DailyPost 357
INCLUSIVE INSTITUTIONS EXTRACTIVE CONTROL
The idea that the nations fail because of extractive institutions was well researched & substantiated in a book titled Why Nations Fail , authored by Acemoglu & Robinson. Political extractive institutions lead to economic extractive institutions, which work in unison, leading to failed states. Moving from a standard format of history writing, these writer historians went into causative writing. Answers can be found to questions raised or postulations either stand or fail based on research.
Though the cause was brought forth with clarity yet the concept of inclusive institutions delivering exactly the opposite does not hold ground. The historical evidence is to the contrary. Democratic state after state is not able to make the cut despite being mandated to have inclusive institutions. They profess to have created these & certify that they functioning fine.
The gap between the professed & practiced can be huge, as inclusive institutions can also be brought under extractive control, diluting the result. Lots of times we hear of such control after the man at helm leaves. The skeletons start tumbling out of the cupboard. All sorts of institutions tend to land up in such control with consistent regularity; political to economic, with educational & media not being exceptions.
Inclusive institutions are not easy to create, having created more difficult to run & extremely difficult to provide visible, conspicuous & measurable results. It needs an inclusive mindset to start set. The person with such mindset should then have to create an operational matrix & see it through. This ought to happen institution after institution in a democratic country, consistently. So, we need such leaders in different institutions to deliver the same standardised product consistently & also keep improving upon it.
Herein, lies the growth content & inclusivity of a vibrant democracy. We have to make it happen.
INCLUSIVE INSTITUTIONS ARE NERVE CENTRES OF DEMOCRACY.
Sanjay Sahay