Inequality in SA highlighting rising military spending
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August 23, 2017, 12:00 pm
South Asia is at the bottom of the international heap on the question of resolving material inequality and this should not come as a surprise to the knowledgeable observer on account of this region's continuing obsession with military spending. The respective worrying rankings of South Asian states on the issue of inequality are disclosed in a study conducted by Oxfam and Development Finance International, who have fashioned a measure to assess the severity of the problem. On the basis of this study, six South Asian countries are among the last 20 countries on the issue of addressing income and wealth inequality.
These countries and their rankings, out of 152 countries surveyed, are – Nepal, 81, Maldives, 91, India, 132, Sri Lanka, 138, Pakistan, 139, Bangladesh, 141, Bhutan, 143 and Afghanistan. 146. These figures ought to jolt the rulers of these countries out of any enervating euphoria over country-specific flattering data on 'economic growth', because one in every five humans resides in South Asia. That is, a pronounced proportion of the world's population is currently living in dehumanizing poverty and deprivation, while a microscopic minority among them is growing increasingly wealthy, including their political class.
On the basis of these rankings, Nepal ought to be congratulated on her efforts to narrow her income and wealth disparities, while countries, such as, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan ought to treat this data as the 'Writing on the Wall'. To be sure, increasing sections among South Asians are getting into the 'middle income bracket' as a result of using some emerging economic opportunities but in the case of Sri Lanka, for example, her success in poverty alleviation cannot be assessed accurately because the percentage of Sri Lankans in and out of poverty is not very clear. The authorities ought to clear all doubts on this issue once and for all.
In the case of Afghanistan, it is plain that for the majority of its citizens, unfortunately, the question of poverty and deprivation could only aggravate. This is on account of the continuation of its wasting internal armed conflict. Needless to say, if Afghanistan considers it compelling to siphon more and more of its finances to the military effort against the Taliban, the well being of the people would be proportionately neglected.
If the Afghan people were looking forward to some relief from war and strife, such hopes ought to have been dashed on their learning that the Trump administration is gearing to intensify and prolong its military involvement in Afghanistan.
'We are not nation-building again. We are killing terrorists', President Trump was quoted saying with regard to his administration's future plans in Afghanistan. Apparently, the US defence authorities have been ordered to increase the US troop strength in Afghanistan by 3,900. Accordingly, the Afghan armed conflict is set to continue indefinitely, resulting in increasing hardships for the people.
It is small wonder that Afghanistan is among the last in this region on the income inequality issue. No doubt, her problems have been compounded by big power military involvement in her internal conflict, in this case the US. With Trump 'at the top' in the US, the latter is bound to replicate her foreign policy blunders in the developing world. Afghanistan proved a cataclysmic military blunder for the Soviets in the eighties. The bloody setback was described at the time as the 'Soviets' Vietnam'. It shouldn't come as a surprise if contemporary Afghanistan proves for the US a veritable replay of the monumental military quagmire that Vietnam turned out to be for it in the seventies. So engrossed is the Trump administration, apparently, with short term military and security gains that it is glossing over or ignoring the 'lessons of history'.
While there is very little Afghanistan could do in the short and medium terms about her powerlessness, most of the other states of this region could do more to decelerate their military spending and channel more of their resources and energy to reducing the inequality gap. Getting the poverty alleviation drive 'into full swing' is one way of bridging this gap.
Sri Lanka cannot repeat the excuse now, that terror-linked security concerns are preventing her from addressing the inequality problem. Now that the LTTE threat has been defused, excessive funds for the security forces cannot be justified. Two of the most important priorities for Sri Lanka are the evolving of a political solution to her 'national question' and the increasing funding of programmes that would enhance the quality of life of her people.
It goes without saying that regional economic and other forms of cooperation are a principal means of improving the well being of the peoples of South Asia. In this connection, an improvement in Indo-Pakistani ties would prove of primary importance. India and Pakistan owe it to their people to spare no efforts to resolve their outstanding issues and ensure that SAARC cooperation is a concrete reality.
If India and Pakistan progressively improve their relations less of their funds would be used on their defence forces. The moneys thus saved could then be siphoned for the public weal. Hopefully, the issues of the past would be resolved peacefully and quickly because these states ought to enable their peoples to experience real independence and empowerment. 'Divide and rule' may have happened in the past but this cannot be harped on any longer.
On the other hand, the rulers of India and Pakistan and those of the other states of this region need to look at ways of how money and wealth could be prevented from disproportionately accumulating in the hands of a few at the expense of the many. The mixed economy formula remains one of the most effective means of achieving this end.
While going about this task it must be remembered that members of a 'trans-national capitalist class' are in the seats of power in South Asia and, indeed, in most other parts of the developing world. The actions and policies of this class run contrary to the aspirations and well being of the people. Progressive sections need to work out peaceful and democratic ways of displacing this class from power.
