The
G-8 nations under the leadership of British Prime Minister
Tony Blair had earlier agreed to help the poorest nations
of Africa to the tune of 50 Billion dollars. What I see
from these gestures is the willingness on the part of
the rich nations to help the poor to redeem them from
abject poverty. It is time for us to examine whether the
millennium promises and pledges that we have collectively
made in the areas of poverty eradication, environmental
protection and world peace on the eve of the 21st century
are being fulfilled or whether determined strides are
being made towards those lofty goals. The sharp divide
of interest and approaches that we see between the rich
and poor nations in the United Nations and WTO concerning
global issues is not a healthy sign. This tiny planet
that we call our common home is very fragile and will
not tolerate resource exploitation and environmental pollution
beyond a certain limit. Beyond the limit the loss and
damage will be irreparable. And then humanity as a whole
whether they live in South Africa, North America or East
Asia, whether rich or poor, Christian, Moslem or Hindu
will suffer irretrievably.
There
are certain issues like pollution, poverty, diseases and
inequality that the world has to face united and solve
within a given time frame. The UN, the WTO and the ubiquitous
think-tanks, the NGOs and religious organisations have
to work together to create a global consciousness and
passion and commitment among peoples and governments to
take decisive steps towards the solutions of those problems.
At this point it is the USA and the rich nations of Europe
who set the agenda for the world, and, they are generally
interested in pursuing their national, corporate and sectarian
interests. The world economy depends upon the health of
the US economy that in turn is highly indebted to the
world for maintaining its standard of living. This intolerable
imbalance and inequity in resource utilisation and consumption
cannot go on forever.
It
is time for us to reinvent John Maynard Keynes and devise
policies and institutions and action plans to create more
jobs across the world and ensure that resources are distributed
more equitably and that consumption doesn't confine to
few classes and countries. The very logic of market capitalism
which is driven by global demands, optimal utilisation
of scarce resources, complementing core competencies of
nations, and increasing common wealth through global trade
will necessitate such egalitarian interventions from a
neutral world body. In an increasingly flattening world,
eradication of world poverty, equitable distribution of
income and free mobility of labour across nations will
become acceptable rational economic policies of nations.
I
see that in a networked world, nations will be busy exploiting
their core competencies for mutual advantages where America,
India, Europe and ASEAN engage in a collaborative dance
of wealth creation. Soon African and South American nations
will also be sucked into this global process. A new global
awareness is emerging where self-interest of nations will
force them to collaborate and eradicate world poverty
and make the world one single market of rational choice
makers.
I
see the meaning of what CK Prahlad says that there is
profit in the bottom of the pyramid.
The
creation of this global awareness where corporations are
conscious of environment, make vision statement based
on social commitment and poverty eradication, governments
cooperate in the creation of wealth than waging war, and
people have access to education and decent jobs -- is
the millennium that I dream of.
I
think the world is making slow but steady strides towards
that Elysium. Human intelligence is flowering into that
dream. I see all auspicious signs for 2006. I wish you
all a happy new year.
