Live data from Hacker News

The reverse brain drain

bbc.co.uk

41–50 of 59 posts

Re: The reverse brain drain

#42
post #2

India is definitely a country to watch. With China's one-child-per-family rule, it could very well be India that becomes the new super power in the next 20-50 years...

I'd like this to be true, but I can't help thinking that much of this is just wishful thinking. India has terrible infrastructure, which as far as I can make out is only getting worse. All-pervasive corruption is a big problem as well, as is the fact that _all_ (at least something like 85% or more) politicians are criminals. The (completely unscientific) impression I get is that things got better between 1995-2005 an…

Completely on board with the first paragraph.

But your unscientific impression may be a little coloured by your age. (I'd wager you're late 20s, early 30s?)

I feel the same quite a few times - that things were getting rapidly better between 1995-2005, after which the pace of change became glacial to the point of regressing.

After putting a little more thought into it, I am almost certain that the way I feel this way is because I have a different view of the world now. I am older, more mature and more prosperous than I was in the early oughties, and subconsciously have a better standard of indicators that I look for, when considering 'how things have changed'. Consequently, things like the systemic corruption and poor infrastructure seem far more important to me now, than they did 10 years back. I suppose I was far less concerned about them, and looking more at access to information (the evolution of the Internet) and 'material pleasures' (malls, entertainment, global brands, etc.)

Basically, if I look at the situation in India today through the same lens that I did 10 years back, then I'd be prepared to say that things are still improving.

Re: The reverse brain drain

#43

I would be nice to survey these returnees for their satisfaction levels after 10 years or so. Theoretically speaking, given India's growth rate, you'd assume that people will grow rich faster than if they had stayed back in US. It would be interesting to see how many actually did.

Can't understand how satisfaction is linked to being rich? Satisfaction also comes from what impact you have on society.

Re: The reverse brain drain

#44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you unscientific impression is leading you astray. India has its share of problems, and it has its share of corrupt politicians. But it also has a pretty robust democracy and part of what returnees are bringing home is an appreciation for governments that work vs ones that don't. And when the people don't tolerate an ineffective government they change it. The other thing India is, is big. There is a lot of co…

Do you mean a threat to China's status as leading economic power, or a threat to China? Improvements in productivity help all of us, because we make more stuff to share around; it is not a zero sum game.

Aren't they they same. We are all on one big rock and access to petroleum, water, and food will become more limited and more contested as both economies grow. Economically and realistically, India is a threat to China, Europe and the US.

Re: The reverse brain drain

#45
post #43

I would be nice to survey these returnees for their satisfaction levels after 10 years or so. Theoretically speaking, given India's growth rate, you'd assume that people will grow rich faster than if they had stayed back in US. It would be interesting to see how many actually did.

Can't understand how satisfaction is linked to being rich? Satisfaction also comes from what impact you have on society.

By satisfaction I meant, were they satisfied with the decision to relocate back. One of the factors would be the opportunity cost; the money they would have made staying back vs actual money they have made.

Re: The reverse brain drain

#46
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The United Nations Human Development Report doesn't seem to agree: http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/profiles/IND.html . What do you mean?

Kashmir is excluded from India in that map.

Is that relevant to the analysis of the level of human development and well being? Kashmir probably lags behind because of the conflict, but the numbers for India as a whole are probably in the same direction as shown in the UN report.

Re: The reverse brain drain

#47
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can we get some objective data or examples for these claims?

Former USSR republics are doing better than India http://doingbusiness.org/rankings Georgia - 12, Estonia - 17, Lithuania - 23 Latvia - 24, Kyrgyzstan - 44, Armenia - 48, Azerbaijan - 54, Kazakhstan - 59, Belarus - 68, Moldova - 90, Russia - 123, . INDIA - 134 CARS PER 1000 PEOPLE Moldova - 49, Azerbaijan - 51, Belarus - 87, Ukraine - 140, Kazakhstan - 170, Russia - 213, Latvia - 372, Estonia - 410, Lithuania - 453 .…

Global Peace Index: Uzbekistan - 110, INDIA - 128

Karimov boiled his people alive. I don't whether that means I should take the rankings with a grain of salt, or weep over India actually coming out below.

Re: The reverse brain drain

#48
post #14
post #2

India is definitely a country to watch. With China's one-child-per-family rule, it could very well be India that becomes the new super power in the next 20-50 years...

Unlike China, India is a multicultural society. India might disintegrate like USSR in next 20-50 years http://www.lewrockwell.com/sowell/sowell24.1.html

I think our biggest challenge is the people who are completely marginalised, like the forest people driven in to a communist rebellion. As far as multiculturalism goes, I still have hope that some semblence of the feeling of letting others be still survives in India.

Re: The reverse brain drain

#49
post #30

India is developing since you can exploit Indians via caste system. http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/may/03touch.htm China is developing since you can exploit Chinese by abusing human rights. http://www.rediff.com/business/slide-show/slide-show-1-tech-... Americans are suffering since US regime is letting Chindia exploit their people via outsourcing.

So seeing your children die of malnutrition is better than having an underpaid job so your kids can get half a meal? If people have loaf of bread they might actually be able to change their circumstances. How would banning outsourcing help lower caste Indians or ethnic minorities in China? I am not trolling, because if it will, I'd like to know how.

Re: The reverse brain drain

#50

I would be nice to survey these returnees for their satisfaction levels after 10 years or so. Theoretically speaking, given India's growth rate, you'd assume that people will grow rich faster than if they had stayed back in US. It would be interesting to see how many actually did.

That depends on if growth rate is more because of people of their stature getting richer or the very poor becoming less poor.
Post reply on HN