I'm coming straight back this time, unfortunately, and I haven't been in India for a decade--so I can't really compare just how great the recent changes have been in the two countries. (I travelled fairly extensively in India in the late 80s, though, so if I ever do get back in the near future I'll have a good basis for making that comparison.) My hunch is that something similar has occurred and is occurring there. That said, my hunch is also that the recent Chinese miracle has been a bit more spectacular--not least because they were starting from further back. Also, India, despite its recent reforms, still hasn't opened itself up to outside commerce quite as much as China has.
Of course, since India is already a democracy, it won't have to go through the kind of wrenching and possibly destabilizing political transition that China will face in the decades to come (although the rise of what can only be described as a kind of contemporary homegrown version of fascism, shown most recently in the Gujarat election results, is worrying). Clearly, the economic and political trajectory of these two massive, awakening giants will be something fascinating to watch for the rest of our lives, no matter what happens...
tb@feelingveryverysmall.com |
