How are alliances formed between nations? Are they based upon common opportunity, landmass, or value systems? Why are tools, and technology of the 21st century that were supposed to bring stability create an even more unstable world?
What’s the solution to World’s Woes? Oh! Apologies only to the Woes of Lesser halves comprising3.4 billion people of 7.9 billion.
Take a look at some headlines published in various journals, online news platforms, that reflect the reality of the day.
Desperate for water: European drought crisis in pictures – Euronews.com, August 2022
The Great European Energy Crisis Is Now Coming for Your Food – Bloomberg.com, August 2022
Europeans won’t escape their energy crisis as long as ideology trumps basic maths – foreignpolicy.com, September 2022
Water scarcity: EU countries forced to restrict drinking water access – dw.com, July 2022
More than 2m adults in UK cannot afford to eat every day, survey finds – theguardian.com, May 2022
What’s been witnessed by the West is a phenomenon that is not only specific to a region or a section or a sect of society but is prevalent and impacting large swathes of the population across the planet. Millions sleep without food every day, scarcity, shortage of drinking water, and a forthcoming extreme winter with no warmth and no power.
Is this what the world is staring at?
For few who may be thinking that this is a common phenomenon in the so-called developing world, impoverished world, or Third World, they are wrong, deadly wrong. The challenges of being chained in one’s excesses and hypocrisy are bumping this time around to the so-called developed world, the privileged world. (What is the Developed World? The developed world, which certifies itself to be developed) Humans around the world need three essentials for subsistence: Water, Food, and energy (Energy for Wi-Fi to stay connected and heating against extreme weather).
Forget having all three, getting hold of even one or two from the three seems to be a challenge. The situation is so grave that the Berlin Cathedral or Berliner Dom, the monument of significance, the monument of belief, the monument of historic relevance is no longer being illuminated to save energy. What went wrong with the West that was prospering till the last century or even in the last decade, at least prosperity was perceived optically. Some believe that it has to do with an ageing population, some believe it has to do with war, the Russian and the Ukrainian conflict and some believe that it has to do with the burgeoning debt of the EU.
Unlike the West, Bharat took a different path. Bharat also increased its fiscal deficit, which means borrowing incremental money but instead of dolling cash handouts, money was spent on building AatmaNirbhar Bharat — Made in India. Building things and goods for India in India and for the world
The Energy Crisis
The next ten statements will bring a perspective!
- Russian economy Is smaller than the top 3 state economies of the US in terms of size
- Europe produces 3.6 million barrels of oil daily & uses 15 million barrels of oil daily
- Europe produces 230 billion cubic metres of natural gas a year but uses 560 billion cubic metres
- Europe uses 950 million tons of coal a year but produces 450 million tonnes of coal a year
- Russia produces 11 million barrels of oil per day but uses 3.4 million
- Russia produces 700 + billion cubic metres of gas a year but only uses around 400 billion
- Russia mines 800 million tons of coal each year and uses 300 million tonnes
- Russia supplies 20 per cent of Europe’s oil, 40 per cent of its gas, and 20 per cent of its coal
- In 2016, Russia supplied 30 per cent of natural gas to Europe
- In 2021, Russia supplied 47 per cent of natural gas to Europe
- Germany had 30 per cent of its energy supplies from nuclear a few years back and at present is 10 per cent (Data as on Dec 31 2021)
The above facts clearly show how under the pressure of Left liberals, green warriors, and activists, Europe lost its ability to control the energy resources and got dependent on Russia.
The Food Crisis
Ukraine has been a bread box for Europe and Africa and the war has accentuated the problems of food. The fertiliser used for agriculture production that was supplied by Russia also was paused. A recent report published in May 2022, by the World Wide Fund (WWF) stated that despite being the world’s largest exporter of agri-food products in value terms, Europe has a mammoth trade deficit when the context of measurement is in nutritional terms, such as calories and proteins. It’s interesting that the EU imports nearly twice as much seafood as it produces, to fulfil its need for protein. With inflation surging, the economy visibly slowing down, and food & fuel prices rising, Europe is hanging on a thin thread as far as food security is concerned.
Another challenge that is hitting the EU is the shift toward the Electric Vehicle. At this juncture, almost all Electric Vehicles use lithium Ion batteries. Unfortunately the largest quantum of lithium – 78 per cent – comes from Chile and residual from the United States. Chile, the largest producer of Lithium, has a massive water shortage and groundwater contamination on account of lithium mining.
The Solve & the Resolve
Why was once a strong Europe, controlling nearly two thirds of the world is now going under? The answer lies in selling its own Swatva.
What is meant by Swatva? Swatva means innateness of self. Swatva is made from two words – Swa and Tva . Swa means self. Tva means one’s elements. Unfortunately, there is no equivalent word in English that describes Swatva. In a simplistic explanation, Swatva means being in a condition of self-existence and self-determination. It’s very close to being Swatantra (freedom) not only physically but emotionally as well. One having a sense of self-determination.The West under the various gimmicks gave up its Swatva and is now facing the consequences.
However Bharat, despite being subjugated for over 200 years by foreigners, didn’t leave its Swatva. Hence Bharat slowly yet steadily over three fourth of the century came back to lead the world and show the path of collective well-being. Bharat faced multiple catastrophes yet converted most into an opportunity with the sole aim to protect its soul, protect its Swatva.
What the West can learn from Bharat?
Systems & Culture of Bharat: The ancient Hindu system that was created over 5,000 years ago remains strong and resilient. The same gave strength then and continues to give strength today. The list of systems is long and thus will quote only two of them.
Travel: Globally leisure travel constitutes nearly 80 per cent, whilst in India, 70 per cent of tourism is spiritual and Dharmic tourism and is pursued by all sects, segments, classes, and socio-economic strata throughout the year. Thus keeping the money flow and income flow through the year irrespective of recession or boom Leisure travel is dependent on external factors like income, markets, geo-political situation, and climate however spiritual travel as stated above cares for none and is pursued every year irrespective of any external conditions. This creates economic resilience for the country.
When COVID-19 struck, the West including Western Europe, the US, and the UK Governments were engaged in taking further debt on their balance sheets and disbursing free money and monetary incentives to induce demand. The logic was to bring the interest costs to zero, and let Governments borrow more money at zero or negative or near zero rates. Flush this money to drive demand and keep businesses going, keeping employment, earnings, and income levels high. As earnings of both households and the private sector will first sustain and then grow, the tax revenues will significantly jump after seeing a slight dip.
Building AatmaNirbhar Bharat
Unlike the West, Bharat took a different path. Bharat also increased its fiscal deficit, which means borrowing incremental money but instead of dolling cash handouts, money was spent on building AatmaNirbhar Bharat — Made in India. Building things and goods for India in India and for the world. The first step was to replace imports with things and goods assembled in India and then manufactured in India. But the challenge was that the Government can’t manufacture using public funds as running businesses. This is not the core activity of the government. Also when there is uncertainty, unpredictability, and ambiguity which was the case during covid, private capital goes back home and stays safe. To increase private participation, the Government of India (GOI) came up with a series of incentives for the private sector to open purses, remove fear and make for the World. GOI realised that a small nudge at the right time can propel people to act. Performance-linked incentive schemes (PLI) were introduced across 10 core sectors which were then increased to 14 sectors providing the right set of motivation for private capital to proceed with Make in India and putting India on the manufacturing map of the World.
Further initiatives like National Master Plan for Multi-modal Connectivity, and National Single Window System providing end-to-end facilitation, and support have fixed the challenges on the manufacturing side, nudging India to get on the fast track of Make in India, Make for India and Make for World. One has already seen that some of these initiatives have fructified into unrivalled success. For example, India has moved up the ladder to emerge as the second largest mobile phone manufacturer, as well as the largest two-wheeler manufacturer in the world.
During the pandemic when demand was suppressed, Bharat chose to build and expand its infrastructure boosting its spending on infra. Roads, bridges and highways were built in record time at record speed and they continue to be built even after the pandemic was over. Infra spend benefits all sectors and the monies spent by the government reach the last man standing creating a multiplier effect.
One quote from Manusmriti sums up the entire thinking and thought process with which Bharat is progressing. It’s captured in Chapter 4, Verse 160. And it states. (Words in Sanskrit)
सर्वं परवशं दु:खं सर्वमात्मवशं सुखम्।
एतद् विद्यात् समासेन लक्षणं सुखदु:खयो: क।।
Meaning: All that is dependent on others is painful; all that is dependent on oneself is pleasing; he shall know this to be, in short, the definition of pleasure and pain. Sanatan Dharma always believes what holds good for inner happiness, holds good for life, what holds good for life, holds good for the economy, what holds good for the economy, holds well for the nations, ultimately it’s all one.
(Views, opinions, comments and statements expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official view or position of any company or sister concerns or group company where the author is presently employed)
