POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT IN PROMOTING OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

 BY K P PASWAN

 In contemporary world young entrepreneurs mean highly qualified professionals educated in reputed financial and technological institutes with sufficient resources to start new big or small manufacturing activities.. Most of them are picked up by reputed MNCs which have branches in different countries. But these MNCs don’t go to countries plagued by internal conflicts and political instability. Even after disappearance of colonial powers, most of the countries once ruled by foreign powers suffer from abject poverty, malnutrition and lack of basic health related facilities. In most of the developing countries political environment is badly polluted by corruption and above all sectarian conflicts. Than there is vulgar display of certain fundamental rights like right to protests against the policies of the government even if it means violence and street fighting.

 An impartial survey of certain countries shows that favourable  political environment of a country attracts MNCs and other entrepreneurs. This is happening in Latin America. Several countries like Panama, Colombia and a few others were known for brutal governments running on drug money, but several corporate houses were given attractive tax incentives. The result is that not only American corporate houses but even the European entrepreneurs are flocking to Latin America and these countries are no longer suffering from poverty and starvation.

 But the poor are not the real beneficiaries of these countries, they are victims of corrupt political system. The governments provide cheap labors to these corporate houses and profits are divided between politicians in power and the MNCs.Liberal tax regime and corruption are favourable platforms for some entrepreneurs to expand their activities. Astronomical rise of China as economic superpower cannot be attributed to open democracy but a congenial political system in which there is no place for free speech. There is political stability in China but that stability is due to one party’s rule. Neither president nor prime minister is democratically elected on the basis of universal franchise China is filled with new and old corporate houses. This country used to be a Communist country and still claims itself as communist regime. Realty is somewhat different. Tax incentives, cheap laborers and above all possession of private property and disciplined banking system are not the fundamentals of communist ideology but these ideologies are being espoused by the current regime in China.

 Learning lessons from the collapse of communism, China with the help of western powers molded its political system, not hostile to capitalism. The result is that along with flourishing of modern entrepreneurship Chinese people are no longer poor as there is no report of starvation and malnutrition, these are the claims of the present regime and we do not know the reality. Economic prosperity of China has created intense zealously all over the world as similar political environment prevailed in many countries but they are unable to attract foreign investment. Only plausible explanation is that entrepreneurs and large MNCs were tempted by economic incentives which were not available in other countries

 In most of the African countries it is not the political and social environment but amount of bribery offered by foreign investors to the politicians in power who create political conditions in favor of entrepreneurs. Several heads of states in Africa are facing corruption charges. Former president of South Africa is facing jail sentence for favouring Indian entrepreneurs. In the middle east neither political nor social conditions are favourable for new industries, but the foreign entrepreneurs skilled in oil explorations are investing heavily in creating infrastructures for oil generation.These entrepreneurs are paying bribes as protection money to  influential autocrats in power. However autocrats rulers are also spending heavily to raise the standard of living of  common people.

 Political environment in promoting  industrial activities is certainly contributing factor for removal of poverty in other parts of the world. Expansion of manufacturing activities means employment opportunities for skilled and unskilled workers.  MNCs from developed countries are moving to less developed countries to save taxes and also expanding their business, German MNCs in China are doing far better than other entrepreneurs belonging to US and other countries of Europe.

Political instability has become relative in modern world. Social environment  in erstwhile Soviet Union and Africa have different explanations. These small former communist countries in Eastern Europe are rich in natural resources but common people suffer from starvation. Political situation in Ukraine and other former communist countries  is not congenial  to attract foreign investors. Polish people are immigrating to US and the situation is worse in some African countries. Refugees from some African countries are desperately going to developed nations of EU as the political environment is neither favourable to people nor to entrepreneurs of countries from which these poor people originate.

Political environment of a country in modern world is greatly influenced by other factors. Coronavirus was first reported in China and within short period the pandemic clouded the entire world. It was feared that a large number of MNCs would move out of China to other underdeveloped countries like India, but it did not happen. Certain manufacturing units shifted their activities to Vietnam and not to India.

 Political environment in India under an honest PM is friendly and foreign investment has shown marked improvement. But the Coronavirus greatly savaged the emerging economy of India it is so because that big foreign powers were not discouraged by Chinese government to move out of China. XiJinping the strongman of China establishes ambitious goal. The political environment in China is to get conspicuously better the widening gap between China and developed countries.  There have number of growing of popular protests over matters such as corruption and giving fertile lands to foreign entrepreneurs. But Xi jinping is not about to change course of actions. He focused on maintaining social stability.

India’s trade relations with China is a glaring example of favorable political and social environment. Export to China from India is to the extent of 1.9 billion dollar while import from China is about 3 billion dollars. India is contributing to the growth of China due to this trade deficit.

In the case of Afghanistan,  and a few other poor countries, proper political and social environment for attracting investors cannot be created. Afghanistan has left its industrial progress at the mercy of an unproven Almighty while Haiti is suffering from natural calamities. Several small countries are paradise for tax evaders. They are creating environment favorable to money launderers. Surprisingly some of the top corporate houses of US and EU are extending logistic and financial incentives to these small countries

FINAL THOUGHT. These days, foreign entrepreneurs are virtually forcing political heads of different countries to create favorable political conditions in their interest. This tendency cannot be stopped as even the dictators want to boost anti-poverty planning even if it means earning money by indulging in corrupt practices. It will not be an exaggeration to say that entrepreneurs are encouraging such politicians and creating  favorable political conditions in their favor.

 

 

SOCIOLOGICAL RELEVANCE OF WOMEN IN POLITICS.

BY K P PASWAN

Relevance of women in contemporary world is much talked about subject. Women have played and are playing excellent role in politics from ancient times. From Cleopatra of Egypt to Catherine the great of Russia both played dubious role in politics of their country but they are still remembered with awe and wonder.  Than we have excellent royal women in Great Britain whose contribution to the growth of parliament system cannot be underestimated.

We have to study the relevance of women in modern times, especially after second world war which witnessed the fall of colonialism and growth of western system of democracy, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth is ceremonial head of a country known as founder of parliamentary democracy.H M Elizabeth has proved beyond doubt that it would be hard for an elected government to run administration without a ceremonial head as the royalty in Britain is the embodiment of national unity. Leftists in Britain demanded in the past to abolish monarchy but once in power they forgot their agenda.

  SriLanka witnessed the first elected women president Mrs Bandaranaike who in the decade of 1960 promoted stability in her tiny country. Several women presidents were seen in Latin America but they failed to impress the world. There were elected Muslim prime minister in Turkey and Pakistan. Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan was a highly educated PM of an orthodox Muslim country, she was assassinated as the fanatics disliked being governed by a woman. Benazir Bhutto had little time to devote her talent for the welfare of common people.

 South Korea had a very dynamic woman president who was convicted for accepting bribes from Samsung, she was pardoned. But this woman president played important role in maintaining economic stability of an economically advanced South Korea.

In Honduras, president election has been just concluded, Mrs Xiomarra is the president elect. The country is notorious for bad laws and order problems. New woman president has promised to crush the anti social elements with iron hand.

 At present Finland is headed by a woman prime minister and New Zealand is also headed by a dynamic woman prime minister. Unfortunately, atrocities against women have increased in these two countries but the relevance of these two prime ministers cannot be overlooked. Both these women politicians enjoy people‘s support and both are known for their good-looking face and both are not astute politician.Recently Jocinda Arden, the woman PM of Newzeland has announced her wedding after the end pf pandemic. This is surprising as she has already given birth to a child whose biological father is going to be her husband. Her action does not deserve condemnation but cannot be appreciated. She is very popular in her country because of her honest image.

 In the past Imelda Marcos was democratically elected president of modern Philippines but the lady was known for hoarding of women’s wear and her corruption blurred the image of Philippines.

 Relevance of woman in politics may be seen in the personality of Golda Meir, the late prime minister of Israel. During the Munich Olympic (1971), participating Jewish sportsmen were kidnapped by terrorists patronized by Al Fatah and the Jewish sports persons were mercilessly butchered. German spy system collapsed and the entire world remained passive, simply condemning the slaughter of sports persons.  The chain smoker woman PM of the Jewish state was not alarmed, the iron lady as Golda Mair was known, proved to the contemporary world that she was an angry tigress. With the help of Mossad, the dreaded spy agency of Israel all the perpetrators of the crimes were picked from distant lands and neutralized. She was criticized for killing some innocent persons in the process, but she became an embodiment of women’s empowerment. It was after neutralization of all the terrorists involved in Munich Olympic that a woman politician named Hanna Ashrafi played important role in negotiation between Al Fatah and Israel. Ms Ashrafi represented Palestine liberation force. She enjoyed respect in Israel.

Margret Thatcher of United Kingdom proved to be the best PM of the country known for popular monarchy and parliamentary democracy. She was a clever politician and a brilliant statesman. There were no marked atrocities against women during her tenure as PM of UK She was also known as iron lady. She openly called South Korea a criminal state for dumping cheap electronic products in UK. Right now, Chinese products are flooding the UK markets and no UK politicians dare to speak against China. Under Margret Thatcher, UK remained a superpower and Thatcher had excellent rapport with monarchy, UK had considerable influence in international politics. There was no talk of Brexit as UK retained its economic supremacy in the EU.

Two prominent politicians Mrs Indira Gandhi in India and Angela Merkel in Germany shaped the destiny of their respective countries. Indira Gandhi was a towering personality of her time. She lived and died for her country. She enjoyed the support of every section of Indian society. Her success created intense jealousy among her opponents and disgruntled supporters of her own party. Neighboring Pakistan continued to export terror and brutalities committed by Pakistani soldiers in East Pakistan created political and economic problems for India.

 During 1971 Indo Pak war, Indira Gandhi was abused by American president Richard Nixon and his hard-headed National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger. US and UK sent their destroyers in the Bay of Bengal. Unfazed by such international pressure and external threat Indira Gandhi fought the war and forced Pakistan to accept humiliating defeat. Russia stood by India while entire Islamic world stood behind an Islamic Pakistan. A new nation Bangladesh came into existence because of Indira Gandhi. Internal bickering and her tough stand against Khalistan terrorists led her tragic assassination. It is difficult to say whether India in future will get such a bold PM. She imposed emergency to save India from social and political anarchy. She is criticized for suspending fundamental rights and arresting a large number of her opponents.

Second respected woman politician is Angela Dorothy Merkel of Germany. She is no longer the Chancellor of Germany. She was a daughter of a pastor but she loved Germany more than her religion. Her diplomacy witnessed the economy of Germany at its zenith and she emerged a forceful voice of EU. She welcomed Syrian and refugees from war torn Middle East with open arms. Her policy for accepting refugees on large scale created social problems not only in Germany but in entire Europe. She supported a dictator like Erdogan of Turkey just to placate Turkish people in Germany. Her currency manipulation infuriated Donald Trump, the president of US, but she cared little either for US or Russia, German MNCs are doing profitable business in China and Russia. Russia did not like Angela Merkel but there was nothing for Vladimir Putin of Russia to do anything against Germany. Angela Merkel used NATO to strengthen the economics of Germany.  She left behind a legacy which may be compared with the legacy left by Otto Von Bismarck.

 Last but not the least is the successful regime of the current prime minister Sheik Hasina of Bangladesh which happens to be a Muslims majority state. Sheikh Hasina is the daughter of late Muzibur Rahman. He was the founding father of Bangladesh and a tolerant Muslim. He was brutally assassinated by Muslims zealots. Sheikh Hasina like Golda Mair of Israel neutralized the killers of her father one by one by catching them from different parts of the world and forcing them to stand trial. She is a democratically elected PM of Bangladesh.

 Margret Thatcher, Indira Gandhi and Angela Merkel never faced corruption in their life. Attempts were made to defame Indira Gandhi but the charges of corruption remained unproved and confined to electronic media. Male dominated politics never reconciled the relevance of successful women politicians. Mrs Theresa May a successful PM of UK had to quit as her policy on Brexit was disliked by her party men. She was an honest politician.

In US, before the presidential election Bernie Sanders used insulting words against Elizabeth Warren which was widely criticized. Many women Senators and Congresswomen in US are participating in various hearings and their contributions are admired.

 It is only corruption which tarnished the image of certain women political heads and they failed to create a place of glory for themselves. Otherwise it is necessary to encourage deserving women to participate in politics, with passage of time brutalities against women may come down and that will be the days of glory. At present I.M.F and WTO are being headed by women while certain MNCs are being run by successful women but running corporate sectors and doing politics are poles apart. For politician besides being responsible for lifting poverty and increasing industrial activities are of paramount importance while corporate sector is interested in making profits and some times doing charity works just to remain in limelight.

 FINAL THOUGHT.  Women politicians are more efficient in running the administration of a country. This statement may or may not be true but in future participation of women in active politics is bound to grow and with this relevance of woman in political will assume new dimension.