Are The Indians Stupid To Burn Wal-Mart?

As usual, Indians ignorant about globalisation, are groping in a mess of disinformation and going berserk about Wal-Mart, which unfortunately has come to symbolise Multinational Retail Chains.

I don’t mean the proud ‘American’ Indians who might have sent Columbus back had he landed with a Carrefour business development manager on board his ship. Nether do I mean the ubiquitous bargain hunting ‘Indian’ Americans who constantly stomp Wal-Mart and whose feet count immensely for the foot falls the chain store depend for survival.
Greed is in the eyes of the beholder:

I mean the real Indians, citizens of the largest democratic country who blindly follow the US, the second largest, in a desperate sense of competition. It is easy to identify them outside India, with their dropped jaws staring with avrice at the shopping windows in malls and the goodies they can’t afford to buy during their visits. Why then are they so much against the idea of the very malls they dream of, coming to their cities and towns? According to The New York Times:

“Supporters contend that the chain’s legendary low prices have democratized consumption, allowing low-income households to afford flat-screen televisions, for example. Critics say those low prices have depressed domestic wages and exported manufacturing jobs to foreign countries, hurting Americans more than helping them.”

While the plus points above  definitely benefit a poor country like India and the disadvantages will not apply because the reasons are no more valid, is its status as the largest Corporate in the United States what make the dumb and ill educated Indian politicians see red at the mention of Wal-Mart?

Control of Inflation:

The current government in power which wants to liberalise policies and take India to its right place among developed countries had been struggling to implement several policy changes. Inflation, abetted by several factors, breeding political discontent and opposition to changes had been a stumbling block. The Government, after trying out failed monetary policies through the reserve bank to control inflation, has identified weakness in distribution in matching the supply and demand as a major cause. Opening up the retail sector to multinationals, like most developing countries, is the quickest way to address the issue and raise the legitimacy of India as a free democracy.

For the government cash strapped due to the current world economical crisis for its development needs, it is also a way to attract immediate foreign Investment, without which India’ growth targets can’t be achieved.

Sound policy, bungled roll out?

There is of course blind opposition, even in the face of grave dangers to national economy, to anything the ruling party wants to do as evident from the current debate on deficit reduction s in the US.

However, it looks like insufficient preparation; mass communication about the benefits and political lobbying are behind the current stalemate regarding allowing free foreign investment, for which Walmart has become the symbol and punching bag, in India.

At the last count, the government’s efforts have failed and the Indian parliament has stalled.

Article first published as Are The Indians Stupid To Burn Wal-Mart? on Technorati