Why India will not become a developed country in our lifetime
India, with all it's amazing potential due to relatively young and somewhat educated population, faces some fundamental challenges which will hinder it's growth and prevent it from being even close to a developed nation.
I'm an Indian. Born and raised here. Lived here all my life. I love India with all my heart. Maybe that's the reason I get so upset with so many things that are wrong with my country.
I think that India will not be a developed country for at-least next 100 years. And the major reason is the absolute lack of political will to eliminate corruption at all levels.
Corruption and lack of civic sense is so ingrained that if you start observing, you'll go crazy. From a small contractor who gets the contract for filling potholes to the highest levels of government, they're all corrupt. They've build and evolved the system so that it benefits them. Just take a look at the policies with respect to donation for political parties, and you'll know the truth. The decisions and policies made are to benefit people is power, their party workers, ministers and bureaucrats.
I can not think of any big political leader who hates corruption from all his heart and has the will to fight to eliminate it. And the saddest part is that it's a choice, and it's by design. If you're someone who's honest, hates corruption and wants to bring transparency and accountability in government or bureaucracy, you're doomed to fail. The system and the people running it will make sure that you either become corrupt or never be anyone of any value. You'll definitely rub someone with a big ego in a wrong way and they'll make sure either you or your career dies. You'll never get enough power to cause any significant systematic change. You'll just suffer all your life and die a faceless death. All (and I mean ALL) the people with power are corrupt to the core.
And it flows from top to bottom. Why would a common middle class employee or government official will do their work diligently when they know that they are going to get punished for it. They are informed that their leaders expect and encourage corruption. They know that non-compliance to their leaders means suffering for them and their dear ones.
If we want to be even a slightly bit hopeful, then we desperately a generation of leaders and bureaucrats who are in the highest places and are passionate about public service and doing their jobs diligently. Leaders who are obsessed with finding and eliminating every inefficiency in the system, and bringing accountability at each level.
But sadly, for now this is a distant dream which I don't think would be realised in my lifetime. My generation will live with pothole filled roads, breath air which is killing us, non-existent public medical care, skyrocketing education fees. We'll see scams everywhere and watch corrupt people make 10X more money in a year which we hope to make in my lifetime. We'll see taxpayers money being wasted and being transferred to all the corrupt politicians and bureaucrats. Money which was supposed to make our lives easier, to help us live with dignity. We'll see politicians play with emotions of a billion people and distract them from real issues for winning elections, and then make sure they get back 1000X of money "invested" when they are in power. This is the sad fate of our generation.
And I think people with some money and power also realise this. They know it's hopeless. Search how many rich and powerful people hold a foreign citizenship or own house and business there. They all want to escape this hopelessness and want to lead a peaceful dignified life. That's the major reason why people with potential are leaving this country in higher numbers each year. Because this country has no good future for hardworking people. They are born to struggle and will keep struggling all their lives. They'll just keep paying taxes on everything, hope they get some relief and get disappointment in return each year.
Anyone who has a different view, please write it down. I would really like to be proven wrong. I really want to be proven wrong. But from what I see and observe, it seems I'm right.