Swaminathan Gurumurthy: "Globalisation Collapsed"? More Like Reality Finally Caught Up
So, Republic Network hosted some "India Economic Summit" thing. Big whoop. Apparently, some economist dude named S. Gurumurthy was bloviating about how globalisation is dead and India's about to have its "global moment." Right. Like I haven't heard *that* song and dance before.
Gurumurthy's patting himself on the back, saying he was Mr. Anti-Globalisation way back in the '90s when everyone else was sucking up to the "American state model." Okay, boomer.
He claims Trump's "MAGA" was the "first major admission of the failure of globalisation." Give me a break. It was a slogan for knuckle-draggers who wanted to bring back coal mining jobs. And now he is saying that by 2050 China will be #1 and the US and India will be neck and neck.
"Economic Nationalism": Protectionism in a Tuxedo?
Economic Nationalism: The New Buzzword for Protectionism?
This whole "economic nationalism" schtick is just protectionism dressed up in a shiny new suit. Gurumurthy says everyone's doing it – the US, China, the EU – all supposedly prioritizing "national security, resilience, and domestic capabilities." Translation: everyone's building walls around their economies because they're scared. According to Gurumurthy, the rise of economic nationalism is
India’s Moment.
Scared of what, exactly? Each other? The future? The fact that maybe, just maybe, unfettered capitalism isn't the answer to everything?
And this guy was advising the Reserve Bank of India? Seriously? No wonder the global economy's a dumpster fire.
It's all geopolitical frictions and supply-chain vulnerabilities, he says. As if these things just magically appeared out of thin air. They're the direct result of decades of short-sighted policies and greed-fueled decisions. But let's not talk about that, let's just blame "globalisation" and pretend like going back to some mythical era of self-sufficiency is the answer.
India's "Global Moment": More Like a Global Maybe?
India's "Global Moment": Hype or Reality?
This "India's Global Moment" theme... it's just marketing BS. Every country wants its "moment." Every country thinks it's on the verge of becoming the next superpower. Remember when everyone was saying Brazil was going to take over the world? How'd that work out?
But here's the thing: India *does* have potential. A huge population, a growing tech sector, and a government that's actually trying (sometimes) to drag the country into the 21st century. But potential ain't reality. And there are still a ton of problems. Poverty, corruption, infrastructure that looks like it was built by toddlers... offcourse, you can't forget the caste system.
So, yeah, maybe India will be "neck-and-neck" with the US for the number two spot in 2050. Maybe pigs will fly. Maybe I'll win the lottery and move to Mars.
Gurumurthy: From "DeMeaned" to Desperate?
The Irony Is Palpable
Gurumurthy was "demeaned" for talking about Swadeshi back in the day? Boo hoo. Now everyone's singing his tune. Funny how that works, ain't it?
But here's the real kicker: This guy is the editor of *Thuglak*, a Tamil political magazine. A magazine! In the age of TikTok and instant gratification, he's clinging to a dying medium. Talk about being out of touch.
So, What's the Real Story Here?
It's not about the "collapse of globalisation." It's about the rise of fear, the retreat into nationalism, and the desperate attempt by old men to stay relevant. Gurumurthy's not a visionary; he's a symptom. And honestly, I'm not sure which is worse.
