New Recruit
-- My PoV
Our region was an Economic power throughout our rich history. According to some Economists if we were able calculated the GDP of Indian Subcontinent as a whole for the past 2000 years till the 17th century , it would be around a staggering 25% of the world GDP. But the economic condition of South Asia today do not match it's past glory. So what happened ? May be we could give some historic reasons. We could argue that our region never had any Industrial revolution like that of Europe or we could point fingers at British for colonizing us and destroying our indigenous local Industry and never allowing us to develop. But what did we do during the last 70 years to progress, to make our ancestors who build this great civilization , who made this region of ours a great economic power maintained our economic superiority for thousands of years.
I really don't want to go more into the past, i'm writing this stuff up to have a positive discussion on what we can do from now on to emulate East Asian growth model or even better, to create a unique South Asian model of Economic growth for ourselves. Well there is a great ambiguity over what kind of model this would be, would it be a pure manufacturing driven growth which our Chinese members are so proud of. ( Well indeed they have every reason to be proud of it) or can our region be the Back office of the world , or we can be both ( it indeed sounds unachievable).We all know that there is no ready made solutions but i what to discuss here are the steps that us South Asian countries should take to become developed economically, politically & socially.
What's Keeping our region backward
But a common question that arises in our mind is what the hell is keeping us backward, what's that one reason stopping us from our march forward into the future ? Well let me be honest with you guys, actually i don't really know. So let me give out some reasons which i feel is true ( actually it might not be even relevant at all). But please bear with me my dear PDF friends.
Partition of India and Pakistan
Well one would wonder how Partition of India is related to this Economic revival thread of mine. But i think it's somehow related. I think many of you would be surprised with the Sub title - "Partition of India and Pakistan". I put it that way to support the perspective of our Pakistani friends that Pakistan by itself has a unique identity and it's not just a Muslim part of India. Some of our Indians brothers have some problem to accept this very basic fact. Well see there are many psychological problems arising from this event which turned really horrific. But don't have that kind of time to list more psychological problems arising from this very event. All I i want to say is these physiological factor the discussion made by both governments on economic front.
Wars & Proxy wars
Well it's a well known fact that you can't have a sound economic growth & trade in a region filled with conflicts , violence & turmoil.And this being a defense forum , i don't think that here is much to discuss about all hostilities between biggest of two South Asian nations - including all the proxy wars still going on.
Are Socialist/Communists to be blamed
India the biggest of SA nation tried to ape the economic model of the Great Soviet Union including it's landmark 5 year plan. And it failed miserably. Ahh .. I know many here on PDF would disagree on that and say something like it was a necessary evil to protect our vulnerable work force.
But we need to give credit to Pakistan (East & West) for not falling into this trap. During the early period of independence they were actually on the right track in the field of economic growth.
South Asians are neither Workaholics nor innovative
Saying South Asians are neither Workaholics or innovative would be a crude generalization. But what to do seeing our own people i feel it's true to some extend.
Trade Barriers
Our region is the least economically connected region and it's such a shame in this age of globalization.Like someone said no trade no development seems to hundred percent true. Well the graph below presents the pathetic condition of our region. I truly feel that together we could have achieved much better.
Vision less leaders
I guess i don't need to point out the obvious reason. We South Asian know know what kind of leaders we had in the past.
Our Way forward
No country can develop in isolation. We need to sort out our difference( both internal and external) and move ahead hand in hand, at-least in the economic front . I'm not saying that we should be best buddies but we must compromise. We must atleast become what China and Japan is today for the future of our region, for our own South Asia.
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And
All South Asians are welcome to make Positive suggestions on the topic.
New Recruit
Yep, there many sources to support East of the Indus being India historically. Greeks mentioned this and the Chinese scholar mentioned the "Indies" being capped by mountains at the top and narrow at the South. This will bring pain to many Pakistanis like @DESERT FIGHTER and @farhan_9909 @Horus
I said it with having to face backlash in mind. I am sorry to offend. That's just the way I see it because I noticed that there are so many differences and hostility among Northern and Southern states. If there is cooperation between many different groups instead of hostility, that is very good for India and the region. And again we should concentrate on the future prospects because we can't change the past.
What Hostility?? Can you please elaborate where you have seen such things
That is dead 1960 concept ,nobody care about this anymore. It was tough to communicate then as people were not much educated but now English is the common language between south and north.
