BungaBunga
1
For more about this, read Section II - Markets of the Azadist Manifesto:
Link: Markets (azadism.co.uk)
Raw: https://www.azadism.co.uk/markets
(Under the header: “Universal Basic Income (UBI)” and “Negative Income Tax (NIT)”)
2
Link: Brief History of Marketing Regulation.pdf (dmi.gov.in)
Raw: https://dmi.gov.in/Documents/Brief%20History%20of%20Marketing%20Regulation.pdf
Directorate of Marketing & Inspection (DMI) is an attached Office of the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare under Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
3
Link: Wide Angle: How India Faces A Peculiar Problem Of Food Surplus (standpointindia.in)
Raw: https://www.standpointindia.in/articles/wide-angle-how-india-faces-a-peculiar-problem-of-food-surplus
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Link: Reliance Industries Ltd Lobbying Profile • OpenSecrets
Raw: https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/clients/summary?cycle=2019&id=D000056005
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Raw: https://www.ft.com/content/474706d6-1243-4f1e-b365-891d4c5d528b
Link: Modi and Adani: the old friends laying waste to India’s environment (climatechangenews.com)
Raw: https://www.climatechangenews.com/2017/06/27/modi-adani-old-friends-laying-waste-indias-environment/
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Link: The Consensus on Price Controls - Econlib
Raw:
https://www.econlib.org/the-consensus-on-price-controls/
7
Now many of you reading may have a cynical attitude towards profit, however, all that profit does is indicate how much income you receive compared to costs incurred to generate that income. If the income outweighs the costs, then that’s a profit. This profit is what is used by a farmer, or baker, shop-owner etc to feed their families, invest in their enterprises and buy goods and services. If they can not generate a profit, why would they carry on if everything they produce they makes a loss? Unless this is a charity, it is only rational for them to produce less of a loss-incurring good.
8
Link: Punjab: A tale of prosperity and decline (columbia.edu)
Raw: https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2009/07/28/punjab-a-tale-of-prosperity-and-decline/
9
Link: Panjab can become a Desert State in 20 Years (asiasamachar.com)
Raw: https://asiasamachar.com/2020/04/03/panjab-can-become-a-desert-state-in-20-years/
Also worth noting is the mention of the Green Revolution in this article. Although this essay won’t go into it in detail, the following comment in the linked article hits the nail on the head:
“Lack of diversification of crops, market-driven sowing of paddy (rice) and supply of free electricity by the government to extract groundwater to irrigate paddy fields is one combination which means short-term gains but the ultimate demise of the proverbial goose which lays the golden eggs.”
Again and again, Azadism stresses the dangers that come with the lack foresight common with central-planning and allowing the state to intervene so heavily in the economy. The intentions may have been good and appear positive politically at the time, but the unforeseen consequences are being realised now.
Also, worth watching as mentioned in the article:
Link: FINAL ASSAULT | Punjabi Documentary Film | Save Punjab Waters - YouTube
Raw: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2_Viws3Ang
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And indeed there has been some great effort, EcoSikh is one such example:
Link: EcoSikh
Raw: https://ecosikh.org/#
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Alongside subsidising fertilisers, pesticides, seeds and electricity.
12
Raw: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/food-grains-rot-india-while-millions-live-empty-stomachs
13
Or inflation of the money supply, which is also incredibly detrimental to savings and purchasing power of the citizenry. If taxes are armed robbery, inflation is a more insidious theft.
14
Link: Nehru and Socialism - Oxford Scholarship (universitypressscholarship.com)
Raw: https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195645866.001.0001/acprof-9780195645866-chapter-9
15
Definitions from the Oxford Dictionary of English Language, as at 2022.
16
Link: Sikh Youth UK on Instagram: “INDIAS FARMERS PROTEST ARE A PROTEST AGAINST CAPITALISM!
Raw :https://www.instagram.com/p/CI6e8c6rJNV/
Reposted by @sikhyouthuk on December 17, 2020. Original post by @roshni.lalchandani.
The actual post itself is actually quite good and informative, as it exposes the monopolists mentioned earlier. However, it does miss some of the crucial details, such as the reason why they can monopolise the industry is precisely because of their collusion with the government. Again, this private-public link proves it isn’t capitalism; instead it’s a lack of it. Since nowhere in the post itself explains why it is capitalism (or even mentions it), the headline title is unnecessary and logically inconsistent.
Curiously, the original poster, @roshni.lalchandani, first slide was a different image, however @sikhyouthuk placed the slide with the headline “…protest against capitalism” first in their repost of it. Blaming the farming situation on capitalism and linking these two things in this way just highlights the level of misinformation present on social media. Lesson: don’t be lazy and rely on social media posts for your information - do your own research!
17
The emphasis must be put on state socialist here since the Oxford definition is ambiguous here. I.e, that ‘community’ referred to in their definition is the state. This is how socialism has always been understood and debunked by economists like FA Hayek, and Ludwig Von Mises. These has provided some of the most comprehensive critique of socialism, completing dismantling the fundamentals of this ideology through the ‘economic calculation problem’ argument.
18
A future write-up may go through these planks in more detail. Follow Azadism on social media to keep updated.
19
Must be highlighted that Azadism is against non-voluntary (forced) social organisation, however does not mind voluntary organisation. Therefore if a group of Socialists wanted to privately set up a commune, or worker co-op etc, they are free to do so under Azadism as long as participants are free to leave and are participating voluntarily.
20
The English Crown at the time granted them exclusive rights over trade in India as a state-backed enterprise. The fact that they were able to raise an army, subdue monarchs and forcibly acquire regions and trade deals off of conquered territory (all characteristics of a state) really doesn’t help its case either. Essentially the EIC was merely a branch of the imperialist power of Britain.
Link: East India Company | Definition, History, & Facts | Britannica
Raw: https://www.britannica.com/topic/East-India-Company
21
The level of ignorance around these terms is staggering. It’s almost as if any word that’s not communism beginning with the letter ‘c’ and ending in ‘ism’ is evil to a lot of people.
22
In fact after partition in 1947, India adopted a central planning approach and mimicked the style of the Soviets through their own set of “5-Year plans”. These went on until 2017 until the Planning Commission was dissolved and replaced by think tank under Modi.
23
Bills:
1. The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 (prsindia.org)
3. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (prsindia.org)
Link: The Three Farm Bills | The India Forum
Raw: https://www.theindiaforum.in/article/three-farm-bills
24
Available to read for free at: www.azadism.co.uk
25
More information about how this works, please see Section IV of the Azadist Manifesto:
Link: Taxes Welfare and Safety Nets (azadism.co.uk)
Raw: https://www.azadism.co.uk/taxes-welfare-and-safety-nets
(Under the header: “Universal Basic Income (UBI)” and “Negative Income Tax (NIT)”)
26
Essentially you can set up mini-jungles of a wide variety of plants and produce.
Watch this short documentary by Vice News looking at India’s Farm System. 8:50 onwards briefly shows this poly-culture system being adopted by some Punjabi organic farmers as promoted by the Non-profit organisation “Kheti Virasat Mission”.
Link: Why India's Farm System Is Failing - YouTube
Raw: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSodjZhdc_c&ab_channel=VICENews
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Link: E-agriculture in action: Blockchain for agriculture (fao.org)
Raw: https://www.fao.org/3/CA2906EN/ca2906en.pdf
28
For a more detail explanation on how monopolies form and how to tackle them, please read Section III of the Azadist Manifesto:
Link: Private Vs Public (azadism.co.uk)
Raw: https://www.azadism.co.uk/private-vs-public
(Under the header: “Private Monopolies”)
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Hence why many in Punjab in particular go abroad.
30
And can we blame them? People vote with their feet. Everyone wants a good life and many make massive sacrifices to achieve this.
31
Link: Taxes Welfare and Safety Nets (azadism.co.uk)
Raw: https://www.azadism.co.uk/taxes-welfare-and-safety-nets
(Under the header: “Taxes”)
32
See the Manifesto as to why they have better incentives than government regulators, and for the risks involved and how to overcome. Essentially, their reputations are their source of income. Jeopardise that and your career as a private regulator in a competitive market will likely come to an end very quickly, alongside any potential legal consequences too.
Link: Private Vs Public (azadism.co.uk)
Raw: https://www.azadism.co.uk/private-vs-public
(Under the header: “Regulations”)
33
Azadism suggests vastly simplifying it to only cover the NAP, not punish victimless crimes. Optional “law layers” could be practised on top as determined by contracts, however this is explained a bit more in the Manifesto:
Link: The Role of Government (azadism.co.uk)
Raw: https://www.azadism.co.uk/the-role-of-government
(Under the header: “Contracts and Law”)
34
Granted, many families situations are different and may not be able to accommodate this. But if your parents are always saying how the UK and the West is horrible and Punjab is home etc, then tell them to put their money where their mouth is. And don’t worry, you are not sending them to Gulags, they can come and go whenever they like. Your personal income should accommodate for this. Aim to get yourself in a position like this early so you can help your parents out financially. Perhaps, do six-months here and six there split. Work it out.
The Kisan Morcha has begun again. After the first time, an essay was produced called “The Kisaan Morcha was NOT a Victory” which was a retrospective analysis from an Azadist perspective as to the factors that caused the Indian agricultural industry to be so broken in the first place, and a series of measures that should be demanded to improve the situation.
The fact that the Morcha has had to start again proves the labelling of that essay as appropriate. It wasn’t a victory, and now reading through some of the demands put forth this time, it doesn’t seem like this one will be either. Until there is a fundamental restructure and reprioritisation of the Indian system, the people of India (and the world) will continue to suffer.
Therefore, that essay is still just as (if not more) relevant now for those of you who wish to understand what is truly going on and potential ways to solve it. This Vichaar Repository hosts all the sections from that original essay as well as potential further Vichaars that may be added as this Morcha develops. Use the links at the bottom of this page to stay updated via social media or by joining our email list. If you would like to contribute to this repository, send us an email at contact@azadism.co.uk.
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