Three things i want to read more about
1. Law of unintended consequences - In the context of mainstream India.
2. Free Trade and Societal Structure - What is the relationship. I hope one day i actually read The Great Transformation and also The Bottom Billion by Collier. In the merantime, you can read this by Delong for context.
3. Economic Situation in Bihar - Even articles will do. What is happening in there. The last good article that i read seems to be one by Aditi phadnis in Business standard
Showing posts with label Economics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Economics. Show all posts
Feb 9, 2008
Oct 29, 2007
Are Economists Happier
Its a good question and has been discussed here and there. I am an interested party here as I fulfill the criteria. Nobody can doubt that I am happy, the bone of contention is whether a 3 years degree in the hallowed Patna University makes me an economist. I don't think it does. But keep in mind, i took some eco courses in C, even then I don't think i fulfill the criteria of being an economist just because of that. However in my mind what clinches the fact that i am an economist is that i know enough economics that i can pass off as an economist to laypersons. So now that we have established that i am happy and an economist, let us attack the question, is studying economics in any part responsible for some of my happy demeanour?? definitely yes..is economics more useful in this regard than lets say 'Psychology'..tentatively yes. I think Economists apply some tools and methods which help them simplify the real world, the same principles sometimes help us economists to make sense out of the real world, plus the principle of price discovery sort of removes much of the dissonance that we have in life. eg somebody is performing poor, straightaway think in terms of overall work compensation and you will be content to know that overall that jerk is going to be paid less precisely cos of the tendency that pissed you off.
Jun 2, 2007
Governance reforms redux
These last few days have made me think about the current affairs of the state. Let me enumerate what i think (Dont even think that what i say will have any structure or coherency)
1) The biggest problem we have right now is the malfunctioning of the government's implementation mechanism -
what this results into -
a) Lack of desired outcomes- allowing people to question Govt's work in areas such as Social security, Education and Food security )
b) No way to judge the policy- whether its good or bad as the policy as it is could not be implemented fully.
c) Again giving voices to left leaning people to throw more good money into such schemes - as per me wrongly arguing that the mechanism failed due to low funding etc.)
d) Allowing right leaning people (like me :)) to argue against social security (in itself a desirable goal)
d) Increasing cynicism among political class, who anyway know that irrespective of the outcomes, all that matters is whether they can establish some positive corealtion of intended outcomes with a community - whether overall the policy may not be desirable.
2) Some structural inbalances
a) Police Reforms- One of the best things that the govt can do is to ovwerhaul the current police system
b) Education system - Central Governemt should make the sector more free. Plus in the current economic scenario, becomes important that the current university system is more vocation oriented. I dont know much but do follow Atanu Deys 10 part series
c) Implementation Mechanism - RTI is the best thing to happen in a long time, now its just upto barious NGOs, bodies etc to somehow arrive a t a model which can make the bureaucracy more accountable. People maynot realise, but so many schemes give away so much money, which more often than not fails to reach the intended people. Information dissemination about schemes, People everything.
d) Agriculture sector reforms - what can be done- Land records and registration to be synchronised by all state govts. Free to sell land for non agri purposes. tax agri income. levy user charges for irrigation schemes. Strenghten WuAs
3) My solutions
a) Govt to focus on Education, Health, Social Security.
b) Instead of having big ticket program implementation, focus on governance reforms
c) Get private sector into the schemes, wherever they can (eg roads, power, Irrigation)
d) SEZs a good way ( remove the eminent domain funda, only for private parties. eg govt should not be intermediary) However ensure that no strong arm tactics are employed by Industrialists.
e) Overall, except social sector and Infrastructure, govt should be regulator not the provider
1) The biggest problem we have right now is the malfunctioning of the government's implementation mechanism -
what this results into -
a) Lack of desired outcomes- allowing people to question Govt's work in areas such as Social security, Education and Food security )
b) No way to judge the policy- whether its good or bad as the policy as it is could not be implemented fully.
c) Again giving voices to left leaning people to throw more good money into such schemes - as per me wrongly arguing that the mechanism failed due to low funding etc.)
d) Allowing right leaning people (like me :)) to argue against social security (in itself a desirable goal)
d) Increasing cynicism among political class, who anyway know that irrespective of the outcomes, all that matters is whether they can establish some positive corealtion of intended outcomes with a community - whether overall the policy may not be desirable.
2) Some structural inbalances
a) Police Reforms- One of the best things that the govt can do is to ovwerhaul the current police system
b) Education system - Central Governemt should make the sector more free. Plus in the current economic scenario, becomes important that the current university system is more vocation oriented. I dont know much but do follow Atanu Deys 10 part series
c) Implementation Mechanism - RTI is the best thing to happen in a long time, now its just upto barious NGOs, bodies etc to somehow arrive a t a model which can make the bureaucracy more accountable. People maynot realise, but so many schemes give away so much money, which more often than not fails to reach the intended people. Information dissemination about schemes, People everything.
d) Agriculture sector reforms - what can be done- Land records and registration to be synchronised by all state govts. Free to sell land for non agri purposes. tax agri income. levy user charges for irrigation schemes. Strenghten WuAs
3) My solutions
a) Govt to focus on Education, Health, Social Security.
b) Instead of having big ticket program implementation, focus on governance reforms
c) Get private sector into the schemes, wherever they can (eg roads, power, Irrigation)
d) SEZs a good way ( remove the eminent domain funda, only for private parties. eg govt should not be intermediary) However ensure that no strong arm tactics are employed by Industrialists.
e) Overall, except social sector and Infrastructure, govt should be regulator not the provider
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