Amazon.com
Updated Edition: Thomas L. Friedman is not so much a futurist, which he is sometimes called, as a presentist. His aim in The World Is Flat, as in his earlier, influential Lexus and the Olive Tree, is not to give you a speculative preview of the wonders that are sure to come in your lifetime, but rather to get you caught up on the wonders that are already here. The world isn't going to be flat, it is flat, which gives Friedman's breathless narrative much of its urgency, and which also saves it from the Epcot-style polyester sheen that futurists--the optimistic ones at least--are inevitably prey to.
What Friedman means by "flat" is "connected": the lowering of trade and political barriers and the exponential technical advances of the digital revolution that have made it possible to do business, or almost anything else, instantaneously with billions of other people across the planet. This in itself should not be news to anyone. But the news that Friedman has to deliver is that just when we stopped paying attention to these developments--when the dot-com bust turned interest away from the business and technology pages and when 9/11 and the Iraq War turned all eyes toward the Middle East--is when they actually began to accelerate. Globalization 3.0, as he calls it, is driven not by major corporations or giant trade organizations like the World Bank, but by individuals: desktop freelancers and innovative startups all over the world (but especially in India and China) who can compete--and win--not just for low-wage manufacturing and information labor but, increasingly, for the highest-end research and design work as well. (He doesn't forget the "mutant supply chains" like Al-Qaeda that let the small act big in more destructive ways.)
Friedman has embraced this flat world in his own work, continuing to report on his story after his book's release and releasing an unprecedented hardcover update of the book a year later with 100 pages of revised and expanded material. What's changed in a year? Some of the sections that opened eyes in the first edition--on China and India, for example, and the global supply chain--are largely unaltered. Instead, Friedman has more to say about what he now calls "uploading," the direct-from-the-bottom creation of culture, knowledge, and innovation through blogging, podcasts, and open-source software. And in response to the pleas of many of his readers about how to survive the new flat world, he makes specific recommendations about the technical and creative training he thinks will be required to compete in the "New Middle" class. As before, Friedman tells his story with the catchy slogans and globe-hopping anecdotes that readers of his earlier books and his New York Times columns know well, and he holds to a stern sort of optimism. He wants to tell you how exciting this new world is, but he also wants you to know you're going to be trampled if you don't keep up with it. A year later, one can sense his rising impatience that our popular culture, and our political leaders, are not helping us keep pace. --Tom Nissley
Where Were You When the World Went Flat?
Thomas L. Friedman's reporter's curiosity and his ability to recognize the patterns behind the most complex global developments have made him one of the most entertaining and authoritative sources for information about the wider world we live in, both as the foreign affairs columnist for the New York Times and as the author of landmark books like From Beirut to Jerusalem and The Lexus and the Olive Tree. They also make him an endlessly fascinating conversation partner, and we've now had the chance to talk to him about The World Is Flat twice. Read our original interview with him following the publication of the first edition of The World Is Flat to learn why there's almost no one from Washington, D.C., listed in the index of a book about the global economy, and what his one-plank platform for president would be. (Hint: his bumper stickers would say, "Can You Hear Me Now?")
And now you can listen to our second interview, in which he talks about the updates he's made in "The World Is Flat 2.0," including his response to parents who said to him, "Great, Mr. Friedman, I'm glad you told us the world is flat. Now what do I tell my kids?"
The Essential Tom Friedman
From Beirut to Jerusalem |
The Lexus and the Olive Tree |
Longitudes and Attitudes |
More on Globalization and Development
China, Inc. by Ted Fishman |
Three Billion New Capitalists by Clyde Prestowitz |
The End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs |
Globalization and Its Discontents by Joseph Stiglitz |
The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy by Pietra Rivoli |
The Mystery of Capital by Hernando de Soto |
Book Description
The World Is Flat is Thomas L. Friedman’s account of the great changes taking place in our time, as lightning-swift advances in technology and communications put people all over the globe in touch as never before—creating an explosion of wealth in India and China, and challenging the rest of us to run even faster just to stay in place. This updated and expanded edition features more than a hundred pages of fresh reporting and commentary, drawn from Friedman’s travels around the world and across the American heartland—from anyplace where the flattening of the world is being felt.
In The World Is Flat, Friedman at once shows “how and why globalization has now shifted into warp drive” (Robert Wright, Slate) and brilliantly demystifies the new flat world for readers, allowing them to make sense of the often bewildering scene unfolding before their eyes. With his inimitable ability to translate complex foreign policy and economic issues, he explains how the flattening of the world happened at the dawn of the twenty-first century; what it means to countries, companies, communities, and individuals; how governments and societies can, and must, adapt; and why terrorists want to stand in the way. More than ever, The World Is Flat is an essential update on globalization, its successes and discontents, powerfully illuminated by one of our most respected journalists.
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The Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist gives a bold, timely, and surprising picture of the state of globalization in the twenty-first century
Customer Reviews:
My opinion is flat.......2007-10-03
When a book has had over a thousand reviews, what can I possibly say that hasn't already been said? So I will keep it short and not so sweet.
No one will read this book, or any of the updates, for "fun." Do you NEED to read it? Yes, it contains some important economic concepts and realities, but it's a bit overlong. I'd say it could be cut in half, so skim through some of the numerous "interviews," repetition of central points, and endless advice and encouragement. The global pie is getting bigger and better, but the competition for piecies of that pie is heating up. Smart, ambitious, creative people will thrive; slow, lazy, dull people will languish, and everything inbetween. For too long many Americans have been sitting on their laurels and the day of reckoning is near. Heed this warning: Put down your TV remotes, game controllers, and iPods, and start working like your life (or lifestyle) depended on it. Get your rear into some serious gear, and don't balk at the notion that you should be an "expert" in at least three different, unrelated fields. Does this scare or excite you?
In so many interviews with foreign entrepreneurs, we are told (or reassured) that no matter how much of the "mundane" work is performed by countries other than the U.S., America's creative and innovative spark is still unsurpassed: All the world looks to America to lead the way into the future. I'm not sure. A lot of that "mundane" work was high level and highly paid, and why should we expect that America will continue to dominate in creativity and innovation? The truth is, we're in for a flattening of living standards, and from the perspective of the relatively high American standard of living, it will seem like a drop in standards until we reach another equilibrium (who knows how long that will take?). In any case, the reassurances about the talents and abilities of Americans seem at odds with other parts of the book, such as Bill Gates feeling "terrified at the American work force of tomorrow."
If you're already working hard at becoming an expert in three fields, then you probably don't need to read this book. Indeed, you probably don't have time to read it, or to read and write Amazon reviews, for that matter.
Great book to introduce an inside to the 90's and now.......2007-10-03
This was an excellent book for someone who is ever curious about the expanding global ecomomy as a whole. As a sailor in the U.S. Navy I found the book fasinating because I not only grew up during which most of the book was talking about but I am witnessing the predictions of the book first hand. Great book all around!!
Friedman's writing and subjects are captivating.......2007-09-27
Are you still a little confused about why American corporations are outsourcing to India and manufacturing in China, or why Al Qaeda has suddenly become so powerful? If so, this is the book for you.
Friedman's made 'Globalization' simple enough for a high school student to understand. That being said, this is NOT a high school textbook. It is NOT dry. Friedman is a great journalist and an author who will hold your attention chapter after chapter.
Friedman has a knack for taking complex and often emotionally charged issues and breaking them down into easy to understand concepts. You don't have to be a graduate student to enjoy this book. It's great!
Globalization 3.0.......2007-09-24
I wish I had read this book during a Globalization class I took a year ago.
Friedman is an exceptional writer, very engaging. He really lays out the information well and then brings in together in the latter part of the book.
I thought the middle part of the book could of been edited a bit.
Overall, an excellent introduction to globalization and the affect this will have on the US and industries in general.
Great Read.......2007-09-23
I actually listened to the audio version of this book for an information technology class I teach and found his discussion of the flatteners of the world very interesting and well explained.
The writing style, although technical at times, has a narrative style to it.
One critique I have of the book is that the author may be a little over optimistic about how new technologies and global connections will benefit everyone in the world.
Certainly worth a read (or listen).
Book Description
This easy-to-read book emphasizes how to use basic economic theory and where to apply it to international economic issues. It empowers readers to understand the international economics they will encounter in business publications such as the Wall Street Journal, and to use international economics to make business decisions.
The first half of the book covers international trade, factor movements, and trade and economic development; the final ten chapters on international finance can be divided into at least three parts: national income accounting and exchange rate determination; purchasing power parity and the real exchange rate; and open economy macroeconomics.
A useful reference for government officials dealing with international trade and finance issues, and for private citizens who want to learn more about the effect of international economics on business in the 21
st century.
Customer Reviews:
Simplified, but not dumbed-down.......2007-07-09
I found this text to be an excellent introduction to international economics, especially for a student who is not an economics major. As a business and political science student, I found the text simplified many of the concepts to a point that was understandable but not insulting. Moreover, the range of topics was perfect for a semester.
My takeaways from the text were:
-The scope and content of international trade.
-Why international trade is important and beneficial.
-Absolute vs. Comparative Advantage.
-The barriers of trade, and their effects at the macro- and micro-economic level.
-National income accounting and Balance of Payments.
-Introduction to International Financial Markets.
-An overview of trade agreements, especially the WTO.
The text built a solid foundation. The companion website to the book really helped me understand the information on a broader level, and was an invaluable tool in finding great sources for my research.
Book Description
Of all the tech tigers in India, Wipro is one of a handful that stands out from the pack. In the past five years, it has become one of the most accomplished tech services providers in the world, delivering business value through a combination of process excellence, quality frameworks, and service delivery innovation. Totally dedicated to customer satisfaction, Wipro is known to go above and beyond to make customers happy. It’s a move that’s paid off handsomely, with a 24 percent operating profit in its tech services division—more than twice the industry average.
Bangalore Tiger is the story of Wipro’s transformation and its impact on the tech services industry and the rules of global competition. BusinessWeek senior writer Steve Hamm takes you inside the halls of this transnational phenomenon to reveal the true secrets of Wipro’s superior business: its people, principles, and core competencies.
From Wipro’s triumphs to its missteps, Hamm mines a treasure of business lessons, explaining how and, more important, why it is necessary to:
- Expand quickly without stumbling
- Follow the new rules for outsourcers
- Innovate every day—or else
- Be obsessive about customers
- Motivate employees the Wipro way
- Plan three years ahead to prepare for rapid growth
Hamm also gives you a rare glimpse into the mind of Wipro’s charismatic chairman and thought leader, Azim Premji. Guiding Wipro’s growth every step of the way, Premji was one of the first business leaders in India to decree that his company would not pay bribes. You’ll see how his adoption of world-class business processes helped Wipro thrive—and how Wipro is helping to fulfill his dream of a better educated, more prosperous India. Removing the shroud of secrecy around Indian management principles, Hamm provides a real-world blueprint for operating a successful transnational organization, as viewed through the eye of the Bangalore Tiger.
Customer Reviews:
When your labor force only costs you 20 cents an hour instead of a dollar, then it is not all that difficult to compete!.......2007-09-14
This was a very good book. It is clearly written and easy to follow. It explains the 40-year history of one of India's most successful companies at present - Wipro. What started out as a peanut oil company owned by the current Chairman's father has morphed into a huge outsourcing company serving many of America's largest corporations. It has also become an adept mergers and acquistions company to help fuel its growth.
Since the book is a good read and it candidly explains how Wipro has grown over the past 40 years to become a multibillion-dollar company, I certainly recommend entrepreneurs, businessmen, and corporate executives take a look at it. However, the business principles cited are nothing new. And when the US economy tanks, then so will this company. Basically this company stands out because it is leaching off the US's elevated standard of living that cannot continue to exist if companies like Wipro continue to grow.
Two mornings ago I was reading a newspaper article about a lake in California that has been infested by Canadian Northern Pike. The Pike have no predators and they are killing the lake since they exist at the top of the food chain. I bring this up because Wipro is kind of like the Pike, and the US is kind of like the lake.
This book has five parts:
1. Taking on the West
2. People principles to lead by
3. Build on core principles
4. Success stories
5. How to inject the tiger in your own company
I'd give this book a 5 star rating if it had stopped at Part IV. But when it added Part V and tried to tout that Wipro was something for US companies to aspire to, I had to cut back a bit on my rating. If you were to drop Wipro into the US and force it to use US labor, then it would go belly-up. And that being the case, it certainly is not a poster child for US companies to examine.
What readers of this book should get from it is that the US is a lake and Wipro and other companies providing outsourcing services are a Pike. And if the US continues to let India, China, and Mexico provide cheap labor for US companies TO THE DETRIMENT OF US WORKERS, then the US is going to fail and at the same time the revenue source for these "pike " is going to fail. Not a good picture. 4 stars!
Excellent study of a high-tech trendsetter.......2007-08-24
From humble beginnings as a manufacturer of vegetable oil in India, Wipro reinvented itself, with stunning speed, as one of the world's leading providers of high-tech and business-process outsourcing (BPO) services to clients around the globe. Early in this decade, Wipro's annual revenues were $500 million. B the end of the first quarter of 2007, Wipro revenues had risen to $3.47 billion - a 41% increase over the same period in 2006. The firm is an acclaimed high-tech trendsetter. It received the accolade most prized by true business cognoscenti: becoming the subject of a Harvard Business School case study. The school examined how Wipro applied the principles of Toyota's "Lean" production system to its operations. So who is Wipro, what does the company do, and how did it become so successful so fast? We recommend that executives and managers read this book to discover the answers. Learn how your company can adopt the Wipro Way to turbocharge its operations.
A title with a much broader message!.......2007-07-09
Steve Hamm's Bangalore Tiger is a very readable book for anyone interested in understanding how Indian companies (Wipro is what he has showcased here) operate, or should operate, in today's global climate. As a journalist, Steve leverages both his observation skills and writing mastery, and, as a Westerner, looks at Wipro (and outsourcing) through an expert lens. His message is quite universal for anyone or for any company trying to succeed in today's world. Although the first four parts are Wipro specific, the subtext of his message in those parts is actually much broader in its implication. His final and the fifth part is the most useful for anyone who wants to emulate the success Wipro has achieved. All in all, it is a must read for anyone who is trying to understand how to work in India today. In fact, as their career coach, to many of my clients, who are transitioning back to India, I recomend them this title to round out their returning plans.
Indian outsourcers are now where the Japanese automotive companues were in 1969 - huge changes are coming.......2007-02-19
Steve Hamm has given us a useful book about an important company. The emergence of the big Indian outsourcers is one of the most promising developments of the past decade and is every bit as important as the rise of Toyota, Honda and the rest of the Japanese automotive industry. Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, HCL, NIIT (a smaller player, but important in learning and as an enabler) and of course Wipro are redefining the world of software services, and in all likelihood we are just at the beginning of the transformation that this will catalyze.
In Bangalore Tiger the story of the rise of Wipro from a small Mumbai food-oil company to a multi-billion dollar information services and business process outsourcer is well told. The discipline and vision of its management, led by Azim Premji, comes across clearly, as does the culture of efficiency, innovation, and customer service that he and his team have created. Extremely important for those of us who collaborate and compete with the Indian tigers is the way they have adopted and then transformed key management tools. The Indian tigers have shown true leadership in implementing CMM (the Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model), making rigorous use of techniques such as UML (something Hamm misses in his book), ISO standards and even Six Sigma. Wipro's application of Toyota's lean production system to software and business services is an important development and one worthy of much more attention. The Deming is to Toyota as SEI CMM is to Wipro analogy works for me. And then to bring this full circle by applying the Toyota way to software is a lovely development.
So why only four stars? Part of this is a response to Hamm's irritating comments on US companies, which often seem to be poorly informed. In fact, people in Western services business work every bit as hard as those at Wipro, at least the ones I work with, and are as open and aggressive about applying new methodologies. The book also suffers from the occasional technical errors (I suppose his editors should have caught these). In order to get a fuller view of the rise of the Indian IT and business process outsourcers one must read much more widely on the overall structure of Indian business (the role of Indian generic drug manufacturers for example), understand the strengths and weaknesses of the Indian educational system, and put this in context of the emerging competitive partnership with China.
But read the book. I know Wipro reasonably well, have visited Indian companies in India, and try to keep current in the area, and I learned a great deal.
More Valuable When Generalized!.......2007-01-11
"Bangalore Tiger's" purpose is to provide insight and praise for Wipro, a large and growing outsourcing company in India. (Market capitalization 2/06 of $20 billion, vs. $13 billion for EDS - the original outsourcer.) However, the book's real value is to document outsourcing trends in the software and business process re-engineering areas. (Also remember that libraries are full of analyses of successful companies at the height of their impact, only to flame-out 2-3 years later.)
Hamm asserts that '03 profit margins at the top six Indian software etc. technology firms averaged 21.7%, vs. 4.3% for the top Western firms (eg. IBM, EDS, HP, etc.). While the Indian share was only 3% in '06, it had grown 33% in just the last year, and was projected to hit 10% by '08. Meanwhile, it is also expanding to legal, market research, online education, and medical areas. Experts believe India's economy will be the world's 3rd largest by 2050, behind China and the U.S.
Addition insight into the power of the Indian challenge is provided by returning to Wipro data: 1.2 million apply/year, but only 20,000 are hired. Wipro operates about 40 Centers of Excellence at any one time - these focus on integrating emerging technologies into business process.
Finally, as to the credibility of the Wipro (think India) threat - Hamm reminds us how people laughed at Toyota when it first sent cars to the U.S.
Large business managers and politicians need to read "Bangalore Tiger," as well as other books summarizing the China and illegal Mexican immigrant threats to the U.S. One may be OK - all three provide serious challenge.
Amazon.com
It began with a simple $27 loan. After witnessing the cycle of poverty that kept many poor women enslaved to high-interest loan sharks in Bangladesh, Dr. Muhammad Yunus lent money to 42 women so they could purchase bamboo to make and sell stools. In a short time, the women were able to repay the loans while continuing to support themselves and their families. With that initial eye-opening success, the seeds of the Grameen Bank, and the concept of microcredit, were planted.
After earning a Ph.D. in economics at Vanderbilt University, Dr. Yunus returned to Bangladesh to settle into a life as a professor. But a famine in 1974 ravaged the country, leading Dr. Yunus to alter his thinking and his life profoundly: "What good were all my complex theories when people were dying of starvation on the sidewalks and porches across from my lecture hall?.... Nothing in the economic theories I taught reflected the life around me." Armed with little more than a lofty dream to end the suffering around him, he started an experimental microcredit enterprise in 1977; by 1983 the Grameen Bank was officially formed.
The idea behind the Grameen Bank is ingeniously simple: extend credit to poor people and they will help themselves. This concept strikes at the root of poverty by specifically targeting the poorest of the poor, providing small loans (usually less than $300) to those unable to obtain credit from traditional banks. At Grameen, loans are administered to groups of five people, with only two receiving their money up front. As soon as these two make a few regular payments, loans are gradually extended to the rest of the group. In this way, the program builds a sense of community as well as individual self-reliance. Most of the Grameen Bank's loans are to women, and since its inception, there has been an astonishing loan repayment rate of over 98 percent.
Banker to the Poor is an inspiring memoir of the birth of microcredit, written in a conversational tone that makes it both moving and enjoyable to read. The Grameen Bank is now a $2.5 billion banking enterprise in Bangladesh, while the microcredit model has spread to over 50 countries worldwide, from the U.S. to Papua New Guinea, Norway to Nepal. Ever optimistic, Yunus travels the globe spreading the belief that poverty can be eliminated: "...the poor, once economically empowered, are the most determined fighters in the battle to solve the population problem; end illiteracy; and live healthier, better lives. When policy makers finally realize that the poor are their partners, rather than bystanders or enemies, we will progress much faster that we do today." Dr. Yunus's efforts prove that hope is a global currency. --Shawn Carkonen
Book Description
This autobiography of the world-renowned, visionary economist who came up with a simple but revolutionary solution to end world poverty--micro-credit--has become the classic text for a growing movement.
In 1983 Muhammad Yunus established Grameen, a bank devoted to providing the poorest of Bangladesh with miniscule loans. He aimed to help the poor by supporting the spark of personal initiative and enterprise by which they could lift themselves out of poverty forever. It was an idea born on a day in 1976 when he loaned $27 from his own pocket to forty-two people living in a tiny village. They were stool makers who only needed enough credit to purchase the raw materials for their trade. Yunus's loan helped them break the cycle of poverty and changed their lives forever. His solution to world poverty, founded on the belief that credit is a fundamental human right, is brilliantly simple: loan poor people money on terms that are suitable to them, teach them a few sound financial principles, and they will help themselves.
Yunus's theories work. Grameen Bank has provided 3.8 billion dollars to 2.4 million families in rural Bangladesh. Today, more than 250 institutions in nearly 100 countries operate micro-credit programs based on the Grameen methodology, placing Grameen at the forefront of a burgeoning world movement toward eradicating poverty through micro-lending.
Customer Reviews:
Turning Inspiration into Action.......2007-10-05
Not wanting to repeat the accolades mentioned in the reviews posted I would like to instead share how reading this book and meeting Yunus was a catalyst to some actions I took both on a personal and professional level. The intent is not self promotion or to showcase my efforts. Instead, I am providing ideas and addressing those of you who may find, as I did, that after finishing the last page you are left with a desire to do something. The dilemma was what could I do ......I am not a bank or live in a developing country. I did give copies of the book to friends, colleagues and family but I wanted to do something more concrete. Well, with micro finance "on my radar" I took some actions both on a personal and professional level that I hope are making a difference and are in some ways increasing the visibility and awareness of micro financing.
First a little background and comments on the book.....I had the great honor of meeting Mohammad Yunus shortly after he received the Nobel Peace prize in 2006 at an event in Paris sponsored by Planet Finance. Yunus is truly an inspirational person, charismatic in a subtle way, who has touched the lives of many. His enthusiasm is contagious. The book Banker to the Poor is a fascinating read.... humorous, touching and informational as it traces the evolution of the micro finance model from concept (starting with Yunus lending the equivalent of $27 to stool makers) to what it is today with over 7.2 million clients. What resonates with me is the idea of lending versus aid dumps from the World Bank, UN, NGO's and charity organizations. I don't want to discount the millions given as direct charity to the needy but the concept of micro finance creates a sense of pride and responsibility not to mention innovation and creativity. Micro finance can also generate incremental improvement versus charity or outright donations which, in many cases dries up, is short term and results in dependence instead of empowerment.
Some actions I took:
* I became aware of KIVA (www.kiva.org) an organization that facilitates micro loans (as little as $25) from individuals like you and I to a specific entrepreneur in a developing world empowering them to lift themselves out of poverty. These individuals are in fact showcased on the site where you can see a picture and read about the entrepreneur you have chosen. KIVA is founded by an impressive team of "Social Entrepreneurs". Using technology, KIVA brings the lenders and borrowers together and provides an online community for lenders who are also showcased on the site. Involving my daughter (10) in the decision process we are lending to an entrepreneur in Samoa, so she can buy timber to improve her greenhouse for her flower business.
* As President of my alumni association (Thunderbird) I organized an event around Micro Financing with the Managing Director of Planet Rating, a microfinance rating agency, as a guest speaker.
* At a university in Paris I run a project based course involving teams of MBA students. Proposing a project related to micro finance the students were enthusiastic and completed a study on micro finance in Europe.
* Professionally, I work with individuals in career transition and entrepreneurs in helping them to identify their unique strengths and values and message their brand appropriately both online and offline. Fundamentally, I find that people have a social conscious and want to do something concrete. To this end I suggest lending to a KIVA entrepreneur as a way to concretely incorporate a social conscious into their brand.
* As part of my involvement in a Global Telesummit entitled a Brand You World www.personalbrandingsummit.com I am involved in raising $100,000 in loans for KIVA entrepreneurs in the developing world. Incidentally, Kiva was featured on Oprah and is mentioned in Clinton's book "Giving".
Having shared how I was inspired by reading this book I would be more then interested in hearing how it inspired you and what actions you took.
Bernadette
Bernadette Martin
www.visibilitybranding.com
Enlightening work.......2007-08-12
Muhammad Yunus believed that every human being had a basic right to credit. He believed in the human spirit and peoples' hard work and honesty when given a chance to sustain themselves above poverty. His accomplishments have proven his theory over and over in several countries to millions of people. Micro-lending will surely be a part of the future success in Africa, Asia, and South America. A modified form of Mr. Yunus' model has worked in the USA, unfortunately, we as Americans aren't schooled nor molded to be basic entrepreneurs. We must change our school systems from teaching how to become good employees to how to become entrepreneurs as well. Mr. Yunus' model includes 5 person groups to help each other and support each other when one gets behind in loan repayments and/or family crisis. This is a very important requirement to micro-lending and must not be excluded when trying to duplicate the success of the Grameen Bank.
Thank goodness we have people in our world like Muhammad Yunus to teach us how to treat other human beings.
Poverty should be extinct!.......2007-08-09
This book is a testament to the good one can do to millions of people!
Poverty belongs in museums! One day, thanks to humanitarians like Muhammad Yunus, poverty will be something of the past and totally extinct, and the next generation will wonder how poverty was ever allowed to exist within our midst. Indeed that will be a glorious day!
Professor Yunus recounts his early life living in India, Bangladesh, and then in the United States. He was born in 1940 in British-ruled India. He was one of fourteen children born to devout Muslim parents. His mother was often ill, but despite this, his father never left her. Yunus later obtained a scholarship to study in the States, earned a Ph.D. in economics at Vanderbilt University, and later became a professor. He once commented to his students, "What good were all my complex theories when people were dying of starvation on the sidewalks and porches across from my lecture hall? Nothing in the economic theories I taught reflected the life around me."
As a young man he was very involved in the independence of Bangladesh when hundreds of thousands died, and many more after Bangladesh declared itself independent. The country was devastated, and stripped of its natural resources. Professor Yunus quickly left the US and headed to Bangladesh in order to help create a government, and thus get international help and support.
He was very concerned about the poor, and decided to help them. He was surprised why banks did not lend them money. Also the majority of the poor couldn't write or read, so they couldn't even fill out the forms required by banks in order to obtain a loan.
Grameen Bank (The name means the "bank of the village") was thus started in 1976 as an experimental project to combat rural poverty by providing credit to the very poor. Professor Yunus loaned $27 from his own pocket to forty-two stool makers living in a tiny village. These women only needed enough credit to purchase the raw materials for their trade. Yunus's small loan helped them break the cycle of poverty for good. Throughout the book you'll read of many such success stories.
Professor Yunus faced a lot of obstacles in creating his bank. He was accused by the Muslim clergy (Mullahs) of wanting to destroy Islamic traditions, and of promoting Christian values in Bangladesh. Some of his staff were even threatened. This was due to the fact that the bank encourages women to take loans and work, something of a taboo and highly unacceptable to Muslim women living in Bangladesh. In fact, many women were beaten by their husbands for the mere mention of money, let alone taking a loan. Women were also not encouraged to receive an education or work. Professor Yunus says, "All her life she has been told that she is no good, that she brings only misery to her family, and that they cannot afford to pay her dowry. Many times she hears her mother or her father tell her she should have been killed at birth, aborted, or starved. But today, for the first time in her life, an institution has trusted her with a great sum of money. She promises that she will never let down the institution or herself. She will struggle to make sure that every penny is paid back (65)."
In 1983 Grameen Bank (GB) was officially established. It is unique in that it has reversed conventional banking practices by removing the need for collateral and created a banking system based on mutual trust. It promotes credit as a human right. Its mission is to help the poor families to help themselves to overcome poverty by issuing them with microcredits (very small amounts, like $7, something a conventional bank would never do). It is offered for creating self-employment for income-generating activities and housing, as opposed to consumption. It is particularly targeted towards poor women. It provides service at the door-step of the poor based on the principle that the people should not go to the bank; the bank should go to the people. This principal is helpful in a Muslim society where women are not allowed to leave their homes without the approval of their husband, and are not allowed to speak with men.
In order to obtain loans a borrower must join a group of borrowers, with each borrower recommending another. If one member of the group defaults on payment of his loan, then the whole group is denied further loans! However, to encourage destitute members to join, he/she does not have to belong to a group, no saving is necessary, no weekly repayment is necessary, his/her loan terms are decided by him/her, in consultation with his/her mentor.
A member is considered to have moved out of poverty if her family fulfills the following criteria:
1. The family lives in a house worth at least Tk. 25,000 (twenty five thousand) or a house with a tin roof, and each member of the family is able to sleep on bed instead of on the floor.
2. Family members drink pure water.
3. All children in the family over six years of age go to school or have finished primary school.
4. Minimum weekly loan installment of the borrower is Tk. 200 or more.
5. Family uses sanitary latrine.
6. Family has adequate clothing for everyday use and for winter, and mosquito-nets.
7. Family has sources of additional income, such as a vegetable garden, so that they are able to fall back on these sources of income when they need additional money.
8. The borrower maintains an average annual balance of Tk. 5,000 in his/her savings accounts.
9. Family has three square meals a day throughout the year. No member of the family goes hungry any time of the year.
10. If any member of the family falls ill, family can afford to take all necessary steps to seek adequate healthcare.
Professor Yunus distrusted dealing with the World Bank. According to professor Yunus, the world bank, with its headquarters away from Bangladesh, does not see poverty, but relies on theories. He also was wary of how they took full control of a country's financial needs.
There were a number of major natural disasters in Bangladesh. The 1998 flood was the worst of all. Half of the country was under flood-water for ten long weeks. Grameen borrowers lost most of their possessions including their houses because of the flood. Soon borrowers started to feel the burden of accumulated loans. They found the new installment sizes exceeded their capacity to repay. Grameen Bank repayment started to show quick decline. This was a good opportunity to design a new Grameen methodology, incorporating all the lessons learnt. As a result, Grameen Bank II was created.
The bank believes that the poor always pay back their loans, unlike the very rich. On some occasions they may take longer time to pay back than it was originally stipulated. Many things can go wrong for a poor person during the loan period. According to professor Yunus, since the borrower is paying additional interest for the extra time, where is the problem?
Grameen Bank has introduced higher education loans for all students who can enter into the higher educational institutions (medical, engineering, etc). Students are made responsible to repay the loans when they start earning. Half the scholarships are reserved for girl students. The remaining 50 per cent is open for both boys and girls. Each year Grameen Bank gives out 3,704 scholarships.
Grameen believes that poverty is not created by the poor; it is created by the institutions and policies which surround them. In order to eliminate poverty, all we need to do is to make appropriate changes in the institutions and policies, and/or create new ones.
Muhammad Yunus and his Grameen Bank of Bangladesh won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize.
As of May, 2007, Grameen Bank had 7.21 million borrowers, 97 percent of whom are women. With 2431 branches, it provides services in 78,659 villages, covering more than 94 percent of the total villages in Bangladesh.
About 3 billion people live on less than $1 per day. Professor Yunus' vision is of eliminating poverty by 2050.
This is really a fascinating book and I highly recommend it.
Great for those interested in poverty relief/development.......2007-08-07
After reading, we bought multiple copies to give away to colleagues working in various capacities in poor areas of the world. Yunus' ideas and experience need to be examined and considered. This is no World Bank/UN/WMF big program aid-dump, but a reasonable, realistic, measured path from poverty to empowerment for the world's poor.
Lateral Banking.......2007-07-03
Learn how limiting entrenched Eurocentric thinking can be. Be inspired by the lateral thinking of Muhammad Yunus! A heartwarming read with just a touch too much description of the complexities of beaurocracy, but a must read nevertheless.
Book Description
The 2003 International Building Code addresses the design and installation of building systems through requirements that emphasize performance. Fully compatible with all the International Codes, the 2003 edition provides up-to-date, comprehensive coverage that establishes minimum regulations for building systems using prescriptive- and performance-related provisions. Content is founded on broad-based principles that make possible the use of materials and building designs. Structural as well as fire- and life-safety provisions covering seismic, wind, accessibility, egress, occupancy, roofs, and more are included.
Customer Reviews:
international building code 2003 3 ring binder.......2007-03-16
book arrived on time in great condition, better than i expected. I was a little concerned about buying on line but this was worth it no dought!! great investment for my small business, Arctic Aloha Drafting, Thank you.
The IBC more than just another building code.......2006-03-22
The IBC is the long-time-coming consolidation of the three major building codes in the US and there is nothing "international" about it. Back in the 70's the 3 code organizations formed BOCA and put out a 1 & 2 family dwelling code. The 3 members them gradually made changes to the individual building codes that brought them into similar formats, then they combined them into one code in 2000, the IBC, and modified the dwelling code to be the IRC (Int. Residential Code)and changed the organization's name to the ICC, the Int. Code Council. There little to review about the content since it is either the law in your area or it is not. For comparisons to previous codes and other information try the ICC's website http://www.iccsafe.org/
A Strucural Engineer's Necessity.......2005-09-06
It is pretty difficult to review a specification that you must have.
49 states are now adopting this Code.......2003-09-07
Better learn this code. Local codes are being swept away by one standard. Here is Colorado each town had its own test, amendments and licensing system. California is the only state, having revamped its code 2 years ago, to keep its system.
I finish basements, often for homeowners who think they can do it. From Loveland, I can work any city without irate inspectors wondering why I don't know their specific requirements. Good book.
Customer Reviews:
The second edition needs some work........2007-07-09
I have had other texts that did a great job at highlighting the key concepts, perhaps creating a sidebar to point out definitions and concepts as they occur in the text. This book assumes that your highlighter will find these nuggets by itself. Also, the chapter summaries were pretty skimpy, and I did not find them to be a valuable study resource.
However, the end-of-chapter questions and problems were fantastic resources to expand my learning and discover weaknesses. I was also impressed by the choice of case studies. These real-world examples contributed to a deeper understanding, and provided a starting point for research.
The range of topics included:
-The International Monetary System.
-Balance of Payments.
-Foreign exchange markets and rates.
-Management of risk due to foreign exchange exposure.
-Sources of global equity and debt.
-International Portfolio Diversification Theory.
-International Tax Management Strategies.
I did learn alot about Multinational Finance from this book, but I think my learning would have been enhanced if the book were developed further.
Book Description
Discover both sides of international business and how to prepare for the future. GLOBAL STRATEGY doesn't just show you what it's like for foreign businesses entering a new market; it also reveals what domestic companies must do to survive foreign competition. Written to be easy-to-read and full of study tools, GLOBAL STRATEGY is the resource that helps out on the test and gets you ready for your next job. Your purchase includes a World Map and access to InfoTrac College Edition, an online university library of full-length articles from more than 5,000 academic and popular magazines, newspapers, and journals.
Customer Reviews:
Teach Our Students How to Fish.......2007-07-30
As a PhD student teaching global strategy and international business, I like this book, not only for its comprehensive theoretical framework, but also for its openness for a series of debates on globalization. The theoretical framework can help students analyze the complex global business environment. More importantly, a series of debates can open their eyes, and can help them build more skills to deal with challenges in a globalizing world (think about the current buzz on offshoring and outsourcing).
Many textbooks attempted to teach students how to arrive at "correct" answers. They just tell students what is already known, and do not describe the sorts of problems that the professional may be asked to solve and the variety of techniques available for their solution. This textbook deviates from the rest of pack, because the author tries to integrate many new fronts (and yes, even debates!) in the academic and practitioner world (see the long list of references) and cultivates a "global mental set" based on his rich experience in many countries. What is most refreshing is that the author does not give a single answer or simple evaluation for many questions, but provides many possible approaches to widen the reader's mindset. In fact, every chapter has a beefy section devoted to "Debates and Extensions," with no given conclusions.
Even vivid business cases will fade quickly and be forgotten in this dramatically changing world. So a set of "divergent thinking skills" will play a more important role in helping students develop long-term capabilities in their career success. Through this book, students will learn how to recognize and evaluate many problems to which no unequivocal solution has yet been given, find an arsenal of techniques (industry-based view, resource-based view, and institution-based view) for approaching these problems, and develop "global mental sets" to judge the relevance of these techniques and to evaluate the possible solutions.
The ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi once said: "Give a man a fish and you will feed him for a day; but teach him how to fish and you will feed him for a lifetime." Truly, this exciting book may teach our students how to fish!
Great book for International Business/Strategy class.......2007-03-07
As a professor, I have used several books for International Business classes and I have to say there are Global Business books that should have been titled as International Politics or American Business. This book has a good balance between country analyses such as EU regulation, privatization in emerging economies, and company perspectives such as entering into foreign countries, creating synergy between divisions. The cases cover companies from a lot of countries; they provide enough information to complement the chapters but are not too long so that it's easy to read through. My students and I enjoyed this book very much!
Avoid this textbook.......2006-12-25
I'm presently a student studying International Business and Marketing at a local university. This review is based on the copyright 2006 edition.
The real-world examples are extremely out of date for a global business book. For example, the interactive case 1.1 states 2000 annual report figures for GN Netcom. Another example, mentioning Yahoo! back in 2001. We all know how this competitive marketplace has changed dramatically over the past few years, and in fact changes every 6 months. When I am paying $113 for a textbook that publishers push out a new edition every year or two, I expect my money to go towards updates in the examples that are used. I realize that strategic principles don't change and can be applied towards any case in time- but this author charges a premium on a book that should be at least half the price.
Second, the structure and layout of this book is horrible. It does not break out the key points or core concepts from this rather blandly written book. The end of chapter questions are not intuitive enough, and lack the depth that a textbook should require. There is also not enough use of diagrams to illustrate the points in the text.
Third, this book is printed in black and white- another cost savings that should not justify the high price. It reminds me of reading textbooks from 15 years ago. This book will definitely be sold back at the end of the class.
So, if you are a teacher- please seriously evaluate this book before you require students to purchase it. I'm fortunate that I am taking another strategy class and there is enough overlap that I can just skim over Global Strategy by Mike Peng to fill in the gaps that I miss in the other book. A far better recommendation- Crafting and Executing Strategy by Arthur Thomson Jr., etc. Fellow students, I feel your pain if you have to read this book.
Very engaging book.......2005-04-26
This is by far the best written business textbook I read in college. The book offers a very wide variety of real-world examples of the different strategies and actions explained in the book. These examples span all kinds of companies, from large MNE's to small businesses based in developing nations. The text is written very straightforward and the book seems to flow well from chapter to chapter. I was lucky to have Mike Peng as my professor in international business, because he devoted as much attention to his students as he did to his textbook.
Book Description
Introduction to International Trade and Finance is written for a one semester course in international economics found in undergraduate business programs. The author, Dominick Salvatore, is very well known and respected in this segment of the market. He presents the material using a real-world perspective in order to help readers gain a better understanding of critical concepts.
Customer Reviews:
Concise, but poor explanations.......2007-05-02
The concepts presented aren't that difficult; it's just that the descriptions and verbiage used make the explanations and examples difficult to see clearly. In some cases, they're too brief/hand-waving, and in other cases, worked-out examples/problems with numbers would have aided the student in remembering the concepts. In some instances, the key insight or point of clarity isn't discussed long enough to cement it in the mind of the reader. In some cases, cause and effect aren't clear.
Also missing is language that explains why, in real world terms, why the subject is important and directly affects people and decisions.
I honestly believe he's a knowledgeable economist...but this is where MOST professors and authors fail: because they're so advanced, they have never cultivated the ability to pre-digest the information into a form, and at a level of someone who doesn't yet understand and whose mind doesn't yet contain all the mental pictures and years of reinforcement/anchors. I know that in some instances, professors on tight schedules write fast and furious, rather than crafting their sentences, which is absolutely necessary when explaining new information.
The book is pleasantly thin, and all the chapters are filled with relevant information. A bit of focused review of supply and demand concepts would have helped, as well as more photographs. If I had written the book, the captions of the figures would have contained all the explanations, rather than placing them in text paragraphs.
Book Description
Market-defining since it was first introduced,
International Business 6e by Charles W. L. Hill, continues to set the standard for international business textbooks. In writing the book, Charles Hill draws on his experience in teaching, writing, and global consulting to create the most thorough, up-to-date, and thought-provoking text on the market. Because many issues in international business are complex, the text explores the pros and cons of economic theories, government policies, business strategies, organizational structures, etc. Hill’s: International Business is known for its strong emphasis on strategy, and for maintaining a tight integrated flow between chapters. Hill’s book is practical in nature, focusing on the managerial implications of each topic on the actual practice of international business. The author’s passion and enthusiasm for the international business arena is apparent on every page as he strives to make important theories interesting, informative, and accessible to all students.
Customer Reviews:
Hill's International Business.......2007-09-27
Great book for my MBA course in International Business. It is well organized, full of clearly defined principles, and loaded with case studies.
Don't waste your money.......2007-06-28
I think that these reviews are for the textbook and not for this "outline." This product is nothing but a glossary and binder paper. It isn't worth half the price. I'm very, very disappointed. Most of the definitions are repeated in other chapters and it gives definitions for words like "Disney," and "Accounting." This thing is completely useless to me.
Culture, Economics, Stategy, and Corportate Functions.......2007-05-17
I've used previous editions of this text in my international business course, and have decided to adopt this one as well. The text does a great job of hitting every topic that international business people/corporations need to know. The text covers country differences, economics, strategy, and corporate functions.
Another Amazon review incorrectly suggested that the author of this text is biased politically and in favor of larger firms. If the author intended to introduce a political bias in the text he certainly could have done it with the cases, but it is clear from reading such cases as the Kellogg Brown & Root case on page 190 that the author has no particular axe to grind. It is, in short, simply impossible to guess the author's political orientation.
The book also has no bias in favor of larger firms. The business school in which I teach is (in fact) oriented towards entrepreneurship and smaller firms. The text was selected, in part, because the information imparted would be just as valuable to small firms as it would be to the large. The author specifically addresses the topic of "mini-multinationals" as well as topics that would be of interest primarily to smaller firms.
smooth transaction, exact product, nice&easy supplier.......2007-05-14
exact product at an affordable price w a smooth transaction
Bias written into text.......2007-05-13
If you don't mind your information being written from the Western, pro Big-Business, capitalist view, the bias conveyed throughout the text won't be a problem. But if you are looking for something objective, something to fairly present the concepts associated with globalization, search elsewhere.
In the first two chapters alone, several instances of bias are written into the text. For example, in the first chapter, protesters of the WTO are referred to as "anarchists" and in the second chapter the difference between communists and social democrats is claimed to be that communists use violence in their revolutions. This is clearly not the case. While historically this may be true of the revolts, this is not even close to the fundamental difference between the two groups. For the first example, it can be seen that thousands of people gather to protest the WTO and it is certain that a select few, if any, consider themselves anarchists.
It is clear where the author stands!
Book Description
India remains a mystery to many Americans, even as it is poised to become the world’s third largest economy within a generation, outstripping Japan. It will surpass China in population by 2032 and will have more English speakers than the United States by 2050. In In Spite of the Gods, Edward Luce, a journalist who covered India for many years, makes brilliant sense of India and its rise to global power. Already a number-one bestseller in India, his book is sure to be acknowledged for years as the definitive introduction to modern India.
In Spite of the Gods illuminates a land of many contradictions. The booming tech sector we read so much about in the West, Luce points out, employs no more than one million of India’s 1.1 billion people. Only 35 million people, in fact, have formal enough jobs to pay taxes, while three-quarters of the country lives in extreme deprivation in India’s 600,000 villages. Yet amid all these extremes exists the world’s largest experiment in representative democracy—and a largely successful one, despite bureaucracies riddled with horrifying corruption.
Luce shows that India is an economic rival to the U.S. in an entirely different sense than China is. There is nothing in India like the manufacturing capacity of China, despite the huge potential labor force. An inept system of public education leaves most Indians illiterate and unskilled. Yet at the other extreme, the middle class produces ten times as many engineering students a year as the United States. Notwithstanding its future as a major competitor in a globalized economy, American. leaders have been encouraging India’s rise, even welcoming it into the nuclear energy club, hoping to balance China’s influence in Asia.
Above all, In Spite of the Gods is an enlightening study of the forces shaping India as it tries to balance the stubborn traditions of the past with an unevenly modernizing present. Deeply informed by scholarship and history, leavened by humor and rich in anecdote, it shows that India has huge opportunities as well as tremendous challenges that make the future “hers to lose.”
Customer Reviews:
A must read for anyone trying to understand modern India.......2007-09-18
This is an important book on modern India. Edward Luce has been a foreign correspondent in India for many years and knows the country well. He provides a comprehensive survey of the politics and economics of India going into the 21st century. I was initially disappointed by the opening pages dealing with a few new-age types living in luxury and marveling at the spirituality of India while completely ignoring the poverty. Reading on I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this was only an introduction to demonstrate what is wrong with many Westerner's perception of India. The book provides an unflinching look at India, warts and all. While some sections may seem overly critical, we live in an imperfect world and the same things are wrong in many other countries, to a greater or lesser extent. The rest of the world continues to function and even prosper and India does so too. The book also discusses the huge untapped potential of the country and the things that need to happen to assure future growth and development. I found the chapters on recent changes in religious practices and the rise of fundamentalism very eye-opening. The significance of attributing the domestication of the horse to the Indus Valley civilization is fascinating (I won't give this one away). In Spite of the Gods is a must read for anyone trying to understand modern India.
To spite the Gods?.......2007-09-15
I picked up this book when I was on a trip, mainly because of the intriguing title. I thought, well, here is someone who will tell us how our Gods hold us back economically. Especially, as many of us worship Lakshmi ji, the Goddess of prosperity, every day!
As it turns out, I was quite wrong. The title has absolutely no connection with the contents of the book, except perhaps to insinuate that India has progressed economically despite being religious. Or to help along sales. [Do note the rhyming with the original expression 'in spite of the odds'. Possibly Mr. Luce thinks that Hindu Gods were holding back India's progress, or that perhaps they are the real odds?]
The book is more or less a compilation of wisdom received from the author's Indian friends, and select social circle. I was unable to find any original insight or conclusion in the book. However, Mr. Luce does present the old and tired wisdom of assorted Indian intellectuals in a refreshingly witty way. In the end, the book is just a large collection of articles, such as you would find in any weekly or fortnightly newsmagazine or in any mainstream English language newspaper published in India. This is understandable, given the fact that Mr. Luce, after all is merely a journalist, used to regurgitating what others tell him. There is some useful information though, including tidbits about the high and mighty of Indian establishment.
Expectedly, Mr. Luce is most positive about and impressed with the economic side of Indian growth. He cites any number of examples of the growing economic strength and its implications. There may not be anything new in this, but the endorsement sounds nice, coming from a Western journalist.
However, his views on the cultural and religious aspects are a different thing altogether. He mostly holds the majority community as being directly responsible for India's perceived cultural backwardness, for the condition of the women and children, and for the distressing law and order situation. He also suggests that Bajrang Dal has been responsible for two out of three major riots in the last 25 years (the third being laid at the door of Congress). However, this is mere reductionism - he conveniently ignores hundreds of small riots which break out every year across India, on the slightest pretext.
This liberal confusion continues: when it comes to dealing with Muslims, he suddenly switches the canvas to South Asia, from just India! This serves two purposes: first it helps him cover the pre-1947 developments. Second, it allows him to include Kashmir in the discussion. Dealing with Kashmir within the framework of India would have perhaps been sacrilegious?
That said, it is therefore surprising to see an endorsement of the book by Mr. Mark Tully, whose work is as close to Mr. Luce's as North Pole is to South Pole. Perhaps Mr. Tully was merely helping along a fellow Briton. Or perhaps he was made to sign the endorsement using some frightfully sinister threat...
The book is very nicely bound, and the printing and paper is quite pleasing. So is Mr. Luce's writing style, humorous and engaging. However, sometimes it is a little tiring also, as you (as an Indian) sometimes feel that you are the [...]. of his jokes and gratuitous insinuations.
Buy this book if you quickly want to update yourself on the current perceptions of the fashionable and the intellectual. Skip it if you want to learn anything worthwhile.
Bad statistic.......2007-09-10
In discussing the low ratio of girls to boys, the author states that, in the West, there are 105 girls born for every 100 boys. That is not true. Even in the West, there are more boys born than girls. The numbers should be reversed.
Highly Recommended. Witty. Insightful. Modern. .......2007-08-22
I think some of the reviewers have done a good job of breaking down the book, so I'll just offer an opinion.
This is by far my favorite book this year, and not because I agree with everything the author has to say, but because I felt it was a good starting point for someone with little knowledge of India. It's filled with insightful information, humor, and does not read like some monotonous-tedious-textbook that drags on longer than it should.
I like that the author asks questions I would have liked to have asked, had I been there to do the interview. And I was impressed with the number of high positioned people he was able to interview. I appreciate that it's a modern book, and it deals with today's issues, explaining events that have happened in recent years that have been in the news, or haven't been. I didn't mind the author's opinionated views, and I don't quite understand why people think books have to be written from a neutral standpoint, which is a difficult thing to do, and most of the time leaves a book sounding dry.
This is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone. It's easy to read, filled with a lot of information, and gives you a good overview of what's going on with India. It certainly sparks an interest to read other books on the subject.
Biased?.......2007-08-14
While I liked the research done by Edward Luce for writing the book, there were many instances in the book when I felt his approach is very biased against the so called right-wing hindu nationalists. He is very critical about BJP and Vajpayee, Advani while painting a "great-soul" image for Sonia Gandhi. Also, he mentions Laloo Prasad Yadav as "witty" and sparsely mentions about the fodder [...] (in fact, I don't think he mentions at all). He mentions Sardar Patel just couple times and downplays his role in the freedom struggle and unification of India.
Oh and he talks about India's economy suffering so bad in the early days of independence. The 60s, 70s and 80s suffered due to bad policies and corruption but let us not forget that much of the economic plight was due to the British occupation and "mismanagement" of India's wealth. Let us not forget that in 1700 AD India's was the wealthiest country with 27% or more of the world's economy. India had problems and will have like any other country but British occupation was the worst we had! India's progress is surprising in spite of the years of tyranny and oppression by British AND the politicians following independence. Like a friend of mine said - India is not doing because of the politicians, India is doing well in spite of the politicians.
Jai Hind!
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