---------------------------------------------------------------------
Please help make the Manifesto better, or accept it, and propagate it!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok man, let us keep it fair and simple.
Dharma Tejus wrote:
> Again Govts ARE different from corporations.
Only in our minds!! Or may be under some classical model. A
Government dispenses goods and services much the same way a corporation
provides goods and services.
> Yes they need to be accountable, but not in the
> same manner as corporations. They have to be
> answerable to the whole nation, not just their
> 'customers'. Citizens are NOT customers like the
> customers of a corporation.
The entire population relies on institutions/organizations to
provide goods and services for them. Whether it is a service provided
by your Judicial System or the service provided by your Pawn Shop. We
have a nation full of consumers demanding different types of services
from various institutions. Do read my suggestion below on distribution
of power before commenting on this piece.
> Citizens cannot just
> choose to go to a 'competitor', most of them do
> not have the option of becoming the citizens/
> customers[sic] of any other nation they choose to.
>
How about if the power of Government is checked. This is similar to
diluting the power of a monopolistic corporation by introducing
competition. True, we cannot choose to go to a different court if we
don't like the one that we are assigned to. But what I am advocating is
distribution of power. For example, states should have power in almost
everything except raising an Army! The only obligation for the state
governments is to support the military programs of the federal/central
government! Similarly, state Governments will distribute power further.
Note: under this mechanism the central Government wouldn't have the
power to create DoT and VSNL monopolies!! Neither will the State
Government if its powers are diluted further to serve the public
interest!
> And I pointed out some of the fundamental differences
> between govts and corps. Do point out to me where
> I advocated "that somehow non-profit ventures are for
> the good of the people" or be decent enough not to
> make such sweeping allegations of holding ideas
> responsible for India's economic misery.
>
Since you asked: you did say "A govt. has to take into account the
interests
of the whole nation, not just the 'profitable' segments." Like
non-profit ventures may be?
I repeat, if the market doesn't want it we can safely conclude that
the people don't want it - people and the market "are" one.
> I would've liked to respond in detail to all the
> things u had written; but looks like all i'll get
> is name calling and being stuffed into labeled
> boxes that are knocking around in your head.
>
Naw, I'll stick to my pledge of keeping things fair and simple from
now on.
>
> Before I give up ... a corp does not have to and
> never does serve the interests of the population
> of a nation;
So, providing high quality goods and services doesn't serve the
interests of the population? Doesn't a corporation do justice to public
interest when there is competition?
> just their customers - as long as
> they are customers and there is viable competition, which has to be
> ensured by curtailing monopolistic tendencies by <who?> - and their
> stock holders and employees.
I fail to see what you are asking here? Institutions are
institutions are institutions....their power has to be checked or else
they won't be accountable!!!
Sincerely,
Vamsi M.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the National Debate on System Reform. debate@indiapolicy.org
Rules, Procedures, Archives: ../debate/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------