China Axis, the historical context of this relationship also needs to be understood.

Background of Sino-Russian ties:

Soviet Union provided vital assistance to Mao Zedong’s Communist rebels. Without Moscow’s backing, especially turning over weapons and territory to the insurgents after Japan’s August 1945 surrender, Communist China would not have emerged.

De-Stalinization by Nikita Khrushchev led to ideological disputes over which government offered an uncorrupted vision of Marxist-Leninism. The two countries created rival revolutionary and state networks and battled for influence within nominally Communist nations. The USSR backed India against China; the latter criticised Moscow’s willingness to compromise in the Cuban Missile Crisis and join in treaty limits on nuclear weapons.

In 1966 Beijing raised the issue of “unfair” treaties imposed by the czarist Russian Empire. Border conflict broke out three years later. Casualties were modest and fighting ceased later in the year, though a formal border agreement was not reached until 1991.

Chinese-Soviet tension continued around the world, as the two backed rival revolutionary factions in several African conflicts. They disagreed over Vietnam; Beijing supported Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge regime, which was ousted by Hanoi in 1978, and fought a brief war with the latter the following year. The two Communist giants also differed in Afghanistan.

End of Cold War and emergence of a new paradigm in Sino-Russian ties:

Chinese-Russian relations improved as the Cold War ended and ideological conflicts waned. But tensions remain real. In recent times, the United States has courted conflict with both powers. To constrain China, it has sought to strengthen alliance ties and form new alliance with India, added troop deployments and increased military maneuvers. Beijing perceives that Washington hopes to contain China, whether or not the former is willing to admit the obvious, currently exemplified by the ongoing trade wars.

Against Russia, the United States has followed an aggressive policy: dismissing the former’s Balkan interests, especially breaking apart historic Slavic ally Serbia (which imperial Russia backed in World War I); bringing old Warsaw Pact members and even ex- Soviet republics into NATO ; pushing regime change, including by Islamist insurgents, against Moscow’s Syrian ally; imposing economic sanctions against Russia; and building up U.S. military forces in Europe.

Emergence of Sino-Russian ties:

China and Russia are not formal military allies, but have found their dislike and distrust of Washington to be greater than their bilateral disagreements.  China has pledged to invest more in the Russian Far East and buy more Russian nuclear energy technology. The two countries also have declared their identity of views regarding Asia-Pacific security, Iran’s nuclear program, Syria, and other global hotspots.

Since the Soviet Union’s disintegration in the early 1990s, the two countries have for the most part acted on the basis of shared interests—particularly in maintaining stability in Central Asia, whose energy supplies are vital for both countries’ economic development. China consumes the resources directly, whereas Russian companies earn valuable revenue by reselling Central Asian hydrocarbons in third-party markets, especially in Europe. Both countries know that certain regional events such as further political revolutions or civil wars could adversely affect core security interests. Both governments especially fear ethnic separatism in their border territories supported by Islamic fundamentalist movements in Central Asia.

The shared regional security interests between Beijing and Moscow have meant that the newly independent states of Central Asia—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—have become a generally unifying element in Chinese-Russian relations. Their overlapping security interests in Central Asia are visible in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The two governments coordinate their foreign policies in the United Nations, where they regularly block Western-backed efforts to impose sanctions on anti-Western regimes. Most recently, China and Russia have established a common front in the UN Security Council against Western involvement in Syria. Their leaders share a commitment to a philosophy of state sovereignty (non-interference) and territorial integrity (against separatism).

Beijing and Moscow oppose American democracy promotion efforts, US missile defense programs, and Washington’s alleged plans to militarize outer space. Chinese and Russian leaders both resent what they perceive as Washington’s proclivity to interfere in their internal affairs as well as their spheres of influence by siding with neighboring countries in their disputes with Beijing and Moscow. Chinese and Russian officials openly call on their US counterparts to stay out of issues that are vital interests for Beijing and Moscow but should, in their view, be of only peripheral concern for the United States, dismissing Washington’s claims to stewardship in upholding universal values, principles of international behaviour, freedom of the seas, and a free Internet.

Challenges of Sino-Russian ties:

Although the current Sino-Russian ties are upbeat, such alignments are vulnerable to shifts in the underlying conditions that support them. In the case of Russia and China, these shifting variables include China’s increasing military power, its growing economic penetration of Central Asia, and its impending leadership changes, along with Russia’s political disorders, dependence on a mono-economy of energy, and gloomy demographic prospects. These and other plausible changes could at some point undermine the foundations of their current entente.

The two governments also remain suspicious about each other’s activities in Central Asia, where their state-controlled firms compete for energy resources. Chinese officials have steadfastly refused to endorse Moscow’s decision to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which Russia pried from Georgia during the August 2008 war, as independent states. In East Asia, Russia has not supported China’s extensive maritime claims, and has backed Vietnam, a major Russian arms client, in its bilateral dispute with Beijing, which is impeding the offshore operations of Russian energy companies there.

At the societal level, culturally embedded negative stereotypes about the other nationality persist in both countries. The Chinese media criticises Russian authorities’ failure to ensure the safety and rights of Chinese nationals working in Russia. Russians in turn complain about Chinese pollution spilling into Russian territory and worry that large-scale Chinese immigration into the Russian Far East will result in large swaths of eastern Russia becoming de facto parts of China.

Neither country is the main economic partner of the other. China is increasing its economic ties with Europe and India, with the United States still having primacy in Beijing’s commercial calculations. Chinese and Russian business enterprises will need to work extra hard to realize their governments’ ambitious targets for Sino-Russia trade, which is targeted to reach $100 billion by 2015 and $200 billion by 2020. They also will find it hard to address the imbalances in their existing two-way exchanges. China mostly buys Russian raw materials while selling.

Despite their mutual concern about American strategic ambitions, the governments of China and Russia have not undertaken any widespread collaboration to blunt them. For example, they have not pooled their military resources or expertise to overcome US ballistic missile defense (BMD) systems by, for instance, undertaking joint research and development programs to create shared anti-BMD technologies. Nor have they coordinated pressure against other countries in Europe or Asia to try to force them to abstain from deploying US BMD assets, even in Central Asia or Northeast Asia, regions that border Chinese and Russian territories.

The next few years will most likely see a continuation of this mixed pattern of relations between China and Russia. A major Chinese military build up could also alarm Russians as much as other neighboring countries, who already fear it. Alternately, Russian plans to create an EU-like arrangement among the former Soviet republics could irritate Beijing because such a development could impede China’s economic access to Central Asia. The harmony between Beijing and Moscow in Central Asia arises primarily because the Chinese leadership considers the region of lower strategic priority than Moscow, which still regards it as an area of special Russian influence. This too could change.

CONCLUSION:

The modern Chinese-Russian relationship has most often been characterized by bloody wars, imperial conquests, and mutual denunciations. It has only been during the last twenty years, when Russian power had been decapitated by its lost Soviet empire and China has found itself a rising economic—but still militarily growing—power that the two countries have managed to achieve a harmonious balance in their relationship. While China now has the world’s second-largest economy, Russia has the world’s second most powerful military, thanks largely to its vast reserves of nuclear weapons. But China could soon surpass Russia in terms of conventional military. Under these conditions, Moscow could well join other countries bordering China in pursuing a containment strategy designed to balance, though not prevent, China’s rising power.

Heightened China-Russia tensions over border regions are also a possibility. The demographic disparity that exists between the Russian Far East and northern China invariably raises the question of whether Chinese nationals will move northward to exploit the natural riches of under-populated eastern Russia. Border tensions could increase if poorly managed development, combined with pollution, land seizures, and climate change, drive poor Chinese peasants into Russian territory.

With the end of the NATO combat role in Afghanistan, an immediate source of tension could be Russian pressure on China to cease its buck-passing and join Russia in assuming the burden of stabilizing that country. Should US power in the Pacific falter, China and Russia might also become natural rivals for the allegiance of the weak states of East Asia looking for a new great-power patron. But for now such prospects linger in the background as Beijing and Moscow savor a far smoother relationship than the one they shared back in the day, when they competed to see which would achieve the one true communism.

Thus, in the short-term, that means Sino –Russian co-operation is to limit American influence. Ultimately, the objective could become to deter U.S. military action against both nations.  Should Russia and China forge closer military bonds, the United States eventually might find itself facing a much less hospitable international environment. That likely would constrain Washington’s responses, and increase the costs and risks if conflict resulted.

POST –SCRIPT:

With India moving increasingly closer to the US, there is already a slow distancing with Russia and a possibility of increased hostility with China, exemplified by the Doklam stand-off.  Russia continues to fulfill diplomatic essentials with India, including the hosting of bilateral agreements and summits, but its decision to enhance its ties with Pakistan against Indian requests, indicates a change. Similar problems would flow by the increased warmth between China and Russia. India has a tough challenge at hand to protect its interest in the emerging scenario of the new cold war.

 

The Concept of Universal Basic Income (UBI)

The Universal basic income concept has the five following characteristics:

1. Periodic: It is paid at regular intervals (for example every month), not as a one-off grant.
2. Cash payment: It is paid in an appropriate medium of exchange, allowing those who receive it to decide what they spend it on. It is not, therefore, paid either in kind (such as food or services) or in vouchers dedicated to a specific use.
3. Individual: It is paid on an individual basis—and not, for instance, to households.
4. Universal: It is paid to all, without means test.
5. Unconditional: It is paid without a requirement to work or to demonstrate willingness-to-work.

Although it has gained popularity in recent years, the idea itself is several centuries old. One of the earliest proponents of some form of basic income was Spanish philosopher Johannes Ludovicus Vives, who proposed that the government should ensure the minimum level of subsistence for all, but only to those who showed willingness to work. Thomas Paine, one of the US’s founding fathers, argued that every person was entitled to an equal basic endowment because “the earth, in its natural, uncultivated state was… the common property of the human race”.

In the Indian context, this makes sense because of the less-than-satisfactory experience with targeting welfare services. Apart from the standard arguments against targeting—that it often excludes a lot of the deserving households from receiving subsidies, people often fall in and out of poverty and therefore it becomes difficult to ascertain who are rightfully entitled to receive such benefits. While those estimates have been questioned, the fact remains that there is little dispute over the fact that too many Indians remain trapped in poverty. The persistence of poverty and significant leakages in welfare schemes that aim to alleviate it has prompted many academics and policymakers to explore more efficient alternatives to India’s creaky and leaky welfare architecture. One of the suggestions has been to move towards a “universal basic income”. The idea is already gaining currency in the developed world, as fears of automation and consequent job losses have spurred thinkers in the West to devise ways wherein all individuals would be guaranteed some income. There are standard arguments in favour of cash transfers over in-kind transfers (food stamps or grains provided through the Public Distribution System) as they are supposed to be much less market-distorting than in-kind transfers. Cash transfers are not tied to exhibiting certain behaviour, and the people are free to spend the cash as they want. An example of conditional in-kind transfer in India would be the mid-day meal scheme, where the meal—an in-kind transfer—is conditional upon attending school. Thus, the universal basic income seeks to provide unconditional cash to every individual, or household, and the individuals would be free to use the cash as per their discretion and spend according to their own preferences.

 

Two of the most popular arguments against UBI are: it would reduce the motivation for work and might encourage people to live off assured cash transfers; and it is simply unaffordable. With respect to the fear that it might induce poor to work less and live off income transfers from the state, the evidence so far seems mixed.  UNICEF report on a pilot in Madhya Pradesh points out that the grants enabled small farmers to spend more time and also invest on their own farms as opposed to working as wage labourers. The concern that unconditional cash transfers might raise wages due to the decline in the supply of casual labourers does not seem to be a valid argument against a universal basic income. More importantly, the pilots showed that those who received grants undertook small-scale investments, such as for more and better seeds, equipment repairs, establishment of little shops, etc., which potentially raised long-run productivity. Thus, even though the number of hours worked may have declined, productivity may not have declined much. In fact, this is one of the basic arguments for a universal income—that minimum income security would enable individuals to plan their lives better and undertake more meaningful activities rather than be trapped in distress-driven activities in search of subsistence. The second main argument against a universal income is the cost.

 

The third main contention over a possible a move towards a universal basic income—the question of whether a shift towards it should be a substitute for all existing subsidies or whether it should complement the existing ones.

 

Transition to a universal basic income may lead to the government resorting to raising additional tax revenue through indirect taxes and cess there on, which are regressive in nature and more distortionary than direct taxes. UBI does have some practical and philosophical justifications.

The debate over universal basic incomes (or universal basic shares) is likely to evolve further as the developing world wonders how it can pull people out of poverty while facing a resource crunch.

Challenges of Regional Integration in South Asia through institutions such as SAARC

Regional Integration is processes by which two or more nation states agree to co- operate and work closely together to achieve peace, stability and wealth. In addition to the global economic regime based on the GATT, and IMF systems which has sustained the world economies since World War II, regionalism, through which neighbouring countries seek to strengthen their economies by entering into some form of “regional integration” has become a major trend. This trend was triggered by EU market integration. In both developed and developing countries, customs, unions and free trade areas (FTAs) continue to increase and expand. There are so many institutions like World Bank, USA Canada Water Commission, SAARC, BIMSTECH, and SASEC working for regional integrity on international level. Here, we are going to discuss the problem in regional integrity which is hampering the working of SAARC.

SAARC was a historic effort to build relationship amongst equals. President Zia ur Rehman of Bangladesh visited all the South Asian countries in the late 1970s to advocate the setting up of a regional economic organisation. In November 1980 he sent a “Working Paper on Regional Co- operation in South Asia to various South Asian Countries. Further clarifications, of the working paper were made in a letter from the Bangladesh foreign ministry to the Indian and South Asian governments. The Bangladesh proposal was clear about the objectives of the forum to be evolved in South Asia. The institutional framework was based on the fact that the participating states should be committed to non- alignment. The proposal exhibited an awareness of the pressing bilateral problems in the region. It therefore sought to take the incrementalist course of action. The areas identified for cooperation were non – political and non – security in nature; they were to include issues like telecommunications, tourism, agriculture, transport, meteorology etc. The core issue was the political implications of the proposal. The existing asymmetry of power had to be addressed. There was a need to avoid hegemony of one power, or other small powers ganging against one power. The proposal also did not aim at regionalizing bilateral issues. The proposal sought to identify areas of cooperation that were truly regional in character. The key word governing the process was to be mutual benefit. The decision on the proposal was to be based on a consensus. Bangladesh believed that once the climate for trust and cooperation was created, it would be easier to resolve bilateral problems bilaterally, as demonstrated by ASEAN. A series of meetings followed the proposal in countries like India and so on. The objectives kept the boundaries of co- operation to non- political and non- security field. Finally, in 1985 at the first summit at Dhaka, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was created. The SAARC secretariat is located in Kathmandu, Nepal. The secretariat is headed by a secretary general. Apart from its eight members i.e. India, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Maldives, and Nepal; Australia, the People’s Republic of China the European Union, Iran, Japan, The Republic of Korea, Mauritius, Myanmar and the United States have joined SAARC as observers.

The South Asian region consisting of the eight SAARC countries, i.e. India, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Maldives, and Nepal are a homogenous group in the sense that Contori and Spiegel define a subordinate system or a region. Contori and Spiegel describe the interaction of the region in three spheres: core sector, periphery sector and an intrusive system. The core sector consists of a shared social, political, economic or organisational background or activity among the group of states which produces a central focus of international politics in that region. The peripheral sector includes all those states which are alienated from the core sector in some degree by economic, organizational, social or political factors. The intrusive sector consists of the extra regional intervention in the international relations of the region. The compactness of South Asia makes the Contori and Speigel model applicable in a limited sense. The basic characteristics of the South Asian regional state system are that; Firstly, India by virtue of its geographic size and location, economic and industrial base and military strength occupies a pivotal position in the region. The Indian aspirations for leadership, dominance or hegemony are a product of these geopolitical conditions of the region. Secondly, South Asia, minus India, has two kinds of powers. Pakistan is one major power that can limit Indian hegemonic aspirations. Pakistan’s own limitation comes from its geographic location and economic and military potentials.  Unlike the pre 1971 Pakistan, the present Pakistan without its eastern linkages lies, on the border of South Asia. It shares close ideological affinity with the Islamic West Asian system. Pakistan may be described as a major power of the region and classified as a “bargainer” or a “partner” in the South Asian state system. Pakistan does not have the ability to substitute India as a leader of the region, yet it can bargain with India for partnership in the decision-making of the region. Thirdly, the other type of countries would include the smaller countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh; Sri Lanka bid Maldives who can pose problems to the core power through extra regional intervention, or their own internal stability. They can also legitimise the dominance of the core power by acceptance of the balance of power in the region. The major and most active power relationships in South Asia are affected by the intrusive powers. Fourthly, these extra regional powers, like the United States, Russia (formerly USSR), China and others have influenced policies of the region. All the South Asian countries, including India, have sought to use the extra regional powers’ ability to influence their advantage.

The intrinsic problems through institutions like SAARC in South Asia includes, firstly, there is a fear psychosis among the members of SAARC vis-à-vis India due to her extra ordinary achievements in all the spheres like – economic growth rate, military strength, technological advancement, nuclear strength, secular nature of society, democratic traditions and so on and so forth. The countries especially Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh are not very much comfortable with the rise of India as fast growing powers to be reckoned with. Secondly, it’s unfortunate but true that the success of SAARC has remained a prisoner of the Indo-Pak rivalry. Pakistan is insecure and fears of Indian dominance not only in this region but also in the whole world. Pakistan feels suffocated of anything and everything dominated by India. Kashmir is a “Manifestation of Conflict” between India and Pakistan. This fundamental diversity in the views of India and Pakistan manifests on the issue of Kashmir, an issue that has come to be identified by Pakistan as the core of the bilateral divide. Thirdly, there is a crisis of identity among the member countries. All the members prefer to be get aligned to one or more other regional organisations than identifying themselves with SAARC for example Pakistan is more inclined to OIC (Organization of Islamic Countries) and feel more secured and comfortable to be a part of “muslim solidarity regime” likewise, Sri Lanka, Maldives and India are more concerned to identify themselves as the members of ASEAN.

Fourth problem is there are inherent shortcomings in the working of SAARC as it is written down in its charter that no bilateral and conflictual issues would discuss at its platform. Besides this, the method of taking decision is also faulted as it is based on consensus of all the members. Hence, many issues remain unsolved. Fifth problem is the security and political deviations among the members always overshadowed the prospects of economic and socio- cultural conversions. The various conflictual issues among the members are operating as a stumbling block in the way of their cooperation and normalisation. Each member of SAARC is having diverse security threats perception as Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka consider India as the biggest threat to their security. On the other hand, India considered the growing influence and interference of outside powers like USA and China in to this region as the biggest threat to her security. But, all the member states fail to articulate their common threat perceptions like poverty, unemployment, terrorism, environmental degradation etc. Sixthly, there is a failure on the part of the civil society of the South Asian region. Although, there are over One lakh NGOs in this region but these have remained non- effective in nature. The civil society and society central model needs the will of the states to operate effectively but unfortunately it is still operating in the state- centric model which has limited its utility and credibility. Lastly, there is a big failure on the part of the leadership because it has failed to articulate and operationalise the process of regional cooperation. They only meet at SAARC summits, issue formal speeches but fail to articulate and channelize the peace process into the right track. So, it has remained largely as a dysfunctional regional organization. But, still there is a ray of hope for SAARC for becoming a successful regional organization.

Firstly, SAARC would get the maximum dividend from the Indo- Pak peace process and CBMs. The need of the time is to address the complicated issues between both the countries in order to make SAARC a success in the real sense of the term. Secondly, India should address the genuine concerns of the SAARC members. India being the leading country of the region should try to address the power differential of the region in order to gain the trust of SAARC members. Infact, India has taken some steps to lessen the power differential by solving the contentious issues of “Kachathivu” with Sri Lanka and of Teen Bhiga with Bangladesh and by adopting the Gujral doctrine in 1997 for increasing the trust-surplus and for accommodating the concerns of the SAARC members. Thirdly, the SAARC Charter needs to be amended. The bilateral conflictual issues should be discussed at the SAARC platform because only an effective dispute-redress mechanism could help in shrinking the areas of conflict and expanding the areas of trust and cooperation. Further, the operational principle of consensus voting should be replaced by extra ordinary majority. Fourthly, the SAARC members should change their security perceptions and move on from the conventional threats to non-conventional threats which are more threatening to the existence of these SAARC members. There are crisis of governability, threats of terrorism (an instance of which is the 26/11 Mumbai Attacks in India), poverty, unemployment, economic slowdown, environmental threats, decreasing sex ratio, corruption etc. The SAARC members should try to counter these non- conventional threats collectively from the platform of SAARC. To conclude, it can be said that if European Union, ASEAN, could become successful organizations then why not SAARC? If SAARC members initiate some sincere efforts to make SAARC a strong dispute redress mechanism, it can become a very successful regional organization. The need of the time is that SAARC should come out of the state-centric model and to change the negative mindset of the SAARC countries.

The Green Taxation Framework

“There is enough for everyone’s need but not enough for everyone’s greed” according to the father of the Indian nation – Mahatma Gandhi. It quite seems that people did not relate well to this quotation. The planet Earth of almost 4.5 billion years has been damaged beyond repair as a result of selfish human activities. This gave rise to the concept of “Climate- Change” which refers to the increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide which is a poisonous greenhouse gas which as a result leads to an increase in the average global temperature of the earth’s surface. Climate change as a concept has further being bifurcated into – “Anthropogenic Climate Change” (caused by humans) and “Natural Climate Change” (caused by any natural phenomenon).  Its sister concept “Global Warming” has a different meaning altogether, and that refers to the long-term trend of the rising temperature of the earth and its oceans. Hence, global warming is a continuous process.

The causes for climate change are plenty and wide-ranging.  Some of the natural causes include: variation in the earth’s orbital characteristics, atmospheric C02 variations, volcanic eruptions and variation in solar output.  On the other side of the coin, some of the man-made or humanly-inflicted causes include: burning of fossil fuels, landfills and use of synthetic gases (e.g.: production of aerosols), deforestation leads to 15% of the carbon – dioxide emissions and difficulty in the process of photosynthesis, lack of recycling, the decomposition of organic matter gives rise to methane which is also a major greenhouse gas.

The causes eventually led to consequences which were catastrophic and disastrous.  Effects of climate change included ecological disturbance, more warmer days and few colder days, rise in the sea level as a result of melting of ice and glaciers, i.e. 25% of glacier already melted in Antarctica, disturbance in bio-diversity, i.e. – food chain is disturbed. Moreover, the society is hit by the different dimensions of pollution, i.e. water pollution, air pollution, and noise pollution.  The first dimension has created the hazard of unclean, dirty and undrinkable water. The next dimension has transformed climate change into a public health risk wherein people suffer from serious health and respiratory problems such as bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, shortened breath and its likes. The last dimension is noise pollution which again causes hyper-tension, hearing impairment and extreme public disorder in the society. When these were not enough, we have more effects of climate change, and they are inclusive of acidic seawater which is the reason for the increment in the fatality rates of the marine life which is an essential part of planet earth, hurricanes have changed in frequency and strength, heavier rainfall causes flooding, droughts are frequent.

Post- the destruction caused, the administrative officials had to come in the picture to control, or combat the situation.  Various divisions of the administration worked towards the good of the climate, but this project will mainly highlight the works of service tax and other tax related bodies which falls under the ambit of the finance ministry.  So, thereby, the crux of this project is the different kinds of taxes levied in order to control any further damage to the planet earth which essentially we inhabit.  The green tax is one of them.  Green tax refers to a type of tax in which tax is imposed on environmental pollutants or on goods whose repeated use contributes to pollution. In India, the state government imposes it on old vehicles to curb air pollution. The concept of green taxation can also be referred to as “active control” because instead of discouraging certain kinds of peculiar behaviours, we seek to encourage positive attitudes.  Green taxation can also be referred to as an incentive, an economic benefit granted in the form of taxes to give a push to the economic, social and cultural activities. The practice of giving incentives is not new in the automotive and construction industries. The Brazilian community is using incentives to uphold and grow the cause of sustainable development which refers to “a type of development wherein resources are to be saved for the future generations by wise usage of the same”.  These incentives can be exemplified through the mentioning of the PES which is the Payments for Environmental Services which are a type of incentive offered to farmers or land-owners in exchange for managing their lands well and providing some ecological- services. As we bifurcate further, the examples of PES techniques in Brazil are environmental compensation which means companies cover –up financially for damage that is unavoidable, reforestation, i.e.: the planting of trees (along with compliance with forest management rules)  which is mainly focused on timber companies, tax exemptions for private reserves of natural heritage. Other countries also use the instrument of PES to protect the environment such as Mexico in the area of preserving rural properties and Costa Rica imposing tax on gasoline and water.

Adding to these, the polluters pay principle (party responsible for pollution is also responsible for paying for the damage done as a result) is a concept which envisages compensation for the use of naturally created resources.  The sister concept is “the users pay” which distinguishes between the offender and the polluter.

Another variety of environmental tax is a “carbon tax” which is imposed on the varied amounts of carbon emissions.  The main idea behind the implementation of the “carbon tax” is to raise or increase the cost of fossil fuels – the prime source of carbon emissions, which in turn would help to protect the environment while at the same time raising significant revenues (due to raise of revenue factor carbon tax can also be referred to as a fiscal environmental tax). By imposition, of the carbon tax the burden would massively fall on energy-intensive industries, transportation industries and lower – income households. The impact of the carbon tax would be different on different economic classes, i.e.: the lower class, the middle class, the high class and this impact will be based on two parameters:  energy price changes and regional energy production and consumption pattern. The distributional impacts of carbon tax would depend on elasticity of demand which means if demand for goods do not get affected by the change in prices then the consumers will bear the greater burden in comparison to workers or investors because the consumers will use the goods and the more they use it the greater will be the carbon – emission. Furthermore, the regressive impacts of carbon tax can be controlled by reducing social security contributions by low- income households, compensating workers in carbon intensive industries and so on and so forth.  The carbon dioxide emissions cause the same climate damage regardless of where they originate. So, on a utopian level of thinking, all countries would charge the same tax- rate but such is not the case.  Countries face difficulties in the enactment of the carbon tax because most of the tax burden would be taken in by individuals and businesses but the benefit of the reduced emissions would go to other countries. International cooperation for this very conflicting nature is necessary to prevent climate change, and this cooperation project is being handled by the UNFCC (United Nations Framework Conventions on Climate Change). Cooperation among the major carbon- producing nations would cover more than 70% percent of greenhouse gases emissions. The next kind of tax is the cost – covering charges which are created to cover the costs of environmental services such as water treatment and which perhaps will be used for associated environmental expenditures.

Other than the usual taxes being implemented, we need to wider the tax bases for better use of the concept of environmental taxation.   One of the many ways could be, synergising  environmental taxation with education wherein the government can provide scholarships to kids, on the condition that they have to plant 10 trees at a minimum figure and 25 at the maximum.  To make the maximum use of this nascent concept of “environmental taxation” for environmental protection we can also levy taxes on commercial constructions and over – consumption of electricity, or over the limit consumption of electricity because the small cities and rural areas do not get the privilege of electricity and the city people just misuse this privilege, i.e. using air conditioners in homes and offices which should on logical grounds be taxable. While assuming a hypothetical situation, in which the clear focus is on “carbon- foot print”. Say, if a person has a carbon-foot print ranging from 950 to 1600, which is a lot then the person will have to pay taxes in proportion to the damage done and that could be 30% of their finances or even 40 %  or maybe even higher for the same. So, in this manner the society members would keep a strong check on their carbon emission rates and will be stimulated at a much greater level from the sensitivity that comes with climate change and the damages which have been done upon our very own – Planet Earth.  On a very interesting note, we can have “taxation on knowledge” which indicates that a certain basic information about our planet, the climate, the very well- known concept of climate change and the hazards that are associated with it, the 17 sustainable development goals and that earlier these were called millennium development goals and much more. Such basics are to be known to all, or else the individual shall be taxed on regulated parameters. The knowledge tax will benefit in the manner that the society will be more aware of what they are doing and that they will eventually become more and more sensitive to the climate, to the environment and on broader lines – Planet Earth. And, its needs, which further will create an inner – urge to act carefully, wisely and selflessly.

Beyond these, the Municipal Corporation and the local bodies should also be taxed upon their illegitimate or unnoticed activities related to cutting of trees in colonies, and other crowd – infested areas as we look forward to a balanced society inclusive of both infrastructure and the pleasant greenery and cannot let a body of few authorities trying to change that illegitimately or in undue or unacceptably corrupt ways.  Next, we can tax people on non-plantation of peepal tree, specie of an Indian tree, as they are carbon sinks and are good for the environment. The last thought on taxation is in regards to the “psychological taxation” wherein there has to be direct interaction between the authority and the citizens and one and one campaign on pouring sensitivities regarding climate change and how to further not damage the planet. The desire to save the planet has to come from within. Here, mind matters over money as committing damage and giving money is not the solution as that would cause endless damage. Thereby, talks and dialogues and awareness campaigns become extremely necessary.

We need to imbibe from the west, as far as creation of institutions is concerned. They have done a lot in the area of climate change and we need to gain from it. They have the United Nations, European Union, United Nations Framework Convention for Climate, Paris Peace Conferences, COPs (e.g.: Cop 21) and so on. We need to start walking on these footsteps for greater mass awareness and involvement, for greater general participation and enormous awareness. It is time we start working on the lines of “climate peace” and save it from being destroyed.  We are still behind as far as creation of institutions is concerned.  We need to string a note here as well and give a fraction of our focus to this.

The last concept that this project makes an attempt to address is the dream of a probable and a very much possible smart city. A smart city is also an ideal city. A city one dreams of living in. The smart city being talked about here is the city everyone wishes to live in.  Everyone wants to live here because the very nature of a smart of city is “balanced”. It has the right of amount of greenery and tax impositions and government laws and rules are pretty much redundant here. People here are sensitive, happy, selfless and environment friendly and also hold a highly balance approach towards everything. There are environment – friendly festivals here such as Plantation Day Festival.  The Swach Bharat Abhiyan is quite a success story in the smart city as nobody litters here and there and have a very strong civic sense and take all kinds of environment friendly initiatives like car-pooling and getting their cars checked for pollution free movement. They also help the government in their various tasks as in when the government orders from attending campaigns to mobilising crowd. The people are well – aware of the importance of the environment here. We have some great buildings and ample amount of residential and other related kinds of infrastructures like hospitals, police stations and eating joints and so on.  This one is truly a smart city with great citizens.

In a nut shell, well–designed fiscal policies should very much be central to the efforts to promote cleaner and, greener economies. Environmental tax is a boon to curb the problem of environmental degradation and to stop any kind of further damage. Nevertheless, the people should also be a self-conscious lot because the government cannot do a lot without its people’s participation and support.

Aspirations of a Future Bureaucrat

 

Bureaucrats are the backbone of this country. They are allocated with enormous powers in order to keep the nation socially, economically, culturally, and scientifically sound. Bureaucrats are the medium to achieve the dream that is seen for the nation. In other words, Bureaucrats are the heart and soul of this nation. No wonder they earn the respect of the people, other colleagues and high officials.

 

In India being a civil servant is a thing of great pride. Out of lakhs of people, a handful of around 1,000 people are selected for the coveted post to serve the nation and to ensure the growth and the progress of the nation in all areas of concern. The underlined areas include Education and Skills, Urbanisation, Health, Sanitation, Gender, Water Scarcity and Transparency and so on.

 

I also wish to be a civil servant and the future of this nation. As a civil servant (IAS officer), I wish to ensure that every citizen of this nation lives a life of dignity and self respect where a minimum of their basic needs are taken care of. Every citizen has access to fine education (Article 21A) which helps or, assists them in developing their skills. We need to do away with the prevailing illiteracy in the nation. I would like to establish potential schools in my district in the nearest vicinity once I become a District Magistrate. So, that the children in my district have access to standard education with all infrastructural facilities and they come out as all rounders who ready to open their wings and fly high. Not only kids but I would also ensure schooling facilities for the middle – aged and old-aged illiterates in my district so that they lead an independent life of neo literates.

 

Secondly, I would like to ensure that there are health care facilities in my district. Health care facilities would be ensured by creating hospitals, and dispensaries and by looking into the issue of ethical doctors being a part of these hospitals and dispensaries. Doctors having a strong moral fibre are a pre requisite for creating a good health network in our district, and more so in our country. I would make sure that regular health campaigns are held so that the masses can better connect with the doctors, and can better understand health related issues, and terminologies. I would also like to better implement some of the health schemes of the nation such as the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana, Janani Suraksha Yojana and so on.

 

Thirdly, I would make a core team of 5 to 7 people in order to ensure that after every third house there is a toilet built to avoid open defecation. Programs like mission batees must be promoted, so that India is Open Defecation Free. Toilets are a must as young girls have to go to far off places for defecation which leads to crimes such as rape cases and murders. Open defecation also hampers government schemes and programs such as Swach Bharat Abhiyan as it leads to uncleanliness, and encourages citizens to further get involved in acts of open defecation. Open Defecation can also leave a bad impact on tourists (both Indian and Non–Indian) and can jeopardize our cultural, and societal image.

 

In my district, I will myself go to have orientations regarding the importance of gender equality, and the worth and importance of women. It is said that if you teach a man, an individual is educated but if you teach a woman entire family is educated. If we probe through history, India has given birth to the likes of Rani Padmavati to Jhansi Rani. And, presently to women like Saina Nehwal and Indra Nooyi. Women are as capable as men and are making a mark in every field. So, hence women should be encouraged to make a mark in any field they wish to and they must be given regard and respect.

 

Moreover, I would ensure the building of dams and pipelines through industrial projects if my district is having water scarcity. I would build dams like Bhakra Nangal Dam, Sardar Sarovar Dam so that water is present in ample amount in my district. I would also resort to saving of water during rain through techniques like rain water harvesting. Water Projects should be at the top priority as far as desert areas are concerned. Also, for transparency in my department I would spread the idea of biometric system and I would further introduce an attendance sheet. I would also ensure that the officers finances are recorded; from their salary to mobile bill expenses.

 

I would lastly, ensure a response team of 8 to 10 people during natural calamities (such as floods and earthquakes) and days of crisis so that such situations can be combated and tackled well.  I would also like to ensure that I am able to do the same for my nation as I do for my district, and would be able to spread my ideas to the entire country so that I see my dream fulfilling. My dream is to make the nation a place where I see my nation, and it’s people happy. Where I see our youth healthy and achieving their dreams and career goals. Where I see our middle-aged and old aged people being given respect and love by their kids. Where a girl is not suiciding due to a painful relationship, or pre- marital pregnancy rather she becoming an IAS officer. I dream of true freedom and I wish I achieve my dream.

The Burnt Childhood

A principle of Buddhism states that: “Never hurt those who are weaker than you”. Childhood is the most fragile, carefree, relaxed, happy, and a no burden stage of life but there are childhoods that are burnt. Mine was a burnt childhood. Burnt by perpetrators, burnt by the evil-eyed, burnt by those who for their selfish motives and needs ruin one entire life. In this article, I make an attempt to share my story to reach out to those who have been victimized by child abuse and to those who created these victims. I do not intend to write this article to garner any kind of sympathy but to aware people about the trauma that comes with it and, to ensure that this does not happen with anybody else.

I was child abused, as a toddler. As a toddler, when I should have played with my dolls, and teddy bears I was sexually abused multiple times and for good seven years. I was so scared after the incident that I could not tell my parents. I thought they would harm me more or that they would kill me. I, out of fear, used to urinate on the bed until I was 13 or 14. My periods started when I was as young as 8. I even went through physical violence and fear of pregnancy at such a tender age. As I recall, I used to be lost in class and in school as well. I could not answer questions like other kids, I could not understand the interesting concepts taught in the class. I used to keep staring at the black board. There was no one who understood my pain and suffering. There were kids in my class who used to mock me and make fun of me. There were circles made during the “games period” and nobody in that circle wanted to stand next to me. Everyone ran away from me, nobody stayed with me. It became so difficult to stay in my own classroom that I had to change my section again with great difficulty. There were days, I still recall when I used to cry for nights, there were sleepless nights too, there were days I didn’t have food and I was given taunts by my family members too for not performing well in exams and for not looking beautiful. There were times when people used to call me  “insane” and made me the culprit rather than the victim. There were days when I used to shout and cry to make my parents understand that what amount of trauma and pain I went through and I am going through but due to lack of awareness of the outcomes of child abuse they could not understand me to the extent I was expecting them to. I struggled a lot mentally, and emotionally and there was none to support me.

Nevertheless, where there is a problem, there is a solution too. The first solution to this is for all the victims like me that they “should not take the blame on themselves”. There were people around me who blamed me, by pointing fingers that I indulged in the act. I don’t understand the sense of these people that “how can a 7-year-old indulge in such an act”? I, in fact, didn’t even realise and comprehend as to what happened to me. The blame should be rather imposed on those who did the act. Secondly, the child abuse incident made me “emotionally weak”, rather very weak and vulnerable. Sexual conversation or acts distorted my mind and heart. So, it is important to nurture the emotions as much as the mind. Not only parents, but schools should setup a curriculum or rather a separate subject which is inclusive of topics such as child abuse which enhances the emotional strength of the students and teachers both. Students should have the capabilities to empathise with the sufferings of their fellow colleagues if there is any. Similarly, teachers should be able to relate to the problems of these students who have been victimised through acts of child abuse and rape and guide them too. A strong curriculum which gives importance to emotions too will help victims to turn into emotionally strong individuals. Emotional growth is as important as mental growth. Hence, homes and schools should have an environment that is enriching, nurturing and nourishing. Thirdly, there should be mandatory awareness campaigns for parents from all economic backgrounds too on how to nurture and bear their kids. On how to, protect their kids and give them a safe and healthy environment, post the incident because we victims have a tendency to feel unsafe and unprotected many a times after such a traumatic incident. And, even before the incident so that such an incident does not happen at all. Parents need to understand that many times, the enemy is in the house and not outside and vice- versa. I, strongly, believe that parents should keep an eagle’s eye on the people around their kids until they grow up enough to protect themselves. Also, adults who were victims themselves can make the environment around them safe and protected by choosing the right people among whom they feel safe, the right places to be in and so on. The victims should also learn to love themselves by not trying to make suicide attempts like I did. I did try to harm myself but it turned out to be of no use. Grooming yourself, focusing on yourself, and loving yourself is the solution. Harming yourself is not.

Moreover, the Government of India should give more incentives like the Maternity Bill, 2017 to parents with new born babies. The government should establish  more acts like the POSCO act. And, the government of other countries should be and must be inspired by these government incentives and should implement such schemes as much as they can, and to the highest levels. According to the POSCO (Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences Act) the registered child abuse cases from 2014 to 2015 have increased from 8,904 to 14,913. These cases are from not only well-off backgrounds but from all kinds of backgrounds. These cases are prevalent among the labourers too. Lastly, to avoid flashbacks of the incident one can consult a psychologist and a psychiatrist too. Consulting a psychologist or a psychiatrist does not make you insane rather it shows the level of your awarness and your urge to live life happily again after coming out of a traumatic incident.

On a final note, this needs to stop. It’s high time that this stops! It’s high time we fight this and stop this! We should take inspiration from global leaders and Nobel Laureates’ like Kailash Satyarthi who are fighting child abuse cases so vigorously and strongly through  initiatives such as the Bharat Yatra. We need to be vigilant and aware as to what is happening in our neighbourhood, in our nearest vicinities. And, join hands to end the brutal and globally recognised crime of child abuse.

Freedom

Freedom comes across as a self-explanatory term which means “to be free”. To be free is not to be in bondage or captivity of any kind. Freedom for each one of us holds a different meaning coming from various interpretations. For a bird it would mean differently from what it means for a prisoner, or for a farmer. Therefore, it is a relative concept as well.

Freedom for a bird is high flight away from every cage that exists in this world. Free from all kinds of captivities. For a farmer, it is getting healthy and sound crops. Not getting sound crops would mean a lot of tragedies such as not being able to repay loans, suicides and so on.

Freedom, for me is not just freedom from those who wish to capture you, or your land. Freedom is to see smiling and happy faces all around me. Freedom for me is to not see a man dying without food. Freedom for me is to not see a teenager commit suicide due to pre-marital conceiving. Freedom is to not see an innocent being punished due to an inefficient and corrupt system of law and order. Freedom is to not see an old father seeing his son dying helplessly without food, milk, or proper medication. Freedom is to not see a nation-lover turning into a corrupt person for money.

Freedom rather for me is to not see any suffering and pain around me. Freedom is to see a teenager becoming a serving bureaucrat and achieving his or her goals. Freedom is to see people around me, to see my people living a dignified, free, and happy and a respectful life rather than a life in clutches of slavery of wrong people, wrong things and wrong emotions. This is what true freedom means for me.

As a proud Indian, I can claim that the country I belong to gives a lot of freedom to its citizens “from freedom of speech and expression to freedom of trade in the Indian Constitution” vis-à-vis article 19 to article 22”. Through the Indian Constitution one realizes that freedom comes with its own limitations. Freedom should be exercised in a manner so that it does not harm the other person’s freedom. Exercising freedom should hence be done in a cautious manner. Freedom is a blessing, and not a tool or source to be misused.

Fortunately or not, we are still in the clutches of slavery as we are not free from many bad or wrong things that even today dictate our lives. The things here are corruption, sadness or unhappiness, rapes and unwanted pregnancies, prostitution, greed, hatred, lack of equitable division of wealth in the world etc. Many people still in this world do not live a life of dignity, respect and are suffering in one or the other manner. Be it sleepless nights due to no food or due to not being able to meet their basic needs.

In a nutshell, freedom can only be achieved if we all come together and take a pledge to change ourselves and then each others hearts and minds and also our actions. So, let’s come together and join hands to make this world a better place to live in.

2015 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 2,600 times in 2015. If it were a cable car, it would take about 43 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Islamophobia – A pervasive global issue

Islamophobia is the fear of Islam as a whole religion, and hatred towards Muslims. The question here that crops up is: Why this aversion towards Islam? Due to 9/11? Is it bigotry? Could it be due to the existence of Muslim population in Non-Muslim countries? All in all, Islamophobia is a very inquisitional and regressive term.

The underpinning of Islamophobia is a report called, ‘’ Islamophobia: A challenge for all of us’’   by the Runnymede Trust.  Islamophobia, as an expression was created to avoid the usage of hate words, like fear or, hatred. Under this, unfortunate underpinning of Islamophobia, Islam has been defined as a ‘’violent political ideology rather than a religion’’. In addition to this, the report also refers to Islam as of a ‘’low standard culture’’, as far as comparison with other cultures is concerned. Accolades for doing this task can’t be given to the Trust rather it deserves complete rejection; because the concept of Islamophobia has a very ‘negative connotation’ to it. In fact, this report should receive the severest kind of criticism, for thoroughly ‘disrespecting a religion’ in the name of a good deed.

Not just these ‘Foundations’ and ‘Think Tanks’, Islamophobia has garnered a wide range of views. Views mostly gracing ‘’negativity’’ have come up.  But, undoubtedly, there are neutral and, positive views being upheld, as well.

Douglas Murray, wrote for Standpoint, where he argues that the concept of Islamophobia, insults and questions each and every aspect of Islam.  Mr. Johannes Kandell, also thankfully, smells of negativity, as he sternly detests Islamophobia, by calling it a word encompassing hostility against Islam. As with each word the spectrum widens, neutrality has also taken its call. French Prime minister, Manuel Valls, has taken a safe path regarding, Islamophobia. He says: Islamophobia is used as a defence mechanism, to silence “critics” of Islam by Islam “apologists”. Secondly, he is not in favour of this phobia, as he believes that it invalidates all the criticism against any Islamic ideology. Middle path isn’t exclusive to Mr. Valls only. Academician, Chris Allen has also taken the mid – way. And, says that, Islamophobia lacks a clear definition.

Views are very individualistic. But, views can never determine greatness. Neither is greatness unique to one religion or, culture. It is cross cultural indeed. We have many Muslims who have made it ‘’big’’. The 21^st century has witnessed the glory of one such honoured Muslim. And, she is: Malala Yousafzai, a teenage activist from Pakistan.  She is fighting the disturbing issue of female education. She is the youngest ever, Nobel Prize Laureate. Muhammad Yunus is the founder of Grameen Bank, and pioneer of the twin concepts of: micro credit and, micro finance. He is the recipient of the ‘’Nobel Peace Prize’’. The Nobel laureate in physics, Prof. Abdus Salam. And, ex – president of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and so on and forth, this list is endless! So, it is clear that: ‘’Not everyone in other religions is a good person nor all Muslims are bad either”.

From ‘my’ angle, Muslims are as ‘humane’ as anyone else and nobody has any right to be judgmental about them. I have many, extremely kind and welcoming friends who happen to be Muslims. They are like all of us. No special or different.

Muslims, have a birth right to be treated equally. The Charlie Hebdo Incident in France, Army Public School Peshawar incident, the Godhra incident, aftermath of Godhra Incident in India, is very regretful and reprehensible to say the least. These incidents have casted their shadows over humanity. We must work towards the removal of this shadow.

Raneem Ali, a Muslim, a friend of mine, studying in the very reputed ‘’Delhi University’’.  She is a very bright and, a competent girl. When asked by me: What is your opinion about the relation between Islam and terrorism; which the world has been constantly drawing? She says: It is the herd mentality. We are conditioned to develop such opinions based on what the popular media shows us. The unnecessary and unwarranted emphasis on the so-called religious identity of the perpetrators of terrorist incident unwittingly fuel Islamophobia, and this is very wrong for the simple reason that terrorists have no religion!

The challenges of every century are different. In that aspect, 21^st century’s challenges are new too. They are meant to be fought for. How? That is our call. We should unite, and fight. Or, have a blind eye to these unaddressed issues. The issue of Islamophobia has brought unmitigated troubles, to Muslims globally. So, we need to take these issues as ‘’common man’s issues’’ and, fight them. Not for us, but for the children of today, and tomorrow. And, fulfill their dream of a better world.