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Showing posts with the label Punjab

Decision Making as Output and Bounded Rationality

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  The classical economics theories proceed on the assumption of rational agents. Rationality implies the economic agents undertake actions or exercise choices based on the cost-benefit analysis they undertake. The assumption further posits that there exists no information asymmetry and thus the agent is aware of all the costs and benefits associated with the choice he or she has exercised. The behavioral school contested the decision stating the decisions in practice are often irrational. Implied there is a continuous departure from rationality. Rationality in the views of the behavioral school is more an exception to the norm rather a rule. The past posts have discussed the limitations of this view by the behavioral school. Economics has often posited rationality in the context in which the choices are exercised rather than theoretical abstract view of rational action. Rational action in theory seems to be grounded in zero restraint situation yet in practice, there are numerous restra
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Notes on Punjab Politics

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  The events at the Red Fort and other parts of Delhi in the guise of farmer protests have brought the spotlight back on to the politics as it exists in Punjab. There is no doubt, a rising clamour for the arrest and crackdown of the farmer’s movements or at least the movement that is going on in the name of farm laws. The protest leaders might be busy disowning the actions at the Red Fort but cannot absolve themselves of the responsibility of their actions which led to this fracas. The protestors might have the backing of the media and the opposition parties, each wanting to hit back at the Modi government for their own reasons, but their agenda seems to be suffering a setback. However, the setback might not be visible in Punjab as it would be perhaps in Haryana or Rajasthan or Uttar Pradesh. There is very distinct Sikh identity to the current protests and thus the events would reinforce the perception that Sikh and Khalistani agenda in specific was the real agenda of the protest group
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Farm Protests, Tractor March and 1982 Asiad Disruption

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  It is apparent that the talks between the government and the protesting farmers have broken down with no end to the deadlock in sight. The farmer groups apparently want a corner solution and seem to be in no mood to settle for any other solution. The government did offer them a sort of face-saver in suggesting a postponement in implementing the laws upto a year or year and half. This was perhaps in view of the upcoming Punjab elections next year and something for the farmers to boast about in those election. Yet as expected the farmer groups have rejected the same. The government would perhaps be anticipating some divisions in the groups over the latest proposals. It is conceivable there would be divisions, but would take time to manifest. The government is perhaps prepared for a long waiting period. Most groups are basically from Punjab with some from Haryana and a sprinkling from other states including Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.   Meanwhile there is a clamour for a crackdown
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Political Communication and the Tenali Rama Problem

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  The farm bill protests seem to take Delhi by siege. Yet the predominant proportion of farmers protesting are from a single state Punjab. The very nature of the protest does point towards enough indicators of a political protest being disguised as a farmer’s protest. The left liberal ecosystem in India that has long thrived on the patronage of the Congress and its lackeys is desperately creating a Ram Lila 2011 redux. More than the Ram Lila fast by Anna Hazare per se, it was the Congress response to it that effectively sunk the Congress. The Congress and its ecosystem is recover from the same and want to do a Ram Lila 2.0 on Modi. Yet their efforts so far have not fructified. The electoral victories have once again proved that Modi continues to be trusted and popular. The Congress is in serious danger of turning irrelevant. It is in this context one has to look the Punjab farmers protests which has shifted its action to Delhi.   The right wing on the social media and Twitter in pa
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