C4 Dispatches - immigrants really good for Britain

[sasguru]

Because without discrimination of this caste system a decent education might have been made available to everyone. I thought even a mollusc-brained yokel like you might have been able to grasp such a concept. Obviously not.

Who was responsible for the expansion of higher education during the Raj? Higher caste Hindus or us? Incidentally, I seem to remember reading somewhere that the lower castes have a reserved number of places in higher education, nowadays.
Now I'm sure you've heard this before in your youth, but do try and keep up at the back of the class.

[lilelvis2000]

...spare me this interminable whining about the problems that the British left you to deal with.

But I'm British. and I'm not from India either.

[sasguru]

I spent almost a year putting a GSM system in Calcutta mate! There are certainly a few things it is far ahead in, corruption and backhanders for one, not to mention a prodigious amount of bureaucracy. It is also a world leader in keeping the downtrodden down whilst ensuring that the wealthy elite remain just that. Despite these failings I have a great deal of time for the place and the people, but please..............spare me this interminable whining about the problems that the British left you to deal with.

Most of this is indeed true, although the socialist and bureaucratic mindset is a legacy of our very own Fabian socialists who sadly had a large say in and around independence.

[shaunbhoy]

Who was responsible for the expansion of higher education during the Raj? Higher caste Hindus or us?

In answer to your question "The current system of education, with its western style and content, was introduced & funded by the British in the 19th century, following recommendations by Macaulay"

Now stay awake jellyhead!!

[shaunbhoy]

But I'm British. and I'm not from India either.

Well then cut down on the lentils and lose the sandals. You might also want to try doing a bit of reading, and do some travelling if you are not too frail and limp to carry a rucksack.

[shaunbhoy]

The caste system was not the fault of the Brits, but that didn't stop them from taking advantage of it

You don't rule half the planet by failing to exploit weaknesses.

[lilelvis2000]

Well then cut down on the lentils and lose the sandals. You might also want to try doing a bit of reading, and do some travelling if you are not too frail and limp to carry a rucksack.

I let my butler carry my luggage BTW.

Lentils are very good for you and I haven't ever worn sandals..I'm a barefoot kinda guy.

As far as your comments about corruption and the downtroden. I don't think the Indian worry about it too much. Its the way to grease the wheel. As well the Hindus believe in re-incarnation, so maybe you're poor in this life, but you might be mind blowingly rich in the next. So I don't think they are too worried about the poverty thing. You obviously struggled with it.

And...I also don't do the very British (it appears) thing and put you down using whatever picture I have in my mind of you.

[DodgyAgent]

I actually agree with you, India should have formed a strong army to fight off the invaders.

With regards to moving on.. if you knew anything about India and its people is their ability "move on" as you put it.. a country that has been invaded, looted of its riches for close to almost 800+ years and still has the ability to rise again surely knows how to "move on" why do you think India has such good relations with Britain, do you think the same would be true if India were the invaders of Britain?

It seems to me that India has indeed "moved on" whereas you clearly have not. If you think that because of your country's history (or your "persecution complex" version of it) you are owed a living by today's generation of British then think again. It was not you who had to suffer at the hands of the colonists and was not me who forced you to shine my boots. Move on.

[mace]

Nationalism died out in the 1940s

In the next 50 years, the average salary of inhabitants of all countries will gradually converge due to globalization. It's the super-rich who are moving jobs to the developing world and moving their inhabitants here. Indians and Chinese are happy with globalization because they're becoming relatively richer. Western workers are unhappy because they'll become relatively poorer. Employers anywhere in the world are loving it because they've opened up new markets for their goods and services and are incurring lower wage costs.

[DodgyAgent]

In the next 50 years, the average salary of inhabitants of all countries will gradually converge due to globalization. It's the super-rich who are moving jobs to the developing world and moving their inhabitants here. Indians and Chinese are happy with globalization because they're becoming relatively richer. Western workers are unhappy because they'll become relatively poorer. Employers anywhere in the world are loving it because they've opened up new markets for their goods and services and are incurring lower wage costs.

That is far too objective for this board