Voter Education


The UP election results are out...finally. It was a bit of an anti-climax for many because one party got an absolute majority. Which meant there would be no continued uncertainty, no horse-trading, no “I’ll give you MLA's in the Assembly and you give me MP's at the Center” exchange offers, no more endless yapping in the TV studios.

Now it’s confirmed that Rahul baba is not a vote winner. No surprise in that unless you were a Congress sycophant. What I did find surprising was a remark that Sonia made after the results, “Probably high inflation had a role in how the Congress did in UP”. So why does that remark surprise me? Because it implies that voters understand that the Center is responsible for inflation, not the state government. Which I find very impressive since it indicates a pretty good understanding of the power and roles of state and central governments! The paradox, though, is that the same “smart” voters don't understand even a wee bit of finance: how else can you explain that they all want subsidies, low petrol prices and free power?

Or maybe our much maligned education system does a great job teaching civics and a lousy job teaching finance. Oh wait, we don’t even teach finance unless you take up Commerce after 10th standard. Maybe it’s time we started teaching about the root of all evil right in kindergarten! Just kidding…

Comments

  1. Guruprasad RaoMarch 8, 2012 at 2:12 PM

    VK - you should read this one : The Dynasty is over; Go on Rahul, get a Real Life - http://viswakthoughts.blogspot.in/2012/03/voter-education.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Guruprasad RaoMarch 8, 2012 at 2:14 PM

      http://www.firstpost.com/politics/the-dynasty-is-over-go-on-rahul-get-a-real-life-237138.html

      Delete

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