Russia
Source: sputniknews.com

Gilberto Ramos, President of the Brazilian-Russian Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, expressed his opinion on the issues of development of cooperation among small and medium enterprises, the BRICS Alliance and the alliance between Brazil and Russia.


Sputnik: How important is the role of business associations in the development of cooperation among small and medium enterprises? Why?

Gilberto Ramos: Through the Brazilian structure and law, we also have the status of "micro" enterprises, those with one to five members, including the employees, and an organisation of the 3rd sector, called Sebrae, dedicated to support and improve micro and small business. We clearly understand that the support of such entities, and also cooperatives which represent the joint-interests of each specific sector, help hugely for the development of activities, and stimulate the creation of new micro, small and medium enterprises, many of which [adopt] new technologies and startups. In this direction, the role of a Chambers of Commerce such as ours, as well as the BRICS Alliance, also facilitate their activities on the international market, in our case specifically Russia and Eurasia. There is also a very interesting case in Brazil, where small and medium chicken and pork producers were reunited at a Cooperative, named "Aurora", which turned into one of the biggest worldwide suppliers of animal protein.

Sputnik: Your organisation says that an effective solution to many issues affecting modern international relations is impossible without the active mobilisation of civil society in the BRICS countries. Could you tell us in more detail what you mean by this?

Gilberto Ramos: There's no doubt that the mobilisation of civil society is the key to the success of the bringing together of the "BRICS Countries", [compelling them to] interact with each other. This group of countries has the power be an influencing agent on the global scene as a whole. There are similarities among them, being countries with huge populations (especially India and China), continent-sized territories, and large GDPs. We believe that with the activity between governments, through public-private partnerships and with the support of the New Development Bank (NDB), the consolidation of the BRICS countries is already a reality, and there is no way back.

Sputnik: Could you tell us what the BRICS Alliance is doing to identify and support civic initiatives?

Gilberto Ramos: Part of the answer was already mentioned on item "1", but I emphasise that through our organisation "BRICS ALLIANCE – "International Alliance of Strategic BRICS Projects", beyond the emphasis on innovations and new technologies, in order to stimulate the creation of startups, we've been also promoting humanitarian activities, promoting cultural and humanitarian activities among the five countries. Our role is to identify new business, scientific and cultural projects, promoting events throughout the year, not only in the framework of the Presidents' Summit Meetings, having presented necessary differential for the consolidation of this group of nations. I stress once again that the role of funding agents, such as the NDB, is critical to achieving these goals. Regarding the cultural aspect, we have promoted cultural and fashion events, including mentoring the creation of the BRICS Orchestra, composed by 15 musicians from each of the five countries, performing periodically, including at the time of the Summits. These "soft-power" platforms are highly important within the BRICS concept.

Sputnik: In general, do you think companies and businesses should (or can) establish partnerships with the state? If so, how exactly?

Gilberto Ramos: Considering the strong bonds of friendship that have been developed over the last few years, reaffirming the values that the BRICS countries share in respecting international law, the principles of democracy and the guarantee of international peace and security, and reiterating their commitment to act jointly with a view to strengthening multilateralism, and promoting sustainable business and cultural ties, we are convinced that joint-work among the private and government organisations is crucial for the objectives of the five nations, in order for them to be fully achieved.

Sputnik: In your opinion, how important is the dialogue between small and medium-sized businesses and government departments?

Gilberto Ramos: As I've stressed, it is fundamental to have support – financing, logistics, information, scientific research, etc. – from government departments, but mainly guided by the existing demands of the population. The existence of channels of integrated communication is also another aspect to be observed carefully. As you're aware, as Vice-President of BRICS Alliance, in charge for activities in Brazil, in spite of some lack of information, I can assure that the Brazilian government is totally dedicated to the improvement of the BRICS dialogues, as a country which is also the leader of the scenario at Latin America. The consolidation of the block will also be very important for Mercosur relations.

Sputnik: In 2000, there was an active rapprochement between Brazil and Russia; many opponents of this alliance regarded it as an "alliance for evil". How do you assess the trade and economic partnership achievements of Russia and Brazil through the years?

Gilberto Ramos: The statement, that this could be an "alliance for evil", depends on from where (and who) it comes ...! Certainly, strengthening the ties of these two countries would contradict the interests of other countries, already present in Brazil. I clearly see that, at the bilateral level, the alliance between Brazil and Russia is of great strategic importance. The nations have complementary economies with the power to strengthen each other. There is much to be done, and the timing is the best possible. I have always said that Russia and Brazil not only represent "markets" for each other, but are the biggest strategic partners , with the possibility to have leadership on the world scene.

Sputnik: Please tell us how the activities of countries within BRICS affect the development and security of small and medium-sized businesses of the participating countries? What measures are being taken?

Gilberto Ramos: I can assure that the improvement of the activities of the countries within the BRICS regards not only the micro, small and medium-sized business, but the world community at all. As being formed at the last few years, I foresee that we are at the right way, where the strengthening of the multilateralism will be concretely possible through the improvement of relations within the BRICS Countries.

The views and opinions expressed by the speaker do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.

The views and opinions expressed in the article do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.

Russia
Source: www.mid.ru

I would like to welcome the organisers and participants of the Fourth International Forum Russia and Ibero-America in a Globalising World: History and Modernity, which is being held in Russia's Northern capital.

Your meetings are highly representative and have a packed agenda. They have become a solid expert venue for discussing Russia's cooperation with Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Peninsula countries. Now that the world is undergoing truly global changes such depoliticised dialogue remains in high demand.

Recently, Russia's relations with the Latin American and Caribbean countries, which are a major part of the Ibero-American community, have made steady headway. Our cooperation is rooted in similar foreign policy philosophy that is based on commitment to the principles of the UN Charter, respect for the distinctive character of nations and their right to decide their destiny themselves.

This time you will review a broad range of international issues – from Latin America's place in the polycentric world arrangement to the BRICS agenda. I am convinced that by tradition the conference will take place in a positive spirit and will allow its participants to establish mutually beneficial contacts and will facilitate the consolidation of scientific and academic exchanges.

I wish you productive discussions and all the best.

Russia
Source: tass.com

MOSCOW, October 2. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a message to Chinese President Xi Jinping, congratulating him on the 70th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries, the Kremlin press service said on Wednesday.


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Putin congratulates Xi Jinping on 70th anniversary of People's Republic of China

"Our country was the first one to recognize the People's Republic of China and it immediately established very close cooperation with it. Recalling the history of the Russian-Chinese relations, we can say that they withstood the test of time," Putin said.

The Russian leader praised the success in cultivating constructive cooperation between Moscow and Beijing in various areas, in expanding substantive political dialogue at all levels and also coordinating efforts in solving vital issues of regional and global agenda, including as part of the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS and other multilateral platforms.

Putin voiced confidence that Russia and China would continue boosting their relations for the sake of the two countries' friendly nations and enhancing stability and security on the Eurasian continent and around the globe, the Kremlin press service said.



In his turn, the Chinese leader also congratulated Putin on the 70th anniversary of bilateral relations, the China Central Television reported. "On behalf of the Chinese government and people, Xi Jinping sent his cordial congratulations to the Russian leader on occasion of the 70th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries," the report said.

The Soviet Union and China officially established diplomatic relations on October 2, 1949.

China
Source: link.springer.com

This discussion focuses on whether Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) alternative framings of International Development Aid (IDA) differ from those dominating Northern liberal and neoliberal development narratives and policy settings. Are the BRICS as emerging powers/donors in the new 'Beyond Aid' debate in the process of constructing a new development paradigm? Beyond Aid is linked to South–South cooperation that ostensibly charts a new development path for both BRICS and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). The analysis reveals that BRICS official development narratives and policies remain embedded in global systemic realities of North–South domination, linked to multilateral institutional dynamics. BRICS development poses risks of entrenching and recreating economic patterns of economic co-dependency and exploitation in the South, particularly Africa.

Russia
Source: en.fas.gov.ru

The ceremony took place at the VI BRICS Competition Conference

The ceremony of signing the Joint Statement of head of BRICS Competition Authorities took place on 18 September 2019.

"The Joint Statement is a very important tool for the antimonopoly authorities of our countries, and the work that we perform on an ongoing basis with our BRICS colleagues has showed how essential it is for our countries. I am confident that the results of such cooperation and coordination of our efforts are productive for the economies and population of our countries", commented President of Brazil's Administrative Council for Economic Defence (CADE), Mr. Alexandre Baretto de Souza.

Chairperson of the Competition Commission of India, Mr. Ashok Kumar Gupta emphasized:

"We have been working fruitfully since our meeting at the First BRICS Conference in Kazan. Today we have passed a Joint Statement on coordinating our efforts and have undertaken an obligation to ensure fair laws and rules of competition in our countries. We will make all necessary steps so that our bodies continue working together. I would like to thank Russia for organizing the VI BRICS Competition Conference".

"I am also grateful to Russia for organizing the Conference because I see what success we have achieved. The Joint Statement is our common intention, efforts and hope. In 2021 we will be holding the VII BRICS Competition Conference in China and we invite you from the bottom of our hearts to take part in it", said Deputy Minister of the State Administration for Market Regulation of the People's Republic of China, Madame Gang Lin.

Commissioner Tembinkosi Bonakele, South African Competition Commission, pointed out that "the Conference effectively completes a set of events and conferences that have taken place during the past 10 years, and they also started with a conference in Russia. We have made a huge leap forward since the time of our first meeting, the quality of our discussions and obligations has risen. Such events as this Conference are not simply our meetings every two years; it is a live organization that constantly works and generates practical results. We hope for the same cooperation in the future and thank FAS for its hospitality".

"I'd like to thank the respected guests for the warm words about our Conference and the talks, discussions and consultations that happened. Indeed, 10 years have passed since our first meeting in Kazan and we have done a lot during this period. We look into specific issues. We coordinate our positions on the key issues of the global world; we argue but reach a common opinion that these joint efforts are necessary.

"Competition should not be interpreted narrowly. We deal with all markets in a global dimension. Competition has a mission to make this world fairer, more open and transparent. Here are the countries that feel the unity of our problems, which ahs been demonstrated at the Conference. No doubt the influence of our countries when we act together will only be growing", concluded Head of FAS Igor Artemiev.

India
Author: Anita Dkhar
Source: infobrics.org

Anita Dkhar, PhD student, International Relations Department, RUDN University - presented at the BRICS International School 2019

The modern multipolar world can be characterized by variety of international relations, where there is no definite leader as well as by the growing role of the developing world. In this regard, the Republic of India being a representative of non-Western civilization can be singled out as one of the ascendant powers of the present.

The state is demonstrating high rates of economic growth. Today, the Indian economy is the fastest growing in the world; GDP in 2018 amounted to 7.9%.%. The country ranks second after China in terms of population, which in 2019 amounted to 1.368 billion people.

Traditionally, India adhered to the principle of "cooperation with everyone", without adjoining one or another military bloc, for example, during the confrontation between the USSR and the USA, which was the most far-sighted for the ruling elite of the state and from the point of view of the national interests of the state.

Modern India is actively participating in various events in the international arena. An example of this is the participation of India in the international association BRICS. Despite close relations with western countries, India poses itself as an important actor of international relations by joining a raising voice for the better environment in the international development for the developing countries.

It is important to mention that the actions of the Indian government in the international arena are dictated by domestic needs and changes within the state. India's activities in BRICS cannot be called as monotonous either. The reasons can be identified as: change of the ruling elite, progress / regression in national development, international developments.

Basically it would be logical to separate the participation of India in BRICS in two periods – rule of Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi.

In the 90-es of the last century, India faced structural economic and financial crisis that had a cruel influence on the development of India. So with the reforms of Manmohan Singh – the minister of finance at that time, the representative of the Indian National Congress, the Indian government had put the economy of India "on its feet". The demand for agricultural products in that period fell sharply, and industry and services replaced them due to the global technological breakthrough in those years. Thus, India no longer met the requirements of that time.

As a result of the 1991 liberal reforms, India was gradually building up economic power and influence at the regional and international levels. The reforms included: reduction of tariffs, the unification of exchange rates, the adoption of a number of liberal measures regarding foreign direct investment, the introduction of convertibility of the national currency. Reforms were also carried out in the industrial and commercial sectors of the economy, which were aimed at intensifying the competitive environment within the state and abroad. The substantial expansion of the Indian private sector has also contributed to enhancing the competitive environment, mainly due to the increasing role of services.

In 2006 India actively supported the Russian initiative to create BRIC summit format. As Russia was considered to be a close friend of India. Also at that time, the Indian economy needed investment and expansion of foreign economic cooperation from regional to international level.

Despite close relations with Western partners, the BRIC (S) cooperation format provides India with the opportunity to act as one of the leading actors in the modern multipolar world, which has replaced the unipolar system of international relations and its Bretton-Wood system, which is no longer able to match the dynamics of changes. The crisis of 2008 is most indicative.

According to the speeches of Manmohan Singh at the BRICS summits we can say that economic and technological agenda had stayed as the topical one during the whole period of Singh`s term.

So, in 2010, at the second BRICS summit in Brasilia, Manmohan Singh noted the importance of such areas as the development of agriculture, energy, technology, economic and financial development, and the fight against terrorism.

In 2012 at the fourth BRICS summit India proposed initiative to create a Development Bank, which was adopted at the fifth BRICS summit in Durban.

In 2013, at the BRICS summit in South Africa, Manmohan Singh noted in an interview that the partners will discuss methods for reviving and ensuring macroeconomic stability, as well as mechanisms for promoting investment in infrastructure and developing the concept of sustainable development. According to the Prime Minister, India also committed to help reform the institutions of political and economic governance.

In 2014 in a welcoming speech during the Durban Summit, Mr. Singh addressed topics such as the need for economic research on processes in developing countries, economic growth, sustainable economic recovery and balanced trade profits, and environmental and safety issues.

Thus, continuing the economic policy of the 1990s, Singh came up with initiatives mainly in the areas of economy, trade, business, inclusive economic development.

In 2014, Narendra Modi, the representative of the Hindu nationalist party of Bharatiya Janata Party, won the election. The current Prime Minister is more radical in his views and actions than his predecessor. Modi fully demonstrates the ambitions of great India, simultaneously trying to strengthen the country's image in the international arena by increasing its soft power. Modi's policy is also aimed at improving the welfare of the population. For example, some of his initiatives included the creation of affordable technologies, improved sanitation, and easier access to water and electricity.

So, the head of India supports the principles of sustainable development, and it is also often seen in the positions of India regarding participation in BRICS.

Among other things, the Prime Minister is gradually internationalizing Indian production through the programs "Make in India", "Skill India", "100 Smart Cities", "Digital India", etc., attracting the attention of investors from all over the world and promoting growth manufacturing sector, the development of Indian business and the improvement of urbanization processes.

Due to changes in the international arena, the concept of BRICS has expanded to the concept of both economic and political unification. This is clearly seen during the BRICS summit in Ufa in 2015, when for the first time political issues were put on the agenda.

The BRICS countries have also established an additional mechanism for independent financial stability, without relying on the IMF for help – i.e. creation of the New Development Bank. We can also mention trade processes in national currencies. Which also has political focus.

The most striking point of the Ufa final declaration sounded like: "We insist that international law is called upon to play the role of an instrument for achieving international justice, based on the principles of good faith and sovereign equality." According to media reports, this time forum laid the foundations for a new world governance system.

In 2016, India hosted the BRICS summit in Goa, continuing the political component. Due to the growth of Islamic radicalism, the danger of population`s involvement in terrorist activities around the world raised. And South and Central Asia had turned into one of the most dangerous centers of clashes. In this regard, the Goa Summit was remembered by the anti-terrorism initiatives of Narendra Modi.

Here we can also mention political disagreements between India and Pakistan regarding terrorist attacks and China's active support for Pakistan. The Indian-Chinese contradictions were also indirectly reflected in another initiative put forward by Modi – the joint BRICS-BIMSTEC summit, which was unofficially aimed to strengthen the influence of India in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region. After such an incident, Indian media and experts began to call Narendra Modi a national hero in the foreign policy arena, instead of talking, he began actions that had to be taken a long time ago.

At one of the lectures with students, the representative of the Strategic Council for Political Communications of India, Nisheth Sharan, comparing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressed his opinion about them as patriots of their states, fighters for national interests.

In general, there has been an increase in India's political interest in the BRICS during Modi`s term. After the victory in the further elections Modi continued acting in the same ambitious way in the name of achieving the national interests of India, sometimes provoking and shocking the international community with unexpected actions and statements. However, Modi's patriotic goal of making India one of the first states in the world justifies the means.

USA
Source: soapboxie.com

In this article, we will look at the BRIC countries and the social-political challenges they face in overtaking the G7 economies as predicted by Jim O'Neill of Goldman Sachs in his paper entitled "Building Better Global Economic BRICs."

"Most of our predictions are based on very linear thinking. That's why they will most likely be wrong."

— Vinod Khosla, in "GIGATRENDS," Wired 04.01
What Are the BRIC Economies and G7 Countries?

The BRIC acronym refers to the countries of Brazil, Russia, India, and China, which in 2001 were deemed to be at an advanced stage as developing economies. This assertion was made by Jim O'Neill of Goldman Sachs in a paper entitled "Building Better Global Economic BRICs," in which he anticipated a shift in global economic power away from the G7 countries and toward other developing economies.

In fact, some experts at the time suggested that the BRIC economies would in all likelihood overtake the G7 economies by 2027. But are these projections in line with today's realities?

In his book Breakout Nations: In Pursuit of the Next Economic Miracles, Ruchir Sharma argues it is hard to sustain rapid growth for more than a decade, questioning many of the assertions made about the BRICs. As a matter of fact, Goldman Sachs has since revised its prediction to state that 2050 is a more realistic time frame for these countries to replace any of the G7 economies in economic power.

Out of the BRIC countries, in spite of recent setbacks, China and India are the only economies holding their own. Unfortunately, the other two economies have been recently sputtering. Even India has severe problems in infrastructure, extreme poverty, substandard health care, costly pollution, corruption, protectionism, and messy governance. Russia and Brazil are facing problems with corruption and slow growth. China is beginning to face push back from the U.S. as well as other Western and Asian economies. We'll explore all of these factors in this article.

What About South Africa?

Before moving on, however, we need to clarify one detail. In 2010, South Africa was interested in being part of the BRIC forum and consequently was invited to join. The reasoning behind this was that South Africa represents an important part of the world's emerging markets and it could play an important role to the other BRIC members as a gateway to the African continent.

In spite of the fact that South Africa is now officially and deservedly part of this group, this article will exclude information on this country. The reason is that the premise behind this post is that pundits don't always get it right. Since South Africa was not originally included in Jim O'Neill's paper which was meant to envisage those developing economies that would replace the G7 countries in economic power, comments on South Africa will be included in a later post.

Brazil's Economic and Demographic Data | Source Brazil

Inward-Oriented/Protectionist

The Brazilian economy is an inward-oriented economy with markets that are to a great degree highly protected by the government. This is done by imposing an applied customs averaging tariff of 13.5% plus different types of non-tariff barriers that include import quotas, administrative requirements, and an internal taxing system that is preferential to locally manufactured products.

As a typical inward-oriented economy, Brazil attempts to attain economic independence or self-reliance by imposing comprehensive regulations on the private sector in order to impose its protectionist policy.

According to the European Commission's latest report on Potentially Trade Restrictive Measures, Brazil is among the countries that have resorted to the highest number of trade barriers.

Brazil is an unusually closed economy from an export perspective as well. Most outwardly-oriented economies have a ratio of one exporting firm per 250 people. Brazil has an astonishing ratio of one exporting firm per 10,000 people.

Critics point to the fact that should Brazil be open to imports and exports the local economy would become more efficient in resource allocation and enable people to consume a highly diversified basket of goods, lowering prices to consumers.



Police officers in the favela of Rocinha. Brazil suffers from high crime and murder rates. | Source Crime

According to most sources, Brazil possesses high rates of violent crimes such as murders and robberies; depending on the source (UNDP or World Health Organization) the homicide rate can range between 30 and 40 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, placing Brazil in the top 20 countries in murder rate.

Carjacking is common throughout Brazil, making most local citizens targets. Pick-pocketing and bag snatching are common in outdoor markets, hotels and on public transport. Express kidnappings, where individuals are abducted and forced to withdraw funds from ATMs to secure their release, are common.

Much of the violent crime is done by gangs which has become an important issue affecting the youth. Up until recently, murder has been the most common cause of death among youth in Brazil, with 40% of all victims aged between 15 and 25 years old.

Corruption

Corruption in Brazil is a pervasive social problem and has become an important part of Brazil's politics. For years, embezzlement and corruption have been involved in Brazilian elections. Petty corruption is extensive. In tax administration, public procurement and in the natural resource sectors, it has been deemed insidious enough as to be a limitation to business. Collusion between government and business is also widespread.

The latest corruption scandal called "Operation Car Wash" has ensnared former presidents Fernando Collor de Mello, Michel Temer and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. All three presidents have been arrested and are either awaiting trial or serving prison sentences, as in the case Lula da Silva. Additionally, dozens of other politicians, have either been jailed or have been forced to resign from their government positions.

Dilma Rousseff, the first woman president of Brazil was impeached and removed from office in 2016, for fiscal irresponsibility, failure to act on the scandal involving the Brazilian petroleum company Petrobras and for failure to distance herself from the defendants in the Operation Car Wash trials.

Education

As per the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Brazilian education is among 35 of the worst in global ranking. Only 33% of students entering college graduate, and teacher's pay is the lowest among OECD members. Enrolment of children under the age of three is only 23%, compared to an average of 36% worldwide.

Brazil has one of the lowest percentages of 25-64 year-olds whose highest education level is a master's degree or higher. Even graduates from vocational programs are among the lowest within OECD members.

The World Economic Forum has ranked the country as 88th out of a total 122 in the education scale.

Racial Inequality

Anybody traveling to Brazil will immediately notice the racial divide that permeates throughout the country. Racial inequality is deeply ingrained in Brazilian culture. Statistics show the following:

• 63% of blacks earn less than minimum wage compared to 34% of whites.
• Of the richest Brazilians, 11% are black and 85% are white.
• 93% of respondents acknowledged that there is racial prejudice in Brazil
• The richest 10% of the population accounts for 48% of the national income, and the poorest 50% account for 10% of the national income.
• 2.7% of black Brazilians are employed in management positions.
• 55% of blacks perform manual labor.
• 2.5% of blacks have a university degree.
• Black children born into poverty have a 93% chance of being impoverished for their entire life.

Wrap-Up

In spite of vast natural resources and possessing the second largest population in the American continent, it is doubtful Brazil can rise above developing nation status any time soon. Brazil has for many decades faced greatly devastating social, economic and political problems that will be difficult to overcome, especially considering that cultural and social changes typically occur in glacially slow time.

A good start would be for Brazil to take down import barriers and increase its export initiatives. Corruption needs to be tackled in a multi-party fashion, rather than as a single-party initiative as it has been done many times in the past.

Initiatives to improve education must be put in placed in order for the country to be globally competitive. Reduction in crime through improved education and lower unemployment is also necessary.

Unfortunately at this point in time, it is hard to see a day anytime soon, when these issues are solved.

Russia's Economic and Demographic Data | Source Russia

Economic System Still in Transition

In 1991 the Soviet economic system of centralized control came to an end with the collapse of the USSR and its communist form of government. A process of market transformation was initiated by Prime Minister Yegor Gaidar, second in command to President Boris Yeltsin. This was a difficult process of market transformation, often referred to as "shock therapy" which at least in the short-term was very costly in human terms.

Since 1991 the Russian economy has been greatly transformed. The large-scale privatization that took place ended to a great extend state ownership in industry and market oriented initiatives were established including the freeing up of prices.

However, Russia remains a predominantly statist economy with a high concentration of wealth held in the hands of a few. Currently the energy, transportation, banking, and defense-related sectors remain under government ownership and control. Most of the media remain in the hands of the government and overall the state continues to interfere in the free operation of the private sector.

In recent years the Russian government has begun to implement protectionist policies imposing 15.5% tariffs, plus NTB's (non-tariff barriers) that include administrative barriers, import quotas, targeted bailouts and direct subsidies for local companies.

Oil and Gas Exports: Russia's Main Source of Hard Currency

Russia's main industries are: oil and gas, mining, processing precious stones and metals, aircraft building, aerospace production, weapons and military industry, electric engineering, pulp-and-paper production, automotive industry, transport, road and agriculture machinery production, foodstuffs industries.

However, its energy industry is one of the largest in the world possessing the largest reserves of natural gas, the second largest coal reserves and the eighth largest oil reserves. Russia is the largest exporter of oil in the world in absolute numbers, and it represents its main source of hard currency.

Russia's Exports - Two Thirds Hydrocarbons | Source Oil and gas contribute more than 30% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and 52% of federal budget revenues. This makes Russia highly vulnerable to fluctuations in oil prices. In fact the effect of the 2014 oil price collapse was extremely damaging to the Russian economy. Without other supporting industries, over-dependance on one resource, such as oil, opens a country like Russia to the risks of Dutch disease, in which the economy collapses due to the lack of other strong economic sectors.

Transition to a Dictatorship

In a December 2014 article for Bloomberg, Leonid Bershidsky wrote:

"Vladimir Putin's regime is on the verge of transitioning from mild authoritarianism to outright dictatorship. The country's newly amended military doctrine is an especially ominous sign. Judging by it, the Kremlin's response to the ongoing economic crisis will be to crack down on all signs of popular discontent. The Kremlin seems determined to turn inward and complete its break with the Western world".

Since Vladimir Putin originally took over as president of Russia from 2000–2008 and then again 2012 to present, Putin has been accused of:

• A stream of assassinations of journalists
• Suppression of the opposition
• Assassinations of prominent opposition leaders
• Election fraud
• Inundation of the internet as well as the media with pro-Putin propaganda
• Isolation of Russia from the West
• Annexed Crimea
• Sent troops to Ukraine
• Has effectively remained in power from 2000 to present by holding the post of prime minister in order to circumvent constitutional limitations on consecutive presidential terms
• Changed the constitution so that he can have a third term
• Total control over the military
• Reported to have pilfered and be worth close to $70 billion

Russia's Corruption is Much Worse Than India and China |Fernando Collor de Mello, Michel Temer and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. All three presidents have been arrested and are either awaiting trial or serving prison sentences, as in the case Lula da Silva. Additionally, dozens of other politicians, have either been jailed or have been forced to resign from their government positions.

Dilma Rousseff, the first woman president of Brazil was impeached and removed from office in 2016, for fiscal irresponsibility, failure to act on the scandal involving the Brazilian petroleum company Petrobras and for failure to distance herself from the defendants in the Operation Car Wash trials.

Education

As per the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Brazilian education is among 35 of the worst in global ranking. Only 33% of students entering college graduate, and teacher's pay is the lowest among OECD members. Enrolment of children under the age of three is only 23%, compared to an average of 36% worldwide.

Brazil has one of the lowest percentages of 25-64 year-olds whose highest education level is a master's degree or higher. Even graduates from vocational programs are among the lowest within OECD members.

The World Economic Forum has ranked the country as 88th out of a total 122 in the education scale.

Racial Inequality

Anybody traveling to Brazil will immediately notice the racial divide that permeates throughout the country. Racial inequality is deeply ingrained in Brazilian culture. Statistics show the following:

• 63% of blacks earn less than minimum wage compared to 34% of whites.
• Of the richest Brazilians, 11% are black and 85% are white.
• 93% of respondents acknowledged that there is racial prejudice in Brazil
• The richest 10% of the population accounts for 48% of the national income, and the poorest 50% account for 10% of the national income.
• 2.7% of black Brazilians are employed in management positions.
• 55% of blacks perform manual labor.
• 2.5% of blacks have a university degree.
• Black children born into poverty have a 93% chance of being impoverished for their entire life.

Wrap-Up

In spite of vast natural resources and possessing the second largest population in the American continent, it is doubtful Brazil can rise above developing nation status any time soon. Brazil has for many decades faced greatly devastating social, economic and political problems that will be difficult to overcome, especially considering that cultural and social changes typically occur in glacially slow time.

A good start would be for Brazil to take down import barriers and increase its export initiatives. Corruption needs to be tackled in a multi-party fashion, rather than as a single-party initiative as it has been done many times in the past.

Initiatives to improve education must be put in placed in order for the country to be globally competitive. Reduction in crime through improved education and lower unemployment is also necessary.

Unfortunately at this point in time, it is hard to see a day anytime soon, when these issues are solved.

Russia's Economic and Demographic Data | Source Russia

Economic System Still in Transition

In 1991 the Soviet economic system of centralized control came to an end with the collapse of the USSR and its communist form of government. A process of market transformation was initiated by Prime Minister Yegor Gaidar, second in command to President Boris Yeltsin. This was a difficult process of market transformation, often referred to as "shock therapy" which at least in the short-term was very costly in human terms.

Since 1991 the Russian economy has been greatly transformed. The large-scale privatization that took place ended to a great extend state ownership in industry and market oriented initiatives were established including the freeing up of prices.

However, Russia remains a predominantly statist economy with a high concentration of wealth held in the hands of a few. Currently the energy, transportation, banking, and defense-related sectors remain under government ownership and control. Most of the media remain in the hands of the government and overall the state continues to interfere in the free operation of the private sector.

In recent years the Russian government has begun to implement protectionist policies imposing 15.5% tariffs, plus NTB's (non-tariff barriers) that include administrative barriers, import quotas, targeted bailouts and direct subsidies for local companies.

Oil and Gas Exports: Russia's Main Source of Hard Currency

Russia's main industries are: oil and gas, mining, processing precious stones and metals, aircraft building, aerospace production, weapons and military industry, electric engineering, pulp-and-paper production, automotive industry, transport, road and agriculture machinery production, foodstuffs industries.

However, its energy industry is one of the largest in the world possessing the largest reserves of natural gas, the second largest coal reserves and the eighth largest oil reserves. Russia is the largest exporter of oil in the world in absolute numbers, and it represents its main source of hard currency.

Russia's Exports - Two Thirds Hydrocarbons | Source Oil and gas contribute more than 30% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and 52% of federal budget revenues. This makes Russia highly vulnerable to fluctuations in oil prices. In fact the effect of the 2014 oil price collapse was extremely damaging to the Russian economy. Without other supporting industries, over-dependance on one resource, such as oil, opens a country like Russia to the risks of Dutch disease, in which the economy collapses due to the lack of other strong economic sectors.

Transition to a Dictatorship

In a December 2014 article for Bloomberg, Leonid Bershidsky wrote:

"Vladimir Putin's regime is on the verge of transitioning from mild authoritarianism to outright dictatorship. The country's newly amended military doctrine is an especially ominous sign. Judging by it, the Kremlin's response to the ongoing economic crisis will be to crack down on all signs of popular discontent. The Kremlin seems determined to turn inward and complete its break with the Western world".

Since Vladimir Putin originally took over as president of Russia from 2000–2008 and then again 2012 to present, Putin has been accused of:

• A stream of assassinations of journalists
• Suppression of the opposition
• Assassinations of prominent opposition leaders
• Election fraud
• Inundation of the internet as well as the media with pro-Putin propaganda
• Isolation of Russia from the West
• Annexed Crimea
• Sent troops to Ukraine
• Has effectively remained in power from 2000 to present by holding the post of prime minister in order to circumvent constitutional limitations on consecutive presidential terms
• Changed the constitution so that he can have a third term
• Total control over the military
• Reported to have pilfered and be worth close to $70 billion

Russia's Corruption is Much Worse Than India and China | Source Corruption in Russia

Corruption in Russia is wide spread and considered a major problem. It affects all aspects of daily life including public administration, law enforcement, healthcare and education. Corruption in Russia can be considered as institutionalized and largely a result of weakness in the rule of law.

Its corruption has been getting worse since Vladimir Putin's ascension to the presidency. It went from 90th place in the Corruption Perception Index in 2012 to 138th place in 2018. This represents a drop of 48 places in only six years. An equally pessimistic picture emerges from the estimates of the average size of bribes which has substantially increased over the last five years.

A World Bank report estimates that corruption in Russia amounts to 48% of GDP.

In a Newsweek article of June 24, 2019, reporter Ariel Cohen says:

"...Russia is sliding into a black hole of crime, corruption, and illegality—and that more and more Russians are taking note. This was nowhere more evident than in the protests that erupted in Moscow earlier this month after local police planted cocaine and other drugs in the apartment of investigative journalist Ivan Golunov, who exposed high level corruption in the Moscow burial business and among the relatives of a Moscow deputy mayor. Due to the protests, Golunov was acquitted and case closed, but the story does not end there. Corruption in law enforcement and in courts is choking Russia's economic growth."

"Vodka causes a shortage of men in Russia" by Shannon Buckley - Mercatonet | Source Alcoholism

Alcohol consumption in Russia is among the highest in the world. Although Russia has implemented anti-alcoholism initiatives such as banning sales of spirits and beer at night, raising taxes, and other measures, alcohol producers claim, falling legal drinks consumption is accompanied by growth of sales of illegally produced beverages.

High volumes of alcohol consumption have serious negative effects on Russia's social fabric and it has political, economic and public health ramifications. A study of Russian alcohol's consumption effects, determined that 52% of deaths of people between the ages of 15 and 54 were the result of alcohol abuse.

Wrap-Up

While Russia has some clear competitive advantages such as a large reserve of raw materials, low internal energy prices and a relatively well-educated work force, it has other negative factors that will limit its growth in the next twenty years. Some of these negative factors are:

• Dependence on energy production
• Low global oil prices that are expected to stay low for some time
• Expectation that global oil consumption will drop in the future
• No large manufacturing industry
• Protectionist policies
• Aggressive geopolitical approach pitting it against the West.
• Western sanctions
• Corruption
• Severe social problems
• Decreasing population
• Nascent dictaroship

Russia is certainly a great power. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia has grown economically by a factor of three. The question is whether this type of growth will continue considering the issues Russia is facing. With Putin firmly in control and the possibility of him staying at the center of power in Russia until 2024 or even beyond, it is doubtful Russia will experience sustainable growth in the foreseeable future.

India's Economic and Demographic Data | Source India

India Is the Most Populous Democracy

India, with a population of over 1.3 billion people is the most populous democracy in the world. Its origins date back to 2500 BC. Currently the Indian economy is the sixth largest in the world based on nominal GDP figures and the third largest based on Purchasing Power Parity (PPP).

India's modern day growth goes back to the market focused economic reforms of 1991, which turned it into the fastest growing major economies globally as of 2014, replacing China. Additionally it is currently considered a newly industrialized country. In spite of this tremendous growth, it still continues to suffer from poverty, malnutrition, corruption, decaying infrastructure and inadequate health care.

Currently, India is the sixth largest economy in the world, however based on its current growth and increasing population, it is expected to become the third largest within the next ten years. In fact according to the IMF, the Indian economy was the "bright spot" in the global landscape as it is expected to grow by 8% from 2016 to 2017. Today, however, the economy has slowed to 6% annually.

India's major industries are:

• Textile Industry
• Food Processing Industry
• Chemical Industry
• Cement Industry
• Steel Industry
• Software Industry
• Mining Industry
• Petroleum Industry

Additionally, India has one of the fastest growing service sectors in the world with annual growth rate of above 9% since 2001 contributing to 57% of GDP in 2012–13. India has become a major exporter of IT services, |Fernando Collor de Mello, Michel Temer and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. All three presidents have been arrested and are either awaiting trial or serving prison sentences, as in the case Lula da Silva. Additionally, dozens of other politicians, have either been jailed or have been forced to resign from their government positions.

Dilma Rousseff, the first woman president of Brazil was impeached and removed from office in 2016, for fiscal irresponsibility, failure to act on the scandal involving the Brazilian petroleum company Petrobras and for failure to distance herself from the defendants in the Operation Car Wash trials.

Education

As per the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Brazilian education is among 35 of the worst in global ranking. Only 33% of students entering college graduate, and teacher's pay is the lowest among OECD members. Enrolment of children under the age of three is only 23%, compared to an average of 36% worldwide.

Brazil has one of the lowest percentages of 25-64 year-olds whose highest education level is a master's degree or higher. Even graduates from vocational programs are among the lowest within OECD members.

The World Economic Forum has ranked the country as 88th out of a total 122 in the education scale.

Racial Inequality

Anybody traveling to Brazil will immediately notice the racial divide that permeates throughout the country. Racial inequality is deeply ingrained in Brazilian culture. Statistics show the following:

• 63% of blacks earn less than minimum wage compared to 34% of whites.
• Of the richest Brazilians, 11% are black and 85% are white.
• 93% of respondents acknowledged that there is racial prejudice in Brazil
• The richest 10% of the population accounts for 48% of the national income, and the poorest 50% account for 10% of the national income.
• 2.7% of black Brazilians are employed in management positions.
• 55% of blacks perform manual labor.
• 2.5% of blacks have a university degree.
• Black children born into poverty have a 93% chance of being impoverished for their entire life.

Wrap-Up

In spite of vast natural resources and possessing the second largest population in the American continent, it is doubtful Brazil can rise above developing nation status any time soon. Brazil has for many decades faced greatly devastating social, economic and political problems that will be difficult to overcome, especially considering that cultural and social changes typically occur in glacially slow time.

A good start would be for Brazil to take down import barriers and increase its export initiatives. Corruption needs to be tackled in a multi-party fashion, rather than as a single-party initiative as it has been done many times in the past.

Initiatives to improve education must be put in placed in order for the country to be globally competitive. Reduction in crime through improved education and lower unemployment is also necessary.

Unfortunately at this point in time, it is hard to see a day anytime soon, when these issues are solved.

Russia's Economic and Demographic Data | Source Russia

Economic System Still in Transition

In 1991 the Soviet economic system of centralized control came to an end with the collapse of the USSR and its communist form of government. A process of market transformation was initiated by Prime Minister Yegor Gaidar, second in command to President Boris Yeltsin. This was a difficult process of market transformation, often referred to as "shock therapy" which at least in the short-term was very costly in human terms.

Since 1991 the Russian economy has been greatly transformed. The large-scale privatization that took place ended to a great extend state ownership in industry and market oriented initiatives were established including the freeing up of prices.

However, Russia remains a predominantly statist economy with a high concentration of wealth held in the hands of a few. Currently the energy, transportation, banking, and defense-related sectors remain under government ownership and control. Most of the media remain in the hands of the government and overall the state continues to interfere in the free operation of the private sector.

In recent years the Russian government has begun to implement protectionist policies imposing 15.5% tariffs, plus NTB's (non-tariff barriers) that include administrative barriers, import quotas, targeted bailouts and direct subsidies for local companies.

Oil and Gas Exports: Russia's Main Source of Hard Currency

Russia's main industries are: oil and gas, mining, processing precious stones and metals, aircraft building, aerospace production, weapons and military industry, electric engineering, pulp-and-paper production, automotive industry, transport, road and agriculture machinery production, foodstuffs industries.

However, its energy industry is one of the largest in the world possessing the largest reserves of natural gas, the second largest coal reserves and the eighth largest oil reserves. Russia is the largest exporter of oil in the world in absolute numbers, and it represents its main source of hard currency.

Russia's Exports - Two Thirds Hydrocarbons | Source Oil and gas contribute more than 30% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and 52% of federal budget revenues. This makes Russia highly vulnerable to fluctuations in oil prices. In fact the effect of the 2014 oil price collapse was extremely damaging to the Russian economy. Without other supporting industries, over-dependance on one resource, such as oil, opens a country like Russia to the risks of Dutch disease, in which the economy collapses due to the lack of other strong economic sectors.

Transition to a Dictatorship

In a December 2014 article for Bloomberg, Leonid Bershidsky wrote:

"Vladimir Putin's regime is on the verge of transitioning from mild authoritarianism to outright dictatorship. The country's newly amended military doctrine is an especially ominous sign. Judging by it, the Kremlin's response to the ongoing economic crisis will be to crack down on all signs of popular discontent. The Kremlin seems determined to turn inward and complete its break with the Western world".

Since Vladimir Putin originally took over as president of Russia from 2000–2008 and then again 2012 to present, Putin has been accused of:

• A stream of assassinations of journalists
• Suppression of the opposition
• Assassinations of prominent opposition leaders
• Election fraud
• Inundation of the internet as well as the media with pro-Putin propaganda
• Isolation of Russia from the West
• Annexed Crimea
• Sent troops to Ukraine
• Has effectively remained in power from 2000 to present by holding the post of prime minister in order to circumvent constitutional limitations on consecutive presidential terms
• Changed the constitution so that he can have a third term
• Total control over the military
• Reported to have pilfered and be worth close to $70 billio

Russia's Corruption is Much Worse Than India and China | Source Corruption in Russia

Corruption in Russia is wide spread and considered a major problem. It affects all aspects of daily life including public administration, law enforcement, healthcare and education. Corruption in Russia can be considered as institutionalized and largely a result of weakness in the rule of law.

Its corruption has been getting worse since Vladimir Putin's ascension to the presidency. It went from 90th place in the Corruption Perception Index in 2012 to 138th place in 2018. This represents a drop of 48 places in only six years. An equally pessimistic picture emerges from the estimates of the average size of bribes which has substantially increased over the last five years.

A World Bank report estimates that corruption in Russia amounts to 48% of GDP.

In a Newsweek article of June 24, 2019, reporter Ariel Cohen says:

"...Russia is sliding into a black hole of crime, corruption, and illegality—and that more and more Russians are taking note. This was nowhere more evident than in the protests that erupted in Moscow earlier this month after local police planted cocaine and other drugs in the apartment of investigative journalist Ivan Golunov, who exposed high level corruption in the Moscow burial business and among the relatives of a Moscow deputy mayor. Due to the protests, Golunov was acquitted and case closed, but the story does not end there. Corruption in law enforcement and in courts is choking Russia's economic growth."

"Vodka causes a shortage of men in Russia" by Shannon Buckley - Mercatonet | Source Alcoholism

Alcohol consumption in Russia is among the highest in the world. Although Russia has implemented anti-alcoholism initiatives such as banning sales of spirits and beer at night, raising taxes, and other measures, alcohol producers claim, falling legal drinks consumption is accompanied by growth of sales of illegally produced beverages.

High volumes of alcohol consumption have serious negative effects on Russia's social fabric and it has political, economic and public health ramifications. A study of Russian alcohol's consumption effects, determined that 52% of deaths of people between the ages of 15 and 54 were the result of alcohol abuse.

Wrap-Up

While Russia has some clear competitive advantages such as a large reserve of raw materials, low internal energy prices and a relatively well-educated work force, it has other negative factors that will limit its growth in the next twenty years. Some of these negative factors are:

• Dependence on energy production
• Low global oil prices that are expected to stay low for some time
• Expectation that global oil consumption will drop in the future
• No large manufacturing industry
• Protectionist policies
• Aggressive geopolitical approach pitting it against the West.
• Western sanctions
• Corruption
• Severe social problems
• Decreasing population
• Nascent dictaroship

Russia is certainly a great power. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia has grown economically by a factor of three. The question is whether this type of growth will continue considering the issues Russia is facing. With Putin firmly in control and the possibility of him staying at the center of power in Russia until 2024 or even beyond, it is doubtful Russia will experience sustainable growth in the foreseeable future.

India's Economic and Demographic Data | Source India

India Is the Most Populous Democracy

India, with a population of over 1.3 billion people is the most populous democracy in the world. Its origins date back to 2500 BC. Currently the Indian economy is the sixth largest in the world based on nominal GDP figures and the third largest based on Purchasing Power Parity (PPP).

India's modern day growth goes back to the market focused economic reforms of 1991, which turned it into the fastest growing major economies globally as of 2014, replacing China. Additionally it is currently considered a newly industrialized country. In spite of this tremendous growth, it still continues to suffer from poverty, malnutrition, corruption, decaying infrastructure and inadequate health care.

Currently, India is the sixth largest economy in the world, however based on its current growth and increasing population, it is expected to become the third largest within the next ten years. In fact according to the IMF, the Indian economy was the "bright spot" in the global landscape as it is expected to grow by 8% from 2016 to 2017. Today, however, the economy has slowed to 6% annually.

India's major industries are:

• Textile Industry
• Food Processing Industry
• Chemical Industry
• Cement Industry
• Steel Industry
• Software Industry
• Mining Industry
• Petroleum Industry

Additionally, India has one of the fastest growing service sectors in the world with annual growth rate of above 9% since 2001 contributing to 57% of GDP in 2012–13. India has become a major exporter of IT services, | Source India

India Is the Most Populous Democracy

India, with a population of over 1.3 billion people is the most populous democracy in the world. Its origins date back to 2500 BC. Currently the Indian economy is the sixth largest in the world based on nominal GDP figures and the third largest based on Purchasing Power Parity (PPP).

India's modern day growth goes back to the market focused economic reforms of 1991, which turned it into the fastest growing major economies globally as of 2014, replacing China. Additionally it is currently considered a newly industrialized country. In spite of this tremendous growth, it still continues to suffer from poverty, malnutrition, corruption, decaying infrastructure and inadequate health care.

Currently, India is the sixth largest economy in the world, however based on its current growth and increasing population, it is expected to become the third largest within the next ten years. In fact according to the IMF, the Indian economy was the "bright spot" in the global landscape as it is expected to grow by 8% from 2016 to 2017. Today, however, the economy has slowed to 6% annually.

India's major industries are:

• Textile Industry
• Food Processing Industry
• Chemical Industry
• Cement Industry
• Steel Industry
• Software Industry
• Mining Industry
• Petroleum Industry

Additionally, India has one of the fastest growing service sectors in the world with annual growth rate of above 9% since 2001 contributing to 57% of GDP in 2012–13. India has become a major exporter of IT services, BPO (business process outsourcing) services, and software services with $167.0 billion worth of service exports in 2013–14. It is also the fastest-growing part of the economy. The IT industry continues to be the largest private sector employer. India is also a large start-up hub with 1,200 technology start-ups in 2018.

India's exports are as follows:


India is the Most Populous Democracy | Source India has been recording sustained trade deficits since 1980 mainly due to the high growth of imports, particularly of crude oil, gold and silver. For 2019 India's trade deficit was recorded at $103 billion. In recent years, the biggest trade deficits were recorded with China, Saudi Arab, Iraq, Switzerland and Kuwait. India records trade surpluses with US, Singapore, Germany, Netherlands and United Kingdom.

Protectionism

In spite of India's economic reforms that have taken place in the last two decades, it has lagged behind its neighbors in lowering commercial barriers. Trade negotiations with the U.S. and with the European Union have made very little progress as market access and intellectual property rights have been difficult issues to resolve. During negotiations at the World Trade Organization, it tried to torpedo a deal that simplifies global customs procedures unless it received concessions on its massive farm subsidies.

India maintains significant tariff and non-tariff barriers that limit its trade with the world. It imposes an average applied tariff of 12.4%, which is among the highest in the world. Its non-tariff barriers are among the most complex in the world. The World Bank has ranked India in its ease to do business at 134 out of 189. That ranking basically means that it is virtually impossible to export to India.

In the long run such mercantilist approach could limit India's export efforts and New Delhi's hope of raising India's share of world trade to 3.5% by 2020 from 2% presently. Meeting its target of $900 billion in yearly exports by 2020 would require India to sell twice as much to the rest of the world as it does today. This will be a very difficult task unless agreements on trade are reached with the United States, the European Union and other trade partners.

India's pollution control policies unlikely to improve air quality: Study Sunday, 31 March 2019 | PTI | London | Source Pollution in India

According to Global Burden of Disease Study, air pollution has killed over a million people in India in 2017 alone. However, the government continues to claim there is no connection between air pollution and these deaths. In the meantime, 15 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are in India. (Al Jazeera News - Counting the Cost. 31 Aug 2019)

Pollution comes at an economic cost in loss of work and productivity, as well as in human lives. As per the World Bank, India lost 8.5% of it GDP in 2013 due to pollution-related costs.

Professor E Somanathan, of the Indian Statistical Institute, said:

"If we could cut air pollution to zero, every Indian would be willing to pay about $300 per year to cut that risk. The total benefit would be about $300bn or $400bn per year."

Prarthana Borah, India director of Clean Air Asia, further said:

"China puts air pollution not as part of an environment agenda, it is part of the national planning process. We definitely need to integrate air within development policy."

Corruption in India | Source Corruption

India's ranking in Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index for 2015 is 76th out of 176. This ranking places India at the same ranking level as Brazil, but just above China, Sri Lanka and Colombia, all three ranked at 83rd. In recent years there have been several high-profile scandals that have underscored the extent of the problem. Some of these high-profile scandals are the Army Bribery scandal, Wikileaks Cash for votes, a scam involving homes for war widows, financial irregularities involving the Delhi Common Wealth games, and many more.

Facts About Corruption in India

• A study conducted by Transparency International found that more than 62% of people in India had paid bribes or peddled influence to get a job in a public office.
• Transparency International estimates that truckers pay annually of more than US$3.3 billion in bribes.
• Dev Kar of Global Financial Integrity concluded that about 1.5% of India's GDP on average per annum basis gets deposited into Swiss bank accounts in the form of "black money". This money includes corruption, bribery and kickbacks, criminal activities, trade mispricing and efforts to shelter wealth by Indians from India's tax authorities.

The Indian media is mainly owned by corrupt politicians and industrialists who also play a major role in most corruption scams. Typically these outlets attempt to mislead the public with wrong information and using media for mudslinging against their political and business opponents.

Various studies and reports have noted several causes that encourage corruption in India. These reports suggest high taxes and excessive regulation from bureaucracy as major causes. India has high marginal tax rates and numerous regulatory bodies with the power to stop any citizen or business from going about their daily affairs.

While India has many laws dealing with different types of corrupt practices, the level of institutionalized corruption will continue to be a major factor in slower economic growth. Foreign companies looking to establish businesses in India will find it difficult to achieve the level of success they would normally attain under less corrupt and complex regulatory environments.

Infrastructure Needs

Years of under-investment have left India with poor infrastructure that endangers its economic growth. The government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has identified eight infrastructure sectors that must be brought up to world standards. These are: civil aviation, ports and inland waterways, roads, railways, telecom, power, coal, and new and renewable energy.

It is estimated that India will need a minimum of $1 trillion in infrastructure expenditures in order to close the gap needed to continue its economic expansion. Part of this enormous funding must be raised through foreign direct investments (FDI), however, due to India's protectionist tendencies, FDIs remain politically divisive.

From Article: These photos of India's overcrowded railways will make you grateful for your commute | Source Poverty in India

Poverty in India is widespread and a historical reality. Rapid economic growth since 1991, has led to sharp reductions in extreme poverty in India. However, those above the poverty line live a fragile economic life. Lack of basic essentials of life such as safe drinking water, sanitation, housing, health infrastructure as well as malnutrition impact the lives of hundreds of millions.

According to the World Bank living at or below $1.90 per day represents poverty. It is estimated the world has 872.3 million people below the poverty line, of which 179.6 million people live in India. In other words, India with 17.5% of total world's population had 20.6% share of world's poorest in 2014. It is also estimated that 58% of the total population in India was living on less than $3.10 per day during that same year.


Wrap-Up

There is no doubt that India has several advantages over some of the other BRIC members. First of all, although it is a messy democracy, it is non-the-less a democracy. It's economic rise might not be viewed by the West as threatening as that of China. India can represent a newly-arrived world power that can easily integrate with old established democracies.

However, its relationship with Pakistan is complex and sometimes violent. While some steps have been taken to improve relations between both countries, frictions continue to surface over Kashmir and other political disagreements. The risks of two nuclear-able antagonist states living in close vicinity, represents a regional as well as a global danger.

Additionally, India seems to be looking toward China as a potential adversary, creating another area of risk. In fact, those observing India point to the "China factor" as reasons for driving India's attempt to modernize its navy. The need to protect India's 4,600 mile long coastline and exclusive economic zone that exceeds a million square-miles is another of the reasons for its naval build up.

Certainly, India must look for ways to diminish corruption; fight back pollution; heavily invest in infrastructure; address poverty; and open its markets to investment, before they can show sustainable growth.

Source China

Billions of words have been written about China and billions more are yet be written. China is both enigmatic and paradoxical with a history that dates back to at least 2070 BC. This post is merely a minute snapshot of China today. It is meant to allow the reader to get a peek at this great country and determine whether China can catch up and even replace the West not just economically, but as a superpower.

In fact, China (if you believe the figures the Chinese government has provided) has already overtaken the U.S. in GDP PPP valuation. (US$19.5 trillion vs. US$18.9 trillion) The calculus for nominal GDP is much more in favor of the U.S. (US$17.9 trillion vs. US$11.4 trillion). But irrespective of how you view these numbers China is a force to be reckoned with.

Government officials claim that China wishes to rise peacefully, that it has never invaded another country, but yet it continues to build its military at an alarming rate. It has embarked on an ambitious and unprecedented construction project in the South China Sea that entails the building of airfield and ports on a series of small islands and atolls. It has also built new islands where there were none before by reclaiming large sea areas with dredged sand.

When China was dealing with its internal problems and not able to project its power beyond its borders, many of China's neighbors felt at ease and even benefited. Now that China sends gunboats into disputed waters, it makes those same neighbors feel an impending sense of domination from a foreign power. They see China as a menacing warmongering resource-hungry expansionist.

However, China has massive problems of its own. These problems are sure to limit any of its expansionist ideas and ultimately limit its growth.


Negative Demographics

China's one child policy has caused a demographic imbalance of massive proportion. Its population is aging more rapidly than its growth in GDP. In other words, China's population is aging more rapidly than it is accumulating wealth.

This very fact will have profound ramifications for China's future growth outlook. This means that there are not enough young workers to support retirees at a time the elderly population is rising dramatically. The government estimates that the number of elderly will rise from 194 million in 2012 to 300 million by 2025.

In 2012 alone 13,600 primary schools nationwide closed due to a falling population of primary and secondary school children.

Source An aging population will put a strain on existing health care programs that have already been weakened by the elimination of the universal health care system that was in place before the transition from a centrally planned to a more market oriented economy. The Chinese health care system also will have to respond to a disease burden that is shifting toward the aging population, which will account for two-thirds of the total by 2030 .

An aging population will also limit military infrastructure expansion, due to lack of funding from taxes to the working class as well as limitations on able-bodied young recruits.

Inept and Totalitarian Government

When China began its transformation from communism to state capitalism most observers felt that greater freedom for its markets and its citizens would eventually come. However this has not been the case. Instead Chinese leader Xi Jinping has clamped down on the flow of information in the internet and the media. Free expression is being completely strangled. The Great Firewall is alive and well and getting stronger.

Secret and illegal abductions of Chinese citizens that dare voice their opinions about the government are common place. Case in point; the recent open letter to Chinese leader Xi Jinping asking him to resign which was published on a state-controlled website has led to the disappearance of at least 20 Chinese citizens. In general dissidents and their families are typically subject to investigation, harassment, threats, imprisonment and worse.

State capitalism is also being viewed as an invalid model for growth. It is based on endless debt issuance, mercantilist trade policies, top-down industrial direction from Beijing and a forced 40% savings rate. Government owned businesses cause severe damage to private industry as they swallow up loans from state owned banks. Basically, the economy is being strangled by the government.

The debt created by the government is also a sign of ineptness. Debt-fueled over-investment and excessive capacity building in order to inflate GDP figures has been a modus operandi of the government. The creation of unnecessary factories, the building of 'ghost towns' with empty buildings have provided lots of jobs but have turned manufacturing and real estate into major liabilities.

China's illegal shadow banking system has approximately $3 trillion of municipal debt using real estate as collateral. When all of this real estate loose value due to slowing economy or too many empty building, the borrowers will need to provide many billions of dollars' worth of additional collateral. That will soak cash out of the economy and make any slowdown even worse.

Currently, China faces political descent in Hong Kong. Its further deterioration could cause disruptions inside of the mainland. Additional issues with the estimated one million Uyghurs in re-education camps further exposes China to civil upheaval. Complicating matters, is also China's ongoing dispute with Taiwan over its sovereignty. Should this situation deteriorate to the point of war, bringing about a U.S. involvement, the cost to China could be substantial.

Pollution

Pollution in China creates a health hazard of massive proportion. The pollution seen in China is manifested in various forms.

• Soil contamination — Threatens the environment, food and water safety, sustainable agriculture
• Waste — Insufficient recycling systems, 300 million tons of waste annually.
• Electronic waste — 2.3 million tons of electronic waste annually.
• Industrial pollution — Hundreds of thousands of premature deaths annually attributed to industrial pollution, waterways are affected, environmental degradation that goes beyond China's borders, cancer leading cause of death in China, 500 million people without safe drinking water, only 1% of city dwellers breath air considered safe, lead poisoning, marine life affected.
• Water pollution — Water shortages and severe water pollution.
• Air pollution — It has become a major issue, in China, can cause asthma, bronchitis, acute chronic respiratory problems, premature death, becoming China's biggest health threat.
• Particles — Particle matter is of great concern in all major cities, smog often causes airports to shut down.
• Lead — Lead poisoning is a major pediatric problem, one third of Chinese children suffer from elevated serum lead levels.
• Persistent organic pollutants — Perfluorinated compounds are associated with altered thyroid function, illegal pesticides.

Government efforts to curve pollution have been for all intents and purpose futile. Pollution continues to be a major problem in China.

Beijing air on a 2005-day after rain (left) and a smoggy day (right) | Source Corruption in China

Corruption in China is widespread and starts at the very top echelons of power, working its way down to the lowliest bureaucrat.

When Xi Jinping began his campaign to stamp out corruption, expert China watchers saw right through his real motives. They immediately knew that his anti-corruption initiatives were more about getting rid of political competitors and enemies than about cleaning up corruption.

The Panama papers scandal that recently hit the news showing money stacked away in off-shore banks points to many world leaders, athletes and rich businessmen. One of these world leaders is Xi Jinping proving the theory that Xi's anti-corruption efforts are nothing more than hypocritical and disingenuous acts of self-promotion.

As soon as the news on the Panama papers was reported in the media and internet, the Chinese government immediately moved to squash the news. China has blocked news and social sites that are revealing information about political leaders involved in the Panama papers scandal. Words and phrases such as Panama, off-shore, Panama banks, and many others are immediately erased by the Chinese censors.

Innovation Gap

China's innovation gap threatens the country's long-term economic competitiveness. Currently, China ranks number 29th in the Global Innovation Index behind countries such as Japan with a ranking of 19th, the U.S.A. ranked 5th, the U.K. ranked 2nd and Switzerland as the number one ranked.

China's education system has been blamed to a great extent for stifling creativity and innovation. Chinese universities typically provide students with a good basic education, yet graduates show very little creative and critical thinking skills.

The practice of copying and reverse engineering intellectual property developed by others in order to drive its industry, especially as it relates to high-tech products, continues. This practice, however, stifles Chinese development of any meaningful intellectual property as local companies forego R & D efforts and instead depend on theft of others' ideas and product developments.

All experts agree that a country that cannot innovate and can only depend on someone else's ideas will not be able to grow in today's global environment. The best that China can expect is to continue to be the manufacturer for companies like Apple which are the ones making the lion's share of the profits for the products they have created.

Chinese factories currently make less than 10% of the money each iPhone generates. The rest of the revenues generated by each iPhone go to Apple and the retailers selling the phones to consumers. For China to catch up with the West it needs global brands. Without innovation, global brands will not happen.

Source China's GDP Numbers are Fabricated

It might come as a shock to many, but several sources have reported in the last years that China's GDP figures are not reliable. In fact most economic figures coming out of the Chinese government are bogus.

A CNN Money report dated July 15, 2015 makes the following claim:

"In 2007, Li Keqiang, a Chinese provincial official, let the American ambassador in on a little secret: China's GDP figures are "man-made" and therefore unreliable. He told the ambassador that most of the country's economic data, and especially its GDP, should be used for "reference only," according to a diplomatic cable published by Wikileaks."

CNN continues:

"On Wednesday, the debate over the accuracy of China's GDP figures was revived after officials announced that the economy grew by 7% in the second quarter — a level that few economists thought probable. First quarter GDP also came in at 7%, and Beijing's official growth target for 2015 is … you guessed it: 7%."

China does not have an independent statistics bureau, said Andy Xie, an independent economist. "It depends on local government reporting the numbers from the bottom up, and local governments do have an incentive to distort numbers." Xie said the country's current GDP growth is probably closer to 4% or 5%.

CNN is not the only news outlet to report this. Newsweek reported the same story by saying "The People's Republic of China is awash in gaudy numbers". Bloomberg, as well as dozens of other news outlets, have come out with a similar story.

The World Bank calculates that China's true GDP for 2015 is US$10 trillion rather than the US$19.5 trillion it has reported. This revelation puts into total doubt the claims that China is now the world's number one or even number two economy. It also puts into doubt all the hoopla that has been made of China's growth and eventual economic domination.

China's GDP Has Been Overstated by 12% Since 2008, New Report Reveals | Source Wrap-Up

It will take many decades before China can catch up with the West, especially the U.S. Americans and Europeans are far richer than Chinese. Democracy, open markets, better education, relative lack of corruption, governments that for the most part have citizens well being in mind, greater innovation, to name a few will keep the West well ahead of China.

China's severe problems will prevent it from growing in the near future. Perhaps fifty years from now a different story can be told, but for now unless there are major changes in government, market fundamentals, reduction in pollution, reduction in corruption, perhaps even a shift in culture, the type of growth economists originally predicted China would experience will not be here just yet.

Conclusion

Will the predictions on the BRIC economies become a reality in ten, twenty or thirty years from now? Only time will tell. The reality is that the world changes constantly. Countries are in a constant state of flux. One thing is for certain; making predictions is difficult. Many pundits think in very straight forward terms. They look at economic indicators while neglecting social, cultural, legal and historical implications.

Let's see how things go in the next ten years, and for those that are still around, let's revisit the BRICs and see how well they are doing.

United Kingdom
Source: blogs.bmj.com

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an urgent public health issue, as resistant genes and pathogens will cross borders and spread without action, threatening medical progress. [1,2,3] Breakthrough drugs and treatments, particularly those causing immunosuppression or requiring invasive procedures, will be useless if patients receiving them die from untreatable infections. This challenge requires multidisciplinary integrated collaboration and cooperation at the global level.

Many countries in economic transition may view addressing AMR as an unwanted economic burden. However, middle income countries like Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) as well as the emerging next economic power countries like Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey (MINT) have high rates of AMR. [4] The fluoroquinolone resistance rates in particular highlight the importance of action in these countries as this drug class is a cornerstone in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis treatment. Seven of these nine countries are classified as tuberculosis high burden. [5] It is important to emphasize that AMR is a threat to economic development in these nine countries, home to more than half of the world's population. It is estimated that uncontrolled AMR will compress Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by around 5%. [6] If these very large economies fail to reach their economic potential the global economic impact could be substantial. Additionally, there will be underappreciated psychosocial effects leading to reduced productivity as a consequence of AMR-associated increases in mortality. The pressures of economic development and population growth with the increasing demand for food protein mean that antibiotic use in livestock will intensify. Recent data have shown that there will be a 99% increase in antimicrobial use in livestock among BRICS countries. [7] Only three of these BRICS and MINT countries have plans for animal antimicrobial use monitoring systems (China, Russia and Brazil), according to a recent survey by the World Health Organization. [8]

With successful economic development and increasing drug access, supervision and monitoring of antibiotic prescription rates and restrictions to over-the-counter use should follow. Countries with limited healthcare budgets should not waste resources procuring ineffective drugs, but this must be a data-driven process. In order to rationalize the use of improved quality antibiotics, surveillance is essential. However, the current surveillance system on antimicrobial resistance is insufficient. A glaring surveillance shortcoming is a lack of data from animals and the environment. [9] Currently only one of the nine BRICS and MINT countries has routine data collection systems for animals and seven have no national monitoring system for plants. [8] More efforts will be needed to ensure the quality and coverage of AMR surveillance with a One Health perspective.

All nine of these target countries have raised public awareness on AMR, however none of them are national scale government supported. [8] Public awareness of AMR is relatively low in many parts of the world. Public awareness is the very first of the ten recommendations from the UK Government and Wellcome Trust-sponsored Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, as this is a complex problem involving human behaviour. [1] Social media campaigns can be developed for mass public awareness of AMR in the way tobacco and alcohol control programs have been used to change these behaviours. At the same time, this increased awareness will motivate politicians to allocate more resources.

A public health approach to prevention and infection control is the foundation for control of AMR in both humans and animals as prevention is often more cost effective than treating infections. Hand washing, wastewater treatment and sanitation are effective for primary prevention of resistant infections, especially where hygiene standards are low. At the same time, while vaccination is also an effective strategy for primary prevention of infection in both humans and animals, the rates of vaccination in some affected countries are low. Optimization of vaccination programmes for humans and animals should be a priority intervention for AMR control in emerging economies. However, with GAVI graduation looming in 2020 for countries with emerging economies, only India, Indonesia and Nigeria are still in the programme, the importance of a strategic approach to vaccination for control of AMR is urgent. [10]

Where prevention fails, the appropriate use of limited effective antimicrobials must be fostered. Antimicrobial stewardship programmes are lacking in many places and rarely in veterinary hospitals and practices. Antimicrobial stewardship must become standard practice in all healthcare environments, including ambulatory and long-term care. Economic incentives for the sale of antimicrobials must be carefully scrutinized and eliminated wherever possible.

Like climate change, AMR is a result of human behaviour and the attributable morbidity and mortality are rising tides. More actions are needed from pharmaceutical companies, governments, international organizations and the general public, with a multidisciplinary and integrated approach. AMR is an extremely challenging dynamic that affects everybody. If we wait until we run out of antibiotics, the consequences may be worse than any other disease. More work is needed to minimize the consequences of the AMR perfect storm.