Emperor Meiji, Lee Kuan Yew and …

Positive change happens slowly. Economies grow in low to mid single digits over long period of time, mostly mapping to a combination of population growth and  productivity enhancements due to injection of new technologies in the society. The larger the economy is, the harder the change is. This is because there is an inertia of systems and sub systems, of mindsets and processes that forms the substrate of any society. By definition, these have evolved over time and are hard to displace, even by better systems. The only thing harder to displace than legacy system, is a legacy mindset. A legacy mindset is set of core beliefs about who we are, what we deserve, what is our capability ankd what we can produce. Having derived itself from the recent history of the society, it is very stubborn and sticky and resists change. On top of that are misguided or crafty politicians who have learnt to run their shop, off of the derivatives of a legacy of suffering which most societies have endured, due to colonization and other evils that the world has produced. So they deliberately reinforce the set of core beliefs that are debilitating. They can only be saviors if you believe you need a savior. 

India has suffered from all of the above since independence to various degrees. Add to that a generous dose of religious opportunism, by these same religio-political leaders. The “oh so necessary”, “saviors” have kept the cauldron boiling with focus on everything else except truly secular economic growth across the spectrum of Indian society. That sadly has been our modern history. 

So, for a leader to make dent in such an environment, is really making a dent in the Universe, because it impacts lives and well-being of millions and billions of people living and their future generations. 

A good example of such a leader was emperor Meiji of Japan. The Meiji era, that lasted from 1868 to 1912, was the most transformative in Japanese history. Under the threat of colonization from western powers, the administrative power was wrested from Shogun who were the de-facto administrative ruler of Japan, under the emperor. Shoguns used to preside over a constituency of Feudal lords who in turn ruled over their populace with the help of Samurais. This lasted for 700 years when Tokugawa clan brought this structure to bear and   

Tokugawa became the first Shogun. 

However under threat of getting colonized after the forcible opening of five ports by the western powers for “trade”, Japanese knew that the west would follow their well traversed path of “flag follows trade” and colonize Japan. So Meiji era launched Japan into a massive transformative period of industrialization and modernization of military. This helped Japan stay only one of two countries in Asia never to get colonized. 

Another example, more modern, is of Lee Kuan Yew who built Singapore from a rejected, impoverished small city into a powerful city state that it is today, giving multitude of Singaporean generations prosperity rarely seen in the world. Both Japan and Singapore did it without any significant natural resources to speak of except perhaps a shoreline and pride in their identity and culture.

Interestingly these two were smaller nations, compared to the third example I am calling out, which is Narendra Modi of India. Uniquely, Modi is also an elected leader in the largest democracy of the world with over 1.4 Billion people. So unlike the prior two examples, the constraints that democracy puts on a leader are very real. The pace of change, the nature of change gets dramatically modulated, unlike in an environment where an emperor or dictator’s writ rules. For any support, the system and the people have to buy-in, else you are out of power in the next election. And yes, five years is plenty of time if your main task is to put together a nice little stash of few hundred millions for the next several generations or even to shape the system to abide by your corrupt intentions that may include nepotism. Larger more deep rooted, transformational change takes longer. It takes several decades for people

to start feeling differently about themselves, so they can push out old dilapidated, self defeating systems and mindsets that have crippled one’s nation. 

On top of that with 200 years of colonization, 700 years of Islamic invasions and subsequent rupture of the civilization during partition, at the hands of those forces and the associated bloodied history of the subcontinent, the task of a transformational leader to make impactful change is even more difficult. This is because there would be a large pockets of people and mindsets that will not look beyond their agenda. No transformational change is enough or even material to them. No amount of roads and airports will be visible to their skewed mindsets. These mindsets are ossified by the constant feeding at the spigots of elemental hatred for anything that does not meet their agenda, which is always political but conveniently disguised as religious. Willy politicians and religious shopkeepers keep harnessing the savior complex that has been drilled into their masses. The perfection of that art of creating disgruntled masses of which only you can be a saviour through your interpretation of what God wants has been done, dozens of times in many countries and has succeeded. Interestingly and sadly, none of them is a democracy any more and the people live under repression. The same is very true of Marxist ideologues, whose design for power follow the exact same doctrine and eventual results. In many case, like in India there is an elaborate nexus to displace the establishment and share the goodies. However in the end, the guy with the sword wins.

Aside from this rather terrifyng dynamic of about twenty percent population that is impossible to win over at the ballot, externally Modi and his team faces a club of countries that do not want to see a strong amd assertive India. I talk about UN Security Council. A permanent seat has not been accorded to India despite all its credentials of being the third largest economy, largest population, peaceful credentials etc. The same Security Council thay could figure out a way to wage war against Iraq and Afganistan can’t get themselves to agree upon India’s inclusion. Reason is simple. Who wants competition.

Aside from that a belligerent neighbor of another 1.4 billion people ruled by a dictator in the name of communism. It could have been called anything, as long as the power rests with the same coterie of people forever. This neighbor has been aggressive towards India forever, but now it has insatiable appetitie for resources and a certain growth rate to keep it’s population assuaged and not demand political change. Riding this tiger has made it even more aggresive around rest of the world. Dealing with that and then OIC, about which the name tells you everything, India and it’s leader Modi has had their work cut out for them. 

Through all of this, has this man shined. Boy, has this man delivered. Let’s just see a list of few accomplisments over last 9 years:

1. Currently registering the fastest growth rate of any large economy. 
2. Standing his ground on Russia and west’s tensions and managing to keep both in India’s corner
3. Accepted as a leader and voice of global south
4. Isolating terror sponsoring, supporting and justifying Pakistan
5. Removing Kashmir from the clutches of article 370 and releasing the energy, aspirations and growth potential of an entire large state of India.
6. Delivering on India’s incredible impressive and magnificent infrastructure growth from roads to railways to bridges and more
7. Releasing the enterpreneurship energy of India by massivly reducing red tape and building an ecosystem that has yeilded over 100 unicorns already(companies with over 1 billion dollar valuation)
8. Building out of a strong Military with lots of self reliance due to made in India initiatives, even while other countries like US are now willing to have technology transfer. This has to have been number 1 priority owing to the neighborhood India is blessed with
9. Made in India, manufacture in India revolution that is taking place.
10. Last but not the least, every Indian except those who still have cleric’s boots on their necks, now believe that India is growing and prospering and as an Indian, they are no less and in many ways better than their counterpart anywhere in the world irrespective of their skin color.

While producing all these outcomes, his adminitration has also demonstratbly managed to be in perfect harmony with both Republican ans Democratic administrations of the most powerful country in the world, USA.

What’s not to love!!

I feel blessed to live in times of Modi. Hostory, I have no doubt, will put him in the category of one of the most transformational leaders the world has ever seen.

Emperor Meiji, Lee Kuan Yew and now Narendra Modi.