The cultural angle is terrifyingly complex, with hidden "possibilities" for the BJP. But the party has kicked out its ideologues a long time ago and there is nobody to comment on the mortal combat between home grown Indian values and those preached by St. Market at the nearest Walmart church - by the way Walmart's founder Sam Walton was an aggressive Christian evangelist whose business credo had a quasi-religious ring which found much favour with former US Vice-President Dick Cheney. But ignorant of all that, what seems to be driving the BJP is some vague consensus a terrific political issue has landed on its lap, which could translate into another honeymoon with the urban middle class. But after that what?
Monday, December 05, 2011
The problem with the BJP...
The problem with the BJP is that it lacks a CP Chandrasekhar, or a Jayati Ghosh, or even a reliable economics backroom which could sharpen its leaders' articulation on an issue so loaded with consumer implications. At no time in its post-2004 history has the BJP looked so helplessly devoid of intellectual fodder. There are huge environmental implications of having giant hypermarkets in a country with abnormally low levels of ecology consciousness. But then, the BJP, like all its peers in the 21st century Indian political landscape, lacks an environment cell.
The cultural angle is terrifyingly complex, with hidden "possibilities" for the BJP. But the party has kicked out its ideologues a long time ago and there is nobody to comment on the mortal combat between home grown Indian values and those preached by St. Market at the nearest Walmart church - by the way Walmart's founder Sam Walton was an aggressive Christian evangelist whose business credo had a quasi-religious ring which found much favour with former US Vice-President Dick Cheney. But ignorant of all that, what seems to be driving the BJP is some vague consensus a terrific political issue has landed on its lap, which could translate into another honeymoon with the urban middle class. But after that what?
The cultural angle is terrifyingly complex, with hidden "possibilities" for the BJP. But the party has kicked out its ideologues a long time ago and there is nobody to comment on the mortal combat between home grown Indian values and those preached by St. Market at the nearest Walmart church - by the way Walmart's founder Sam Walton was an aggressive Christian evangelist whose business credo had a quasi-religious ring which found much favour with former US Vice-President Dick Cheney. But ignorant of all that, what seems to be driving the BJP is some vague consensus a terrific political issue has landed on its lap, which could translate into another honeymoon with the urban middle class. But after that what?
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5 comments:
That's right. Let us continue with our current superlative system of retail, with 9% food inflation, 40% wastage, millions of tonnes of foodgrains rotting as the supply chains are so perfect. No need to have any kind of investment in retail. Our retail system is fantabulous /sarc.
You come up with bad arguments when you say that Sam Walton was a Christian fundamentalist and then imply that we must shun trading and commerce because a Christian was a shopkeeper. Extending this argument, we should all cut off our noses because evangelical Christians have noses.
We already tried socialism and it failed miserably. BTW, if you think that all market supporters in the West are Christians, think again. Ayn Rand had very harsh words for religion.
What are you talking about? Jayati Ghosh and CP Chandrasekhar are Communists.
The words "St. Market at the nearest Walmart church" have a deeper meaning. Try not taking the most literal meaning.
I wasn't questioning those words. I was questioning the words in bold about Sam Walton.
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