Millennium Development Goals and India

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Economic development of the Third World countries is a matter of concern not only for the developing countries but also the developed West. With almost one-third of the total population of the developing countries still languishing under abject poverty, with per capita income of less than 1 US dollar per day, the need has become even more pronounced. World community thus has a major role to play in enabling the Third World countries achieve reasonable levels of development with equitable distribution of the wealth and economic resources.

The world community has expressed its grave concern at several occasions about the issues relating to equitable and sustainable growth in the developing countries. In addition to various other steps like grants-in-aid and actions through various country specific development agencies like the USAID, DFID and AUSAID, the United Nations is playing a major role in assisting the Third World countries develop primarily through various organizations like WHO, UNDP, UNICEF, UNIDO, UNESCO etc. It was in 2000 when the United Nations resolved to adopt Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for taking care of the deprived sections of society in the world. Having a time frame extending mostly up to the year 2015 (2020 in a few cases), the millennium development goals are among the major instruments to coax the developing world to achieve some fixed targets.

The MDGs are eight in number and there are eighteen targets within the MDGs which are sought to be achieved by the year 2015. The targets are not uniform in terms of a particular benchmark to be achieved over the given period of time but are general in terms of percentage reduction or increase to be achieved in the developing countries. The World Bank and the UN have agreed to 48 indicators to monitor the progress of the MDGs in the developing countries. The MDGs are aimed at reducing hunger, deprivation, illiteracy, gender inequalities and the incidence of disease in the developing world and providing the people in these countries with better life.

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Advertising: The Brandwagon Story

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Just imagine: if one was to go to a store to buy tooth paste, soap, oil, shampoo, computer, refrigerator—all covered in drab white or brown paper reading only just as much! No idea of richness and exclusivity backing them, no appeals working on the mind. The result would be no more desire to buy something exceptional, no more hankering for a great shopping experience, no more retail therapy for the parched souls! And subsequently, limited sales, slumped markets and extremely dejected entrepreneurs. This is what an un-exciting, un-informed world would be like if there were no branding, no advertising—the two processes that work on the minds quite invisibly and lead us to the stores wanting this fairness crème or that exquisite watch even if there is no need for the same.

Advertising has played a major role in consumer marketing, and has enabled companies to meet communication and other marketing objectives. Typically, advertising is used to inform, persuade, and remind consumers. It importantly reinforces their attitudes and perceptions. Advertising has been a target of criticism for decades, as also been hailed as a capitalistic virtue, an engine of free market economy, a promoter of consumer welfare.

To begin with, an advertisement is in fact a public announcement with the avowed purpose not so much to inform as to coax the public into buying a product, subscribing to a service or accepting an idea. The origins of advertising can be traced to the times when the services of the town crier were used to convey the messages to people. The messages could be a rulers proclamations or information about the market days.

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Essay: Multinationalism and Democracy

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When we speak of a country or State, we assume that it has only one nation. In fact, in some languages, the country implies nation. Thus, when we say Hindusthani, literally it would mean the one who belongs to the country called Hindusthan. But, rare are the countries that contain only one race of people or have a completely homogeneous populations.

In a democratic country or State, the ‘diverse population’ phenomenon assumes a multifarious significance. The relationship between demography and democracy is becoming politically important. After the collapse of the Soviet
Union, borders of every country are softening and migration, legal or illegal, is going on apace. The Majority’s will as the deciding principle in a democracy is becoming ambiguous.

Minorities are becoming highly visible and vocal and gaining special rights. Multinationalism was a distinctive feature
of the USSR and Yugoslavia that were not considered democratic States. They were not liberal democracies, any way. Currently, the question of multinationalism has to be discussed within the context of liberal democracy.

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