Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jacob Snyder who wrote (115556)	9/23/2003 7:56:08 PM
From: k.ramesh	Respond to of 281500

How can a political system automatically ensure 'justice'? The concept of quotas for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is in the Indian Constitution - the name itself derives from a certain schedule(list of eligible castes) of the Indian Constitution. There were no income guidelines, I think the percentages evolved on percentages in the population. After 45-50 years things require adjustment, and it came with riots by the 'upper classes' who felt that the quotas were excessive, hence the Supreme court's ruling on economic guidelines for one section. I think Muslims and Christians can also get included in some of the categories. So the court ruling can be seen as version 2.0 of that particular piece of software. As with any 'benefit', vested interests develop to protect the status quo, and it will be very difficult to take away the privilege unless some guidelines are developed for phase out/sunset, inclusion etc. And these are fraught with problems of who has political power. I guess what I am driving at is that such 'just' interventions happen due to some randon events like having enlightened leadership, right mix of political climate etc. It happened at the time of writing the (indian)constitution(independence) as the leaders were flush with feelings of oneness, and righteousness. Political power for different classes goes only so far,it works when that particular group becomes the 'swing' vote, (and in India Muslims have done pretty well in forming coalitions and getting their needs addressed.) but does not when the particular groups are truly marginal. And then there is the question of what the groups get organized around. Religion, Caste, economic class, rural/urban, language,etc. Now a new self organizing grouping called public interest lawsuits has emerged to deal with stuff like pollution in New Delhi, displaced people when dams are built etc. Sometimes they work, othertimes they are just pompous self important groups that impose 'costs' to the system. A quicker alternative approach is to have periodic 'avatars' of enligtened persons like Buddha,Christ,Dalai Lama, Gandhi,King (in alphabetic order only) arise to reinforce 'ethical' behaviour which if you think about is very low cost - no lawyer fees, unfunded mandates etc. And ahem, since the disadvantaged groups do not have the same power& wealth in the US, Are you saying that the elites here maintain their power through violence? Now for some fun : All about India - a gigantic 'not for profit' personal website history,religion,pictures,pictures,pictures... kamat.com