The Asian mainland has 2 powers, who will decide the future of Asia. One is China and the other is India. Japan is the third power, but it is not part of the Asian mainland. Recently at the Police and Military club in Abu Dhabi an interesting discussion evolved with a few friends from the local populace. The discussion centered on China and India and many wanted to know why India had opted for democracy as it leads the world in the highest number of malnutrition and hungry children. At a conservative estimate 40% of the Indian population do not get a wholesome diet and many sleep hungry. If figures have a meaning the figure works out to almost 500 million.
China also has poverty, but it is nowhere of the magnitude of India. I do not wish to quote figures as these can be checked from the UN reports, but the fact is that health care is much better in China than in India and there are no cases of thousands of farmers committing suicide like in India due to drought and no food or income for the family. This is a terrible indictment of the Indian state.
The sad part is that in 1949 , India was way ahead of China and had a steel plant and cars were manufactured here. The British had laid the ground work of industrialization. China then was a backward state, where even a bicycle was not manufactured. How things have changed. China has put a spaceman in orbit and has a very strong military, that even the USA is in awe and it is the largest manufacturer of cars in the world beating Japan and USA. There are so many things, but suffice that very soon Chinese economy which is presently no 2 will overtake the USA. How many know that 1/3rd of the US dollar debt is mortgaged to China?
Comparing India and China is like comparing a pygmy with a giant. Frankly we should have been ahead of China, but the general view is that democracy is the reason India never progressed like China. One has to be realistic and understand that too much freedom breeds lawlessness and no discipline. This is the bane of India.
China also has corruption cases, but those caught are executed, while in India the trials go on for decades and the corrupt roam about free. This is part of the democratic system, which has allowed fissiparous tendencies and linguistic divisions not forgetting religious divide that have pulled Indian down.
The subject is too vast for this article and all I am trying to convey is the opinion of people outside India. Even in the USA, people have asked me why after so many years a man must die of hunger and debt. The Indian constitution must be changed and revolution is required.One can just dream about it as India lags behind. Two things that are paramount is food and medical care for ALL. This is non-existent in India , so what are we talking about democracy ? lets not crow but do introspection and look inwards.