Monday, July 22, 2013

Bread and Circuses : Congress strategy to stay in power

Have you seen the movie Gladiator? If yes, you remember the fights in Colosseum. Before every fight (Circus) starts, you must have observed food (Bread) being distributed to audience before the fights.
There is one more fact behind it which was not shown in the movie. This was organised for 10 days to appease the voters, and kept it just before the elections happened! Rome had done so great research on the Rome public that, after 10 days of Bread and Circuses, most public was brainwashed of past misrule. And when the election was held, they almost always voted for the same senate. This political strategy of the level of scoundrels, is described as Bread and Circuses by Roman Poet, Juvenal.

Congress has very well learnt this strategy and also achieved very high level of expertise in this strategy of Bread and Circuses.
NREGA started implementation in 2005, picked up speed in 2007, and peaked in 2008. Huge number of labor class was given money for doing almost no work. AND... Labor class, obviously, voted for Congress in 2009. (The horrendous consequences of this on labor force of India and how it ruined our manufacturing/agricultural sector is another serious issue as well)
Anecdote: I remember my father talking to one of the road contractors, here in my colony. He said 'we were told in 2003 by BJP leadership that work as fast as possible to complete the golden quadrilateral. If the government is changed in 2004, you never know if the project will be taken seriously by Congress and cannot guarantee your money'. That's the reason that about 3/4ths of the work of National Highways was completed in NDA rule. In last 10 years under UPA rule, this project is not yet complete. You know the reason why? because highway work was under NREGA. Remember? No work was done for money given to labor class. It was money given to voting class for free. And if this goes on for long, the Nehru Rate of Growth* of under 5% is not a distant reality.

Now, in the lines of treasury looting MNREGA, Food Security Bill (FSB) is being introduced. We can certainly expect lower class to Vote for Congress in coming elections; and also many poor souls, who will bear the brunt of FSB by paying higher taxes, but who are made to believe that Congress is the Secular Party (The very concept of Congress being secular cracks me up - people certainly do not know the meaning of Secular in India).
Please check this video which was aired in 2009 before elections and compare it with present scenario. Still have doubts as to Who to Vote For? I guess this should give you enough idea as to WHO NOT TO VOTE FOR?!?



* Congress called GDP growth of under 5% as Hindu rate of growth, but I prefer calling it Nehru rate of Growth. Because people of Hindustan under rule of an Idiot was what made us grow at such slow pace. 


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