Sunday, February 10, 2008

“Greater the financial clout greater is the role in decision making”

Almost every international organisation is working on this line in the current scenario. Power and polities is most evident in the working of the world’s two most important organisations : WTO & WORLD BANK.

In the both organisations USA is the largest depositor. On the one hand it has gained the power to control world trade through WTO on the other it has gained the power to control world credit through the World Bank. The situation at hand may be synonymous to the colonial rule. The developing countries are worst affected because of this policy. So what type of collective action should be taken by developing countries as a whole to end this discrimination?


ABHISHEK RANJAN
(28053)
SEC—‘B’

4 comments:

Nitesh Kapoor said...

It is absolutely right to say so..as taught by one of our professors here that it is all about centralized forces (here the force of USA)which always try to marginalise the weak and hence an equal countervieling force is required by the marginalised to resist and oppose the exploiting forces. Such an opposing force will come in terms of collective action wherein the marginalised will come together for a common cause. It will be most important to have a common goal not only going by the individual rationality but also by the rationality of the collective so formed.
I think it is equally right to say in this context that there is a need for collective action by the developing countries (marginalised)to resist. Its not that these countries haven't recognised a common goal.

Vishal Patwari (PRM28104) said...

Well I would say that the need of collective action by the developing countries will never ever happen. For a collective action, one of the most important factors is the oppression. USA is not imposing any oppression on any of the countries. The marginalized countries are in the condition not because of USA, its more of their own economy. If we talk about India, for example, its not USA but the people out here whose deed has put the country into the situation of Debt trap in 1991.
I am not denying the title put by you that's those having financial power have greater role in decision making. But the later part to it, I am not agreed with it.....I guess we need to think more about the issue and more of example. As much prevalent, the example of the Zamindars in the village truly depict the way the role played by them in the decision making, is very much visible.

Kr. Siddharth said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kr. Siddharth said...

Since time immemorial, the unsaid rule exists – “Might is right”. Even the Darwinian Theory proclaims the “Survival of the fittest”.
Financial clout has always played an upper hand in decision making in the international context, be it the case of the erstwhile British Empire, or present day America or for that matter the G8 countries. The people in power always act in their best interest and the onus to pursue the interest of the weaker section has always lied with them. Similar is the case of the developing vis-a-vis the developed countries of today. The developed nations try to exploit the developing countries by taking decisions in their favour – which incidentally their economic status allows them to do. The pertinent question is whether the individual economic clout of these developing countries is enough to make the developed countries bat an eyelid towards their needs. The answer is an obvious “No”. So the need of the hour is a collective action, a collective effort notwithstanding their petty differences. This is the only road to ‘salvation’ and the only means by which the developing countries can make their voices heard.

Kumar Siddharth
(28073)