Page 146 - EW may 2026

Postscript

Greatest inequality (139) and poor Afghanistan (147) ranked last. The World
Happiness Index 2026 is headed by Finland and Iceland.
VIDENCE THAT INDEPENDENT INDIA’S mis- Anglosphere countries to whom Indians are fleeing — or
guided adoption of Soviet-inspired socialism was would like to flee — in droves, i.e, USA (23), UK (29),
Ea monumental mistake that devastated the Indian Canada (25) and Australia (15) are modestly ranked and
economy, is accumulating by the day. The prime objective falling in the index over the years.
of socialism is to reduce, if not entirely eliminate, income Gradually — too gradually — there’s growing
and wealth inequalities within society. Yet according to awareness that India’s inequality is rooted in calculated
several reports (Oxfam, Wealth Tracker India), after 79 neglect to universalise acceptable quality primary
years of neta-babu socialism, India’s wealthiest 1 percent education. This unforgivable sin has left the majority
control 40 percent of national wealth and top 10 percent of the population in the dumps with the amoral middle
control 60 percent. Quite obviously Indian socialism has class, a mere bystander. The infirmity of WHI 2026 is
not delivered. Despite this there’s no shortage of learned that it doesn’t give sufficient weightage to this greatest
academics and politicians who fault captains of industry deprivation of all which has totally deprived bottom-
rather than this bankrupt ideology, which has trans- of-pyramid citizens all hope of upward mobility within
formed India into perhaps the world’s most inegalitarian a rigid and unyielding social order. It’s no coincidence
nation. that the world’s unhappiest countries are also the most
The flaws and lapses of neta-babu socialism are uneducated.
exposed by the self-serving establishment’s neglect of
primary education, accorded high priority in all social- Ugly capitalism
ist countries, especially China and Russia. As regularly
reported by the independent Annual Status of Education
Report (ASER) survey, over 50 percent of class VIII chil- HE CLASSICAL THEORY OF RENTS IS THAT
dren in rural government schools can’t read class III texts in business areas with high footfalls, rents will be
or solve simple sums. Thigh, but products and service will be affordable
The plain truth is that Indians don’t rue income in- because of high turnover. The best example of this is
equality as much as inequality of opportunity which eight the global McDonald’s hamburger chain of restaurants
decades of socialism, instead of obliterating — as prom- mostly sited in high-rent districts, or to cite a domestic
ised — has entrenched. It’s well-known that people of example Woodlands and Udipi restaurants vending idli /
humblest antecedents succeed in business, academia and dosa. Restaurants that sell the Big Mac are usually sited
politics world over given the merest chance in terms of in high-rent areas, but unit sales of the Big Mac tend to be
half-decent education and opportunity. The on-going IPL most affordable. The McDonald’s management ensures
cricket tournament is replete with stories of boys (and that Big Mac prices are equal in all outlets because thin
girls) spotted by unsung talent scouts — God bless them margins on large volumes result in big profits that more
— and given formal coaching in rudimentary academies than compensate for high rent.
who have taken on formidable global batters and bowlers Evidently this logic of high footfalls resulting in low
with confidence and aplomb. product/service unit prices doesn’t seem to have im-
The fault dear Readers is not in our stars, but in pressed the managements of the Hyderabad-based GMR
the entrenched neta-babu brotherhood which pays lip and Ahmedabad-based Adani Group who own/manage
service to socialism, but denies equality of opportunity 11 of the country’s metropolitan airports or their food,
to the world’s largest child and youth population, even as beverages and services concessionaries. Menu prices are
complacent academics and the middle class remain mere 4-5x of street bills outside their airports. This despite the
bystanders. number of airline passengers increasing exponentially
from 52 million in 2010 to 165 million in 2025. Evidently
Unforgivable sin the GMR and Adani managements who pay high rents
advise their lessees/ concessionaires to follow suit, legiti-
mizing scalping and rip-offs. A coffee and sandwich could
T’S HARDLY SURPRISING THAT IN THE LATEST set you back by Rs.600.
World Happiness Index (WHI) 2026 published by As founder-editor of India’s first two business
Ithe Wellbeing Research Centre of Oxford University, magazines, your editor is the first champion of free
UK in collaboration with Gallup, the globally respected enterprise and highly appreciative of the country’s
polling company, India is ranked #116 of 147 countries gleaming airports which were bywords for shabbiness
evaluated, below — and this is the most unkindest cut of and stink when managed by government in the bad old
all — Pakistan ranked #114. Among the parameters that pre-liberalisation days. But legitimized scalping is giving
the survey measured were: national per capita income; capitalism/free markets a bad reputation. Recently,
social support (family/community backing); healthy life racing to catch a flight at the GMR managed Delhi
expectancy; freedom to make life choices; generosity airport, request for a ride on a vacant golfcart resulted in
(charitable behaviour); perception of corruption. a demand for Rs.295 per head fare to cover a distance of
Curiously, there’s no shame or remorse that almost all few hundred yards. Profiting from people’s desperation
Asian countries – China (65) Indonesia (80-85 range), mirrors the ugly face of capitalism. Raoji, you not only
Vietnam (46); Malaysia (59/60) and Japan (61) declared owe a duty of care to your shareholders, but also to your
themselves happier, with the exceptions of Bangladesh customers.

146 EDUCATIONWORLD MAY 2026