It's The Wrong Index, Stupid!

In yesterday's post, I heaped well-deserved abuse on the editors of the Indian Express for the propaganda, lies and deceit emanating form their lead editorial of the day. Later, in a footnote, I wrote about a Times of India editorial of the same day - but the electricity failed (for the nth time) - so, today, I would like to focus on this particular ToI editorial titled "Cause for Cheer" on the latest Human Development Index Report, in which India's position has supposedly improved. 


So what? Read this report from the same newspaper that says India leads the world in diarrhoea deaths.


And, anyway, the "education" we receive from our The State is all-balls. Even the IITs and IIMs suck. What to speak of the Delhi School of (Mathematical & Keynesian) Economics. What do kids learn but State Worship. They study "Indian Economics."


The editorial is "pro-reform." Good. But what is reform but LIBERTY? India has progressed somewhat in the past decade because State Obstruction to economic activity in some sectors has been withdrawn. However, much obstructionism and interventionism remains. This especially impacts the poor. Just try and open a simple beer bar in Nude Elly - and you will land up in jail!


Why don't the editors use the sweet word LIBERTY instead of that stupid word REFORM?


One reason: They have never heard of the Economic Freedom Index. There are now two or three of them - and these have been around for more than ten years. There is one from the Heritage Foundation - and it finds India ranked at 124 out of 179 nations, in the category "mostly unfree." There is another from the Fraser Institute and here India once again fares poorly. These reports show that less freedom means more poverty, more corruption, and lower economic as well as human development. The editors of the ToI are advised to check out these freedom indices, so as not to be misled by the statist Human Development Index, a UN/World Bank publication.


The Human Development Index makes its victim believe that there is a POSITIVE ROLE for the State in poor countries - to educate the people, etc. It makes the victim feel that, for human development, the State must do MORE.


The Economic Freedom Index does the very opposite. It proves that the State should be CUT DOWN if poor nations and people are to develop.


Since the ToI is "pro-reform," it should focus attention on the correct index.


In any case, all this is statistical jugglery - the output of "positive economics," which is Empiricism. This is the "intellectual cover for socialism." This is particularly true of the Human Development Index.


But, for whatever it is worth, whatever the "measurement of freedom" can yield, the Economic Freedom Index persuades in a different direction. It may not be "science" - but it is not evil.


Lastly, there is NO CAUSE FOR CHEER. 


We are not a free people. 


Tyranny rules. 


And the economy is NOT doing well. 


Do read this brief column by Niranjan Rajadhyaksha of Mint, that warns of approaching STAGFLATION.