1. "स्वदेशी आंदोलन" नामक माननीय दत्तोपंत ठेंगड़ी जी का भाषण 8 जुलाई 2002 का जोधपुर का है . वैसे तो कई बार इस विषय पर श्रधेय ठेंगडी जी बोले हैं, परंतु यह भाषण अपने आप मे अलग से है, स्वदेशी के सभी पक्ष इसमें सविस्तार लिए हैं। यह 'सर्वसमावेशी स्वदेशी' पुस्तक में संकलित है और यूट्यूब में भी है। वहां शीर्षक है "स्वदेशी ही समाधान || दत्तोपंत ठेंगडी और यह 57.10 मिनट्स का है और उसका लिंक है https://youtu.be/h--Vk_sU9Pc
और आइए उस भाषण का सारांश पढ़ लेवें।
1. सब से पहले वो कहते हैं स्वदेशी का ग्रह योग ऐसा है की स्थापना की पूर्व से ही इसका विरोध होता रहा है और किस प्रकार साम्यवादी लोग स्वदेशी का इसलिए विरोध करते कि हमने विदेशी चीजें नहीं खरीदनी इसीलिए स्वदेशी कंपनियां हमें लूटेंगे और हमें पैसा दिया गया है । ऐसा आरोप लगाया।परंतु अगले दिन ही जब स्वदेशी ने कास्ट ऑफ़ प्रोडक्शन के आधार पर कीमत लिखा जाने का निर्णय किया तो उनकी बोलती बंद होगी गई ।
वह शुक्र नीति के उस श्लोका वर्णन भी करते हैं जिसमें कीमत कैसे तय होती है
2. स्वदेशी सिर्फ वस्तु प्रयोग तक सीमित नहीं, विचार है: एक नेता बोला कि हमारे क्षेत्र में स्वदेशी की बात सुनकर के लोग मजाक उड़ाएंगे कि यह 16वीं शताब्दी में देश को ले जाना चाहते हैं । उस पर वह बोलते हैं कि क्या आप के लोग क्या इतने एडवांस्ड हैं जैसी मोतीलाल नेहरू और दादा भाई नौरोजी जिन्होंने स्वदेशी अंगीकार किया, तो चुप हो जाते हैं ।
बाद में कुछ उदाहरण 10 ऐसे देते हैं कि स्वदेशी क्या है?
पहला उदाहरण उसमें से जापान के द्वारा अमेरिकी संतरे ना बिकने का है।
दूसरा उदाहरण ब्रिटेन की महारानी ने जर्मनी की कार खरीदने का निर्णय और जनता के विरोध के कारण अपने देश की कार ही खरीदना।
तीसरा वियतनाम प्रमुख हो ची मिन्ह का और यह बताना फटी और मुरम्मत की गई पैंट इस लिए पहनता हूँ कि "माय कंट्री कैन अफ़्फोर्ड थिस मुच्।"
चौथा, गांधी इरविन पैक्ट के समय महात्मा गांधी जी का निंबू पानी में वह नमक पुड़िया से डालना जो उन्होंने दांडी यात्रा में प्राप्त किया था।
पाचवां, कोलकाता में देश भक्तों द्वारा ब्रिटिश पुडिंग का विरोध और भारतीय पुडिंग यानी रसगुल्ला जैसे मिष्टान्नका परिवर्धित स्वरूप बनाया।
सातवां मुस्तफा गाजी कमाल पाशा जब तुर्किस्तान के प्रधानमंत्री बने तो उन्होंने तुर्की भाषा में कुरान का अरबी से तर्जुमा करवाया और इस पर खून खराबा तो हुआ लेकिन इस्लाम का राष्ट्रीयकरण यानी स्वदेशीकरण हुआ।
आठवां, क्रिश्चियन मिशनरीओं के कुछ ग्रुप किस प्रकार से भारतीय परंपरा के अनुसार आमीन की जगह ओम और चौगा भी भगवा पहन रहे हैं।
नोवा उदाहरण, किस प्रकार से बाबू गेनू ने विदेशी सामान नहीं आने दिया और हम 12 दिसंबर का दिन मनाते हैं ।
दसवां चीन और कोरिया की सरकारों ने माइकल जैकसन को अपने यहां प्रवेश नहीं दिया क्योंकि यह उनके देशों पर सांस्कृतिक हमला होगा .
3. इसके बाद ठेंगड़ी जी राष्ट्रवाद व अंतरराष्ट्रीयवाद के भ्रम को दूर करते हैं और मनमोहन सिंह व रामास्वामी के झूठे तर्कों को बताते हैं इंटरडिपेंडेंस और इंडिपेंडेंस में कहाँ तक विरोध नहीं है । स्वदेशी के मुताबिक :
3.1 पहला उदाहरण वह विरोध का यह बताते हैं कि हम पश्चिम के विकास मॉडल को ग्लोबल मॉडल है, और उसकी नकल सब देशों करना चाहिए, इसका विरोध करते हैं।
3.2 और यही हमारे स्वदेशी का आधार कि हम दूसरे देशों से लेनदेन तो करेंगे पर बराबरी के आधार पर और उससे हमारे आत्मनिर्भरता पर आंच नहीं आनी चाहिए ।
3.3 दूसरा उदाहरण देते हैं कि डब्ल्यूटीओ की भूमिका क्या है और इससे पहले बताते हैं कि कई बार हमारे पर आपत्ति की जाती है कि हम सरकार में अपोजिशन का रोल अदा करते हैं । ऐसा नहीं है बल्कि हम सब सरकारों को राष्ट्रीय सरकार मानते हैं और उसके साथ "रेस्पॉन्सिव कोऑपरेशन" के आधार पर व्यवहार करते हैं ।
4. WTO की भावना की शुरुआत 1991 से नहीं बल्कि पुरानी है।
यह दूसरे विश्व युद्ध के अंतिम चरण में 6 जून 1945 से जब अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति आइजनहावर की सेनाएं यूरोप तब आ गई और जब लगा कि इसमें सफलता मिलने वाली है तो उन्होंने किस प्रकार अपनी कॉलोनीज़ यानी अपनी उपनिवेशों को बचाया जाए ।इसके लिए प्रयास किया और वही अंतर्राष्ट्रीय ट्रेड की पहली सीढी बना। IMF एवम वर्ल्ड बैंक स्थापित किये।
4. उनके कॉलोनी या उपनिवेश जीवित रहें इसके लिए पहला भ्रम फैलाया की हमारी पूंजी के बगैर किसी देश का विकास नहीं हो सकता इसलिए फॉरेन डायरेक्ट इन्वेस्टमेंट FDI अति आवश्यक है।
यह गलत बात है, और वह बताते हैं कि किस प्रकार राइट टू इन्वेस्ट हमारी संप्रभुता पर आघात है।
4.1 साथ ही हमारे नेताओं ने कहना शुरू किया कि लोग त्याग करने को तैयार नहीं हैं, वास्तव में यह बात भी ग़लत है। नेताजी सुभाष जब दक्षिण एशिया गए तो किस प्रकार लोगों ने सहयोग किया और लाल बहादुर शास्त्री का भी लोगों ने सप्ताह में एक समय का भोजन छोड़ कर के सहयोग किया ।और 62 की लड़ाई हो के बंगलादेश की, हमारे मजदूरों ने ओवरटाइम ना लेते हुए ज्यादा घंटे तक काम किया। बेशक सामन्यतःव्यक्ति स्वार्थी है पर अगर ठीक ढंग से प्रेरणा दी जाए तो वह निस्वार्थ काम या परमार्थ के काम भी करता है।
4.3 दूसरा भ्रम फैलाया गया की विदेशी टेक्नोलॉजी ही मॉडर्न टेक्नोलॉजी है,और इसी प्रकार से अगर हम को देश आगे बढ़ाना है तो विदेशों से टेक्नोलॉजिकल सहयोग जरूर लेना चाहिये। हिरोशिमा और नागासाकी का उदाहरण देकर के वो बताते हैं कि साइंटिफिक एडवांसमेंट की भी सीमा है और उसके लिए दुनिया में टेक्नोलॉजिकल ओंबड्समैन ombudsmen या उस पर नियंत्रण रखने वाले लोग होना चाहिए। और डॉक्टर अब्दुल कलाम की बात इंडिया 2020 की कहते हैं कि हमारा देश अपनी ही तकनीकी एडवांसमेंट के आधार पर फर्स्ट रैंकिंग कंट्री हो सकता है ।
5. इसी प्रकार वर्ल्ड ट्रेड ऑर्गेनाइजेशन है विश्व व्यापार संगठन के बारे में बताते हैं कैसे उसका विरोध भी उसी के जानकार करते हैं और वह दो उदाहरण जोसेफ स्टिगलटीज़ और दूसरा उदाहरण इंटरनेशनल मोनेटरी फंड के टॉप ऑफिशल डेविसन एल्बुगका देते हैं जिन्होंने खूब डट कर अंतर्राष्ट्रीय व्यापार संगठन का विरोध किया है।
5.1 फिर वह गोरे देशों की ग्रीन रूम पॉलिसी के बारे में बताते हैं। और मलेशिया के प्राइम मिनिस्टर महाथिर मोहम्मद में इसके विरोध में आवाज उठाई और साउथ साउथ कमिशन बनाया जिसके जनरल सेक्टरी डॉ मनमोहन सिंह थे और जब वह वित् मंत्री बने तो वह उन बातों को भूल गए कि कैसे गोरे देशों के विरोध में साउथ साउथ कमिशन रिपोर्ट तैयार की थी ऐसा ही उदाहरण यशवंत सिंहा जो उस समय भारत के वित्त मंत्री थे उनका भी वह देते हैं कि पहले वह विश्व व्यापार संगठन का विरोध करते थे परंतु जब वित्त मंत्री बने तो उन बातों को भूल गए और वह "एमनिशिया" amnesia नामक बीमारी का यानी पूर्ण विस्मरण वाली बीमारी का उल्लेख करते हैं जो वित्तमंत्री बनते ही शुरू हो जाती है।
5.2 अगला बिंदु है कि डब्ल्यूटीओ के मुताबिक सब देश समान है परंतु अमेरिका ऐसा नहीं करता वे 1988 के उस कानून का और उसके स्पेशल 301 क्लॉज़ का वर्णन करते हैं और इसी प्रकार वह दूसरे नियम का भी वर्णन करते हैं कि जिसके कारण से उनका सामान कोई रोक नहीं सकता चाहे किसी देश को जरूरत हो या ना हो।
6. अगला बिंदु लेते हैं कि महाथिर मोहम्मद ने सुझाव दिया था कि इन गोरे देशों की मोनोपोली को कैसे तोड़ा जाए और उसके लिए विकासशील देशों का अलग ब्लॉक बनाने की जरूरत है और भारत को उसका नेतृत्व करना चाहिए पर भारत में ऐसा नहीं किया । दूसरी बात कहते हैं कि हम ने समय-समय पर जो आवाज इसके खिलाफ उठाई उसके कारण डब्ल्यूटीओ की बैठक में दोहा में मुरासोली मारन ने विरोध किया और दुनिया में भारत छा गया। और हमने उनके सार्वजनिक अभिनंदन की बात भी सोची थी ।
7. साथ ही जो निवेश मीडिया में प्रिंट मीडिया में फॉरेन इन्वेस्टमेंट आ रहा है उसके लिए विरोध किया सरसंघचालक माने सुदर्शन जी की बयान को भी तोड़ मरोड़ कर छापा गया जो बाद में स्पष्ट हो गया तो इस यह सब बातें जन जागरण द्वारा जो चल रही है।
8. अंत में इक्ष्वाकु राजा के सार्वभौमिकता का श्लोक बोलते हुए वे अपना भाषण पूरा करते हैं।
Wednesday, May 15, 2019
स्वदेशी आंदोलन - ठेंगडी जी
Monday, January 14, 2019
Angus Medisson and GDP
Britain perpetrated economic holocaust in India for 200 years
13 Jan 2019 16:18:10
Economic history of Bharat is the tale of evolution from a largely agricultural/trading society with highest contribution to world GDP to a Nehruvian mixed economy of Communism manifested by perpetually in loss PSUs, Government manufacturing bread to running hotels as well as rag-tag of Capitalism manifested by strangulated private sector groaning under Licence-Permit Raj, unmitigated corruption, bribery and methodical plunder of nation’s wealth.
Organisation Of Economic Co-operation established OECD Development Centre in 1962, engaged a British economist Angus Maddison to study world economy and author a comprehensive treatise on that. Maddison rose to the call diligently and authored a famous book ‘The World Economy – A Millennial Perspective’ to illustrate the long-term economic performance of nations, factors to explain successful economies and bottlenecks that hamstrung laggards. It was published in 2001 by OECD as the entire project was sponsored by them. Maddison studied economic history of the world for the entire Christian era from AD 1 to AD 2000 conclusions of his extensive study have been startling for the entire world –
Since AD 1000, world population multiplied 22 times, per-capita GDP 13 times and World GDP 300 times. Major beneficiaries have been North America, Western Europe, Japan and Australia. However, these major beneficiaries have been poorer than Africa in AD 1000 albeit 20 times ahead of them now.
The contribution of Bharat’s GDP to the world GDP was highest in the year AD 1 at 34 per cent. The position of No. 1 in the world was re-attained in years AD 1000, AD 1500 and AD 1600 too.
USA and western countries contributed less than 2 per cent during this period of Christian history.
It begins with Indus Valley Civilisation (BC 3500–1800) marked by agriculture, animal husbandry, production of sharp-edged tools/weapons of copper, bronze and tin. Trading activity included terracotta pots, jewellery, precious gems, pearls and precious metals. By BC 600, silver coins were minted by Mahajanpadas symbolising extensive trading and urbanisation.
Mauryan Empire (321-185) was a great unifying empire of all kingdoms. Political stability and security ensured a massive rise in economic activity in all disciplines of human enterprise. The empire also imparted a tremendous boost to infrastructure development.
During 1500 years of post-Mauryan Empire, Bharat commanded the largest economy in the world. By AD 1700, Bharat possessed one-fourth to one-third of world’s entire wealth.
Unprecedented prosperity and accumulation of wealth continued even during the Mughal era (AD 1526-1858).
British association with the Indian economy came into being in AD 1600 through East India Company and export of Indian textiles and raw silk used to be paid through bullion. By AD 1757, British involvement expanded and they began paying for Bharatiya raw material, spices etc. through ‘revenue’ plundered from provinces captured by them largely through unfair means. Thus began decline and destruction of Bharatiya industry and wealth. The inflow of bullion completely stopped and British occupiers funded wars in Bharata/Europe with the land revenue extorted in the country and development coming to a grinding halt.
It took just 80 years to ruin Bharatiya economy (1780-1860) under colonial occupation from an exporter of finished products to exporter of raw material and importer of products manufactured abroad. Exploitation by British was ruthless and once a flourishing leading economy in the world was entirely emaciated to skeletons.
By 1950, Europe’s share rose to 23 per cent and Bharat’s declined to a mere 3 per cent.
Chanakya, the prime minister to first Mauryan King Candragupta (BC 340-290), described silver coins as Rupyarupa. Gold coins were known as Suvarnarupa, copper coins as Tamrarupa and lead coins as Sisarupa. Rupee, the name of contemporary currency originated from Chanakya’s Rupa alone.
On Aug. 15, 1947, 1 US $ was equivalent to 1 rupee only.
Madison authored a famous table that revealed how Bharat’s share in world economy declined from 24.4 per cent in AD 1500 to a measly 4.2 per cent in AD 1950. It is Table A.6 in Statistical Appendix A of Contours Of The World Economy, AD 1-2030 published in 2007. Bharat’s per-capita GDP in AD 1500 at $550 (valued at 1990 levels) with 25.1 per cent share of world population conceded the nation a gigantic economy in spite of per-capita GDP of western countries is higher at $798 and of China $600. The rate of growth of per-capita GDP and GDP peaked during AD 1870 to AD 1913 and registered at lowest level during AD 1870 to AD 1913. From 25 per cent of the world economy to the abject 4 per cent due to ruthless colonial plunder, is indeed a very tragic and sordid economic history of contemporary Indian economy. The Table also illustrates economic transformation spurred by the industrial revolution, rise of US and China post-1970 and collapse of the Soviet economy.
An Englishman Q. Craufurd described “Hindoo” society in his “Sketches Of The Hindoos” as he observed in the 1790s when British colonialism had not yet commenced their orgy of rape and plunder, “…where destructive hand of the conqueror had not fallen, Hindoos under their native sovereigns were governed on principles of the most just and benevolent policy. In those countries (local principalities), lands were highly cultivated; towns and their manufacture flourish; villages were composed of neat and commodious habitations and filled with cheerful inhabitants; and wherever the eye turned, it beheld marks of the mild protection of the Government and of ease and industry of the people.”
Utsa Patnaik of Columbia University estimated, during AD 1765 to AD 1938 Sterling Pounds 9.2 trillion equivalent to US $ 44.6 trillion were siphoned off at the colonial exchange rate of US $ 4.8 per Sterling Pound compounded at 5% interest rate. As entire foreign exchange earnings were transferred straightaway to London, the country was unable to import machinery and technology to modernise economy on the lines of Japan in AD 1870s. There was absolutely no rise in per-capita income from AD 1900 to AD 1929 in spite of second largest export earnings in the world for decades. Life-expectancy at birth in AD 1911 was mere 22 years and per-capita foodgrain consumption declined from 200 Kg. in AD 1900 to 137 Kg. in AD 1946. People died like flies while British were entirely busy plundering away our earnings to England. They established an elaborate tax-collection machinery with District Collector being the pivotal figure. Tax collections trebled under East India Company and the massive Bengal famine in 1770 killed at least 1 crore natives out of 3 crore human population. Tax collections were used to purchase goods from peasants and British ensured, collectors and buyers were different persons approaching at different intervals so that peasants never suspected, it was their own tax collected being used for buying their produce. So British-occupiers collected entire produce absolutely free. Intermediaries were nurtured extensively and several contemporary business houses earned their money through ‘Dalali’ for the British with almost non-existent income-tax, so established Utsa Patnaik.
Now it turns out for sure that the entire doctrine of Capitalism is based on robbery and plunder of so-called III-World/Developing Economies. According to Utsa Patnaik, during AD 1780 to AD 1820, British rate of savings was exactly the same figure that was siphoned off from Bharat and West Indies i.e. 6 per cent of British GDP. With 70 countries colonised, the quantum of plunder was so huge that it was impossible for a tiny country like Britain to digest entire loot, so they turned around to become the largest capital exporter. Entire so-called advanced capitalist world viz. USA, Europe, even Russia are in reality, capitalised with the loot and plunder perpetrated in so-called III-World countries. With this plundered wealth, Britain funded infrastructure in USA/Europe. Even war expenses too, were passed onto Bharatiya Budget with the shortfall whenever, declared as debt with hefty interest levied on that head. London-based Secretary of State for India used to hold one-third of Bharatiya revenue as ‘Expenditure Abroad’ to import from Bharata. So audacious are they that even today in 21st Century AD, Britain and Europe dub Bharatiya and Chinese investors in Africa ‘Neo-Imperialists’ with the sole intention to deflect focus from the economic holocausts that they committed in Bharat and China through colonialism disregarding the fact that they have been dealing with independent African governments. Then they dished out the dubious doctrine of ‘Free Trade’ only to serve their own interests at the expense of others.
Western countries want free access to agriculture in Bharat and China because they cannot cultivate crops and horticulture that are harvested here. Indeed, tropical countries must unite to extort better terms as so-called advanced western civilisations are critically dependent on us for their propped-up standards of living with some 70 per cent products sold in their Malls are essentially tropical in origin. And we are goaded to believe that so-called advanced countries are advanced because they are stupendously innovative and entrepreneurial. Not a single word of truth of history of economic-holocaust is ever taught in Britain and Bharat for obvious reasons, British grow up imbued with snobbery/haughtiness with a sense of ‘White man’s burden’ to civilise Blacks and Browns across the world while Hindus grow up suffused with ‘inferiority complex’, to accept it as destiny should they ever come to know all about that eventually or to prevent them from revolting out of sudden burst of anger if ever at all.
It is more than obvious, it is not for nothing that invaders intruded and ferociously ravaged us. They had multiple reasons to invade and colonise Bharat and China as otherwise, it would have been an impossible exercise for them to exist with profligacy. Quite ironically, all important reasons for them to intrude into Bharat still exist shall ever exist. It is absolutely imperative for Hindus of Bharat to remain incessantly conscious of all those impending dangers and lurking threats of survival, always stand united in this constant battle of existence. Even negligible slackness on this issue may invite terrible consequences to reckon with for a long time to come. Even pursuit of Vedic values for aeons failed to impart a sense of Hindu-unity among Hindus and Hindus stretched those values to disparagingly suicidal limits. Those invasions and plunder by intruders from overseas might have been a providential exercise to inculcate that sense of purpose among Hindus.
British Crown particularly King George V onward may be regarded as carriers of heaviest/enormous sins and felony perpetrated during their monarchy all over the world. According to Christian theology, every man is born as a sinner. Where else do you find such a nano-accuracy of the doctrine in action other than British Monarchy?
Like American Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I too have a dream. I have a dream, one-day Raisina Hills in New Delhi shall appoint a Bharatiya Governor-General for the province of Britain, headquartered at Buckingham Palace, based in London and the province of Britain shall be ruled over by Bharat for at least 400 years. Not only shall we reclaim and recover our entire wealth plundered in those 200 years or so with interest, but also Bharat shall govern them, teach them essentials of governance and civility, disabuse them of ‘White man’s burden to civilise the world’ so that no country in the world shall ever dare to capture and ravage any other country in the world. That shall be yet another great gift from our ancient civilisation to the entire world at large.
from Ritam
Angus Medisson and GDP AND PCI
World history by per capita GDP
World history by per capita GDP
Capital Account | Manas Chakravarty
WED, AUG 25 2010. 10 43 PM IST
Updated: Wed, Aug 25 2010. 10 43 PM IST
Angus Maddison, the famed British economic historian who passed away earlier this year, is best known for his estimates of world gross domestic product (GDP) that go back all the way to the year 1 AD. In recent times, his charts have been used to tell the fascinating story of how the share of India and China in world GDP used to be very high till about 1600 AD, but started declining thereafter as they missed the industrial revolution. With their current rapid growth, their share in the world economy is now rising once again.
In 1000 AD, according to Maddison’s calculations, China and India together contributed 50.5% of world GDP (GDP being computed in 1990 dollars and in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms). By 1600, that share had gone up to 51.4%, with China accounting for 29% and India 22.4% of world GDP. A hundred years later, China’s GDP had fallen but India’s went up to 24.4% of world output. By 1820, however, India’s share had fallen to 16.1%. By 1870, it went down to 12.2%. International Monetary Fund (IMF) projections indicate that India’s share of world GDP would be 6.1% in 2015.
Also Read | Earlier columns by Manas
Was colonialism to blame? Did the drain of wealth to Britain impoverish a once wealthy country? Or was the decline in importance merely the result of the rise in productivity in Europe?
Also See | Per Capita GDP (Graphic)
Well, the growth of India’s GDP between 1500 and 1600 was 22.7%, between 1600 and 1700 it was 22.2% and between 1700 and 1820 it logged 21%. So it’s not as if there was any huge decline in the rate of growth. Of course, that doesn’t preclude the possibility that Indian growth, too, may have taken off if the country was not under the thumb of the British. But China continued to be an independent country, albeit one much plagued by the Western powers, and its rate of growth too during the period was nothing to be proud of. What the data seem to be saying is that the coming of the British did not, at least in the first 100 years of colonial rule, make much of a difference to the growth rate of the Indian economy.
Was India a wealthy country before the British came? The numbers that have garnered the most attention have been his GDP estimates, because they fit in with the narrative of a strong India and China getting back their clout in the world economy. But what is that to the average Indian or Chinese citizen? What if the only reason these countries had such a high GDP in earlier times was because they had a larger population?
That is what is brought out by Maddison’s estimates of GDP per capita, again in PPP terms in 1990 dollars. In 1 AD, India’s GDP per capita was $450, as was China’s. But Italy under the Roman Empire had a per capita income of $809. In 1000 AD, India’s per capita income was $450 and China’s $466. But the average of the West Asian countries, such as Turkey and Iraq, was much higher at $621. In terms of general prosperity, therefore, it was the Arab world that was doing well a millennium ago. The Caliphate in Baghdad was a centre of power at the time and both science and culture flourished.
By 1500, though, new centres of prosperity had emerged. India’s per capita income was $550 and China’s $600 in 1500. The Arab world had declined. But standards of living in Western Europe at that time had already gone far ahead. Italy topped the table, with a per capita income of $1,100, the Netherlands following with a per capita income of $761. This was the Italy of the Renaissance, the Italy of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, of Raphael and Titian. The UK was not far behind, with a per capita income of $714.
By 1600, the centre of Europe had shifted northwards and the golden age of Holland had begun. Dutch per capita income was $1,381 in 1600, while Britain in Shakespeare’s time had a per capita income of $974.
Recall that 1600 was the year the East India Company was founded. In contrast, India’s per capita income continued to be $550, while China’s was $600. Note that even Ireland, one of the poorest of Western Europe’s countries, had a per capita income of $615, higher than India’s and China’s. In short, the per capita GDP numbers mirror the changes in power, prosperity and cultural and scientific achievement.
It wasn’t till 1981 that India had a per capita income of $977, beating that of Britain in 1600. And it wasn’t until 1993 that India’s per capita income of $1,399 surpassed what the Dutch had achieved in 1600. Maddison’s calculations show that in 2008, India’s per capita GDP ( in 1990 dollars, PPP terms) was $2,975, slightly more than one-third of the world average of $7,614. We have a long way to go.
Graphic by Yogesh Kumar/Mint
Manas Chakravarty looks at trends and issues in the financial markets. Comment at capitalaccount@livemint.com