Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

How Kerala got rich

aeon.co

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 329 posts

Re: How Kerala got rich

#31

Post by harichinnan »

jeswin wrote: post #28
kappi wrote: post #8

Looks like this is one sided political propaganda article. Googling shows real picture. Unemployment is at 40%. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unemployment_in_Kerala Kerala is in the grip of a surging drug crisis https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/kerala-is-in... Kerala rooting on central govt to solve state's Rs 26,000 crore monthly expenditure crisis https://keralakaumudi.com/en/news/news.php?id=1498119…

Yep. I lived there for the first two decades, and outside Kerala for the next two and a bit. The only thing Kerala exports is the workforce, since it's impossible to start anything in Kerala thanks to politics and high costs. I know because I've tried. Kerala had historical ties with the Middle East thanks in part to a substantial Muslim population, and the migrant labour force was able to funnel some of Middle Easte…

You aren’t keeping up then. Remittances is a much smaller % of economy these days.

Re: How Kerala got rich

#33

Post by aylmao »

There's a lot to this article, but one interpretation of it is that it is a story somewhat similar to China's— a history with communism and gradual opening-up to private capital and the global market. In the case of China, capital has entered due to its huge export market. In Kerala there seems to have been an important capital injection from remittances, and a growing tourism industry. The article summarizes it as such:

> In short ways, four forces of change – Kerala’s reintegration with the global economy, remittances from the Persian Gulf, strong welfare policies from a legacy of Leftist government, and private investment from individuals and businesses who shared the remittance flows – have combined to form the structure of Kerala’s miracle of human wellbeing with economic growth.

Re: How Kerala got rich

#34

Post by impomura »

xyst wrote: post #14
kappi wrote: post #8

Looks like this is one sided political propaganda article. Googling shows real picture. Unemployment is at 40%. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unemployment_in_Kerala Kerala is in the grip of a surging drug crisis https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/kerala-is-in... Kerala rooting on central govt to solve state's Rs 26,000 crore monthly expenditure crisis https://keralakaumudi.com/en/news/news.php?id=1498119…

yup, a definitive “neoliberal”/“neoclassical” economic theory puff piece.

a neoliberal neoclassical puff piece on the only region in india ruled by the communist party? that's fresh

Re: How Kerala got rich

#35

Post by mathieuh »

aylmao wrote: post #33

There's a lot to this article, but one interpretation of it is that it is a story somewhat similar to China's— a history with communism and gradual opening-up to private capital and the global market. In the case of China, capital has entered due to its huge export market. In Kerala there seems to have been an important capital injection from remittances, and a growing tourism industry. The article summarizes it as s…

As they say, ex-communists make the best capitalists.

Re: How Kerala got rich

#36

Post by darth_avocado »

the_arun wrote: post #10

Kerala reminds me of California when it comes to natural landscapes. I really love that place. Coming literacy, what does that mean? They all know how to read & write in a particular language? OR they have passed minimum undergrad?

The definition of literally rate is the ratio of population over 7 that can read, write and do arithmetic and apply it in their lives. These numbers are over inflated tbh because the standards to measure them are pretty debatable. Kerala may have 90% literacy rate, but the average literacy rate of India is supposed to be 80%+.

Re: How Kerala got rich

#37

Post by MathMonkeyMan »

Paragraph after paragraph restating the question, then:

> In short ways, four forces of change – Kerala’s reintegration with the global economy, remittances from the Persian Gulf, strong welfare policies from a legacy of Leftist government, and private investment from individuals and businesses who shared the remittance flows – have combined to form the structure of Kerala’s miracle of human wellbeing with economic growth.

Re: How Kerala got rich

#38

Post by ghoomketu »

If Kerala can do it why can't other states like Bihar do it too? (Not asking rhetorically)

From what I see from the article the major gains were from investment in health and education which should be a no brainer.

Re: How Kerala got rich

#39

Post by zkmon »

India has a vast variation of cultures. A few states in India look like they are quite detached from mainstream India, in terms of issues, economy, norms, politics etc. This is true for north-eastern states as well and probably J&K too. It's like a colorful patch-work of different cultures.

However, there is nothing good or bad with these variations. Tourism also adds to its economy. Higher per-capita doesn't always mean a good thing. Sometimes it comes at a cost of family separation etc. Kerala is also known for high levels of alcoholic consumption and unhappiness rates.

Re: How Kerala got rich

#40

Post by readthenotes1 »

MathMonkeyMan wrote: post #37

Paragraph after paragraph restating the question, then: > In short ways, four forces of change – Kerala’s reintegration with the global economy, remittances from the Persian Gulf, strong welfare policies from a legacy of Leftist government, and private investment from individuals and businesses who shared the remittance flows – have combined to form the structure of Kerala’s miracle of human wellbeing with economic g…

So sending tons of people to be indentured servants in Saudi Arabian was the secret sauce.
Post reply on HN