Politiconomics!

Has economics made politicians out of us common folk?

Anne Applebaum’s search for pro-Americanism also brought her to India. The responses she got weren’t too far from the prevailing assessment amongst most. Most of us see the US greenback as the single most uncomplicated global asset, which would help us to greater prosperity. So while there may be an underlying sense amongst us, of the agitated responses that the US Government’s recent political forays have received around the world, America to us symbolizes industry, wealth and despite Mr Greenspan’s warnings, still the Land of Great Hope. It is easy to see why a majority of the surveyed Indians also thought of America as a ‘good influence’ in the world. The US has for long followed a policy made famous by the Kollywood: “Be Good to Me; I’ll be Good to you. & Vice versa”. So if Ms Applebaum did ask people in India, “Do you think America is a good influence in the world?”, I don’t think anyone would have spent much time on a bit of geopolitical analysis and strategic computation to arrive at their answer : a resounding politically-correct “Yes”.