CONTINUATION OF WESTERN HEGEMONY, INDIA WITHOUT AN E-RETAILER

Mukesh Devrari 

Western powers exploited third world countries by occupying them. British Empire was an economic project, not a racial one. It ensured that the UK becomes the richest nation on earth. Slowly all nation-states demanded independence. To maintain their economic supremacy western powers needed unbridled access to markets in third world countries. Without this access, the west cannot keep its economic supremacy intact. Western powers created a propaganda structure. They invented the economic order. 

They created a set of rules and declared them universally applicable and essential for the progress of all nations on earth. West encouraged third world countries to adopt liberal market policies. It preached by practising it. Free market doctrine claimed that western nations are open to all kinds of investment from around the globe. They claimed that there is no discrimination in the west. Whether a company interested in doing business in the west is African or Asian or Chinese, does not matter. It’s a free world, which includes free trade and investment, but not the free flow of people across borders.

When this economic structure was created, the west was aware that it is impossible for non-western companies to come to the west for doing business, because third world countries lack the business ecosystem due to colonization. During that period colonial powers denied opportunities to the enslaved population to do business and flourish like their white counterparts.

It was amply clear that globalization and neo-liberal policies mean western powers will keep and have economic access to vast markets in developing countries. So, the benefits of colonization will be intact without having direct political control and military boots on the ground. Nothing could be better than that when you convince a bunch of a chicken to visit your house for eating lunch and roast them instead. It defies all common sense, how developing countries imagine making economic progress without creating their own brands, without creating their own enterprises and without exploiting their own natural resources.

It is all about early birds catches worm phenomenon. Western nations started early, they are reaping the benefits of it, but there is no point in allowing their monopoly to flourish continuously. It is difficult for all nations to compete with likes of Airbus and Boeing, but do we not need to depend on western FMCG giants for toothbrush, toothpaste and toilet soaps?

In the case of large nations like India, it is difficult to understand why we cannot create and develop an ecosystem of companies offering similar services? Why we cannot have companies to offer services like Facebook, Google, Whatsapp and Amazon.

India and other subservient third world countries must learn from China. As a member of wider Asian community efforts, wisdom, intelligence and judgment of Chinese leadership must be appreciated. Due to their proper policies, only China is in a position to challenge the western monopoly. It is likely to be the next developed nation.

The simple reason for their newly created wealth is that China kept the interests of its people at the top of everything else. It did not compromise on its national interest, did not bow down to western pressure, did not think about scoring quick brownie points or curry favour on short term goals from western nations.

China used existing rules to create vibrant Chinese companies and encouraged them in their initial years. We must not forget that the South Korean economic climb is also assisted by its companies like Samsung. China today has Alibaba, Baidu and plenty of other companies with large enough base to challenge western nations on other neutral turfs. Chinese smartphone manufacturers are likely to replace everyone else in the long run.  

The US constantly objects to the rise of Chinese companies. It attacks their economic interest by alleging that they have links to the Chinese government and ruling political party in China. The US also alleges that they have ulterior motives other than making a profit.

The author does not have to emphasize the importance of creating an ecosystem of national communication and information giants. Data is the oil of the 21^st century. It is the most important resource. Technology companies are the future of our economies. Accepting the monopoly of western companies is a tacit acceptance of economic slavery and perpetual subservience.

Amazon and Flipkart now have a monopoly over Indian e-retail market. These companies are unlikely to be disturbed in the near future. This development is a symptom of a larger disease. Same is the case for Facebook, Google, Whatsapp etc. In the retail sector, successive Indian governments could not dare to allow FDI as common masses are more aware. Millions of small store and shop owners have the idea of the impact of FDI in retail.

Small retail outlet owners could not understand the impact of e-commerce in the initial days. Now it is too late to protest against it. The government used less awareness among the masses to allow Amazon to enter India. The unclear and lax regulatory regime for internet-based companies resulted in this. Amazon controls the Indian market, not because it is smarter than Indian entrepreneurs and businesses. It succeeded in controlling and capturing the Indian market because it has deep pockets and can sustain losses for a longer period of time. Today any small website designer can create a template of an e-commerce website. Only thing matters are the price of products and the scale of its reach.

Is not it unfortunate that profits from retailing will be transferred to the United States? Indians cannot achieve the feats of NASA in the next 100 years can be understood, but how come we do not have an e-mail company, a search engine of our own and chat app of our own.

This state of affairs is nothing less than shameful and emblematic of how we have sold ourselves and the future of our children to a white man. People those who are in power are responsible for this. 16 billion dollars Walmart – Flipkart deal will bring nothing to India. Only 10% of this company is owned by its Indian founders. Rest is owned by international investors.

Political leaders in India lack vision and commitment to take decisions in the interest of the country. Why it is difficult to understand to our policymakers that in this post history and post-ideological world decision must be taken on a case by case basis? One size fits all prescription of western neoliberals only suits their interest, not ours.

Formulae designed by think thanks, government-funded academic institutions to help countries have fast economic growth are conceptualizations which would keep and expand western hegemony. Their recommendations are not vested interest-free prescriptions but in fact a part of post-colonial era discourse and methodology to maintain structural benefits of direct colonization of the 19^th century even in coming centuries.

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