Lamanda(Michelle) Reid/Feb.27,2008/4:57p.m./poverty and inequality
The article India struggles to tame its heart and darkness was written by Simon Denyer Reuters, and was published on February 20, 2008 in the International Herald Tribune. Bihar is India’s poorest and slowest growing states economically. Bihar is the home to 10% of India’s population. Approximately 90 million people reside in Bihar. Bihar contains one-seventh of Indian’s poor. It only produces 1.6% of India’s gross domestic product. The Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI) has divided India into two types of states, one is sunrise and the other is sunset. Sunrise states are states that are conforming to the global economy. Sunset states, such as Bihar, are states that are being left behind. Bihar is also known as India’s heart of darkness, both metaphorically and literally. There is little electricity so at night there is slim to no light. Bihar has like most poor countries of this status have a corrupt government and lack of adequate roads. There is a very high crime rate, with little conviction. Kidnapping is at the top of the crime list.
Currently India isn’t being affected by Bihar, but eventually this will cause global problems. Flooding from last year caused great turmoil and caused lots of migration to surrounding countries. In these places Biharis are looked down on, and are also blamed for the rising crime rates. Like most places there is a definite gap between the rich and poor. This is very sad, so many people are suffering. So many people are living in poverty with no way do to either the lack of skill or lack of education.
2 comments:
This is a good story. It reminds us of how hard others may have it as well as the division between classes.
I did not know that there existed the sunrise and sunset areas of India. Usually when one thinks of India it is kind of lumped into one group: Poor. Reflecting on what we learned about the British textile trade with India, I wonder how the heart of darkness would have turned out under different circumstances.
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