Dweep Chanana
Challenging Population-Growth Environmentalists
Population-growth environmentalists assert that immigration threatens Earth’s scarce resources. Yet, a close scrutiny reveals that there is no inherent “absorptive capacity” of the earth. If they are concerned about the environment, these “environmentalists” would do better to focus on consumption, rather than on the immigrants that will pay their pensions.
A Done (Nuclear) Deal: India Wins, Indians Loose
The Indo-US nuclear deal is finally done. In the final analysis, what is sad is that when such an opportunity presents itself, Indians can count on the help of foreign Presidents but not on their own politicians across the aisle. Non-proliferation may be somewhat weaker. But the real looser here is the Indian electorate.
Who’s Better for India: Obama or McCain?
An Obama administration committed to multilateralism might be better for the world. But it is wrong to equate India’s interests with those of the world. This article argues that Republican presidents have always been more beneficial for India, given their commitment to trade, immigration, and openness to reshaping the world order to accommodate rising powers - such as India.
Climate Change and India: Negotiating A Friendly Global Policy
Getting the world to act on climate change is in India’s interests, yet the country has avoided action of its own. This can be explained by the realities of international negotiation. But amid mounting pressure for a global policy framework, what are the steps India should move the agenda in its favor?
The Doha Round is Dead, Long Live Free Trade
The failure of the WTO trade talks is unfortunate and may accelerate the move to bilateral agreements. All countries, regardless of the justification of their stance, must ask if safeguard mechanisms are really the issue on which they should be playing endgame. Is that not yesterday’s battle?
High Food Prices: An Opportunity for the WFP
Current high food prices illustrate deep-rooted problems all along the agricultural supply chain, rather than simply demand-supply imbalances. Given its inefficiencies, it is best to bypass that system - and the WFP is in the enviable position of being able to do so.
A Dynamic Welfare State?
Is it possible to have both a welfare state and a dynamic economy? Sweden offers hope that it is. Ironically, however, the countries best placed to establish sustainable welfare systems might be the ones most skeptical of them.
Rebuttal: Education and the State
My last two posts (here, here) on the role of the state in providing education and conversely questioning that of the private sector, resulted in some very illuminating responses from both sides of the spectrum. As a result, I will soon followup with an additional post highlighting previously unaddressed issues in this debate (and welcome other [...]
