Prof A N Sadhu
The year 2024 has passed into history. It was a year of turbulence in many ways. Many a thing at national, as also at the international level, did not go as the expected lines. The peace and prosperity, both, eluded the world. At the global level, it was expected that the Russia – Ukraine war will come to an end, but it did not happen. The Israel – Arab conflict did not recede. Bangladesh has returned to political instability and religious frenzy against minorities, smacking of medieval barbarism. The coup in Syria, the unrest in Pakistan and the economic recession on the global level, all these things turned 2024 into an uneasy year at the international scale. All these events were man made. However, nature was no kind to mankind. Floods and other natural upheavals equally played a devastating effect on the global scale.
The reports say that some countries including Lebanon, Venezuela and Afghanistan are in the verge of collapse. The reports during the previous year showed that some countries including Sri Lanka and Congo witnessed over 50% inflation with Pakistan as well having 30% inflation in the country. There are problems on the social-economic front as well, in different countries of the world. While as all these records will go the shelves of the archives, the coming events indicated thereof cannot be ignored. Many more years may go the same way unless there is some serious thinking on the global level to avoid an imminent disaster in the years to come.
Some of the factors which need immediate attention to reveal the present socio-economic scenario of the world and to stall the further deterioration are –
Inflation – is one of the prime factors that the people are unable to cope up with. It seriously effects the affordability of goods and services required to maintain a reasonable quality of life. It is apprehended that the new regime in America may raise tariffs on imports into America, hardening the economic bargain of the developing countries and upsetting their trade balances. This might result into new trade blocks that will put developing countries under stress in economic front.
Environmental degradation – in the mad race for development and an urge of over competing the other countries, individual countries, both, developed and developing nations have destroyed the environmental endowment beyond repair. In the immediate future, there will be serious crisis of water, oxygen and fresh air threatening the very survival of the mankind.
Political Instability – the nationals across the globe are experiencing political instability of some level. There are many a reason for the same. The population migration from developing countries into the developed countries is one of them. The developed countries reaching the saturation limits and feeling stressed under the strain of sustaining the immigration from less developed countries is another factor. In some cases, it is immigration forcing the developed nations to accommodate their norms at the state level. Political instability also occurs because of the intern interventions into the functioning of other countries. The world has shrunk into a village and each country, more so a developed country, has easy access to the data of other countries which enhances the chances of maneuverability on a global scale.
Not only has 2024 sensitised the world of these factors but has also brought to the fore the unequal treatment given to the relatively poor countries, the rising international rivalries, trade wars, disproportionately high investment in arms and ammunition, and, of course, falling standards of statesmanship. If a global village has to be peaceful and prosperous, the international bickering have to come to an end.
However in this troubled world of 2024 India has done relatively well. India is not only emerging as a goodwill nation but also a role player in the global leadership. India, in spite of facing the problems of inflation, unemployment and income inequality has kept its pace with economic development and political stability. In spite of the receding rates of economic growth in the developed nations, India has maintained a steady rate of growth of around 6%. In spite of what has happened in the neighbourhood, India sailed through with stable economic and political management.
This notwithstanding, there is need to be watchful against disruptive activities seeking to destabilise the country’s onward march. The government should also not overstate the index of its activities and should seriously address the problems being faced by the people. The real asset in the country is the human resource and it has to be used profitably. The creation of islands of affluence in an ocean of deprivation will not solve the problem. The deprivations must end by evolving a more equitable distribution of gains of growth across the board. India has come a long way since 1947. One should not undermine the contributions of the previous regimes. That we have the feel of comfort on economic front, is because its foundations had been laid thoughtfully by the earlier planners and equally careful management by the present regime. Dr Manmohan Singh will always be remembered as the architect of modern economy and social Indira Gandhi be remembered for putting India on the map of strong p, independent nations of the world. We have still to go a long way.
Let the year 2025 bring joy, peace and prosperity to the world.
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