International Studies
Farmers in India have recently organized one of the largest protests in history. What connections are there between this protest and the ongoing processes of neoliberal globalization? How might the protest of these farmers in India be related to other protests going on in other parts of the world? Use materials and concepts from the course to craft your argument.
Some possible resources:
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/12/india-farmer-protests-modi.html
https://gulfnews.com/opinion/op-eds/why-indias-protesting-farmers-are-right-in-fearing-for-their-livelihoods-1.75807944
India: Government must stop crushing farmers’ protests and demonizing dissenters
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/26/india-farmers-march-to-delhi-against-new-laws
https://viacampesina.org/en/indian-farmers-movement-grows-from-strength-to-strength-here-for-the-long-haul-say-protesters/
The paper should be 1000-1200 words or about 3-4 pages. Please pay careful attention to spelling, grammar and punctuation. Remember that citations are required for both paraphrasing and direct quotes from either the text or lecture. Feel free to cite other books and articles as needed. Include a full list of works cited at the back (APA, MLA or other citation standard).
Also use the textbook from my class as a source for your argument
https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/#/books/804381D/cfi/12!/4/2@100:0.00
Username: alhanjafari@yahoo.com
Password: Homeworkshark*
please follow all the guidelines. i have also attached the rubric please follow all of them.
ANSWER
Neoliberal Globalization
The Indian farmers have been on a world record strike since September 2020 due to the government’s regulations on them without involving them in decision-making. India is known for its dependency on agricultural produce and investment. Over the years, India has depended on local produce, which has ensured consistent food supply both locally and internationally. There was a time when India could not produce sufficient food to feed all its citizens and was forced to export more food; the government embarked on local farming. It was able to provide enough food and services to its residents. Studies show that agriculture had been the most comprehensive source of livelihood for over 50% of Indians; agriculture has created more job opportunities and contributed to various industries in various parts of the country. Agriculture has positively impacted the Indian economy, thereby leading to its simultaneous growth.
The Indian government neglected its farmers, who have stood with it over the years and have instead decided to introduce specific rules and regulations that do not protect them. The subject regulations expose the farmers to the mercy of the private sector only after making profits for their investments without caring about the farmers’ wellbeing. The rules being forced on the Indian farmers favour those in the private sector and expose farmers to low revenue income from their produce hence the ongoing protests. The government has since cut all the farmers’ efforts to have a mutual conversation favouring both parties; the government has instead decided to deploy police officers to thwart all the farmers’ peaceful protests. It has been reported that the farmers have been denied access to the central city, and all roads leading to Delhi have been blocked by armed police officers under direct orders not to allow any farmer into the barricaded territory. The farmers decided to leave their homes and camp at the periphery of the city until the government gives them a platform to air their complaints and adjust the regulations.
The Indian farmers have since faced several challenges from high debts, losses and adverse weather conditions; these challenges have led to the highly reported suicide rates. Initially, farmers could sell their produce to the government through the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs), thereby protecting them from exploitation by private firms and investors. The new rules allow the private sector to buy the produce from the fields at their convenience and rates by just acquiring, thereby rendering the APMCs functionless. The government is focusing on the private sectors’ revenues by giving them powers over the field grains; hence, the farmers won’t have any choice but the private investors. The new laws require a private investor to possess just an Income Tax registration to access agricultural produce from any part of India. The actions of the Indian government are similar to the current neoliberal globalization, which major in the creation of an economic structure that enhances high profit-making through cost minimization, promoting individualism and reduction in social security. Neoliberal globalization focuses on economic growth at the expense of necessary healthcare provision, especially for the middle-class population (Bush & Martiniello 2017).
Neoliberalism is known to eliminate the set market controls, lower trade barriers, minimize government influence on the economy, and take control of capital markets. The adoption of neoliberal globalization significantly affects the healthcare systems globally since it primarily focuses on delivering free market rather than the basics and right to health. The adoption also renders the physically disadvantaged in the community helpless since their quality healthcare demands will not be met due to the change of priorities. Allowing the private sector to take control of the economy exposes the low and middle-class citizen who greatly depends on the locally produced goods and services to access quality education, healthcare and family sustainability. Neoliberal globalization is increasingly getting dominant internationally with high privatization and marketization rates, thereby pushing away the recommended social citizenship and replacing it with incentive employment and prohibition of welfare dependency.
Studies show the high humanity-potential in production than ever before; the inclusion of products like food, communication and fuel into the supply chain renders some specific individuals to make super revenues in seconds, leaving others to linger in the farms in search of a living. The unequal wealth distribution globally is contributed significantly by neoliberalism; it favours a few individuals leaving the rest to fight for their survival as others languish in abject poverty. The ideas related to neoliberalism originated from the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 20th century, leading to the empire’s fast industrialization; countries such as France, Britain and Germany were left lagging. The ongoing Indian protests must thus be treated with utmost care and sobriety to prevent the dominance of neoliberalism, which is a high possibility if the reigning government decides not to the farmers a platform to file their complaints (Andretta 2017).
Encouragement of neoliberal globalization will lead to a high dependency ratio on a few individuals who have the powers over the economy and uses it specifically to suit their interests. One can say that neoliberalism places property at heights far much high for the reach of democracy; it is an extraordinary world majorly secured from the public demands for social justice and equity in resource distribution but favours the creators of the economic constitution. The Indian protests are similar to those going around the world in that they are primarily propelled by one factor, neoliberalism. The low-class citizens are fighting for their survival and the future generations; the upcoming generation would find it challenging to survive in an economic environment wholly dictated and dominated by a few individuals who use to suit their interests. Decisions regarding agricultural and any local production should be discussed with the local representatives of the respective production firms and farming bodies. Governments in developing countries where neoliberalism is practiced should take swift action and consider their citizens’ wellbeing rather than focusing on getting revenues to run government projects (Srivastava 2020).
The Indian protests should be an example to other countries of the impacts of employing neoliberalism on its economy; developing an economy with many citizens living below the poverty line will be of no use to a country. Rules and regulations governing the production and sale of local produce should favour both the seller and buyer; government-formed boards and organizations should thus play critical roles in ensuring equity in resource distribution to all its citizens. Leaving the economy, especially the agricultural sector, to be run by the private sector puts it under significant risk of exploitation, leading to its subsequent instability and promotion of capitalism. In the 1980s and 1990s, several states in Latin America adopted neoliberalism policies and reported the worst economic blows in their history; Chile stands distinct as the country that experienced the worst financial impact due to embracing neoliberalism. The private sector must be moderated and regulated on how they operate and run the local markets; otherwise, minimizing poverty and low life in certain countries will all be in vain.
References
Andretta, M. (2017). Neoliberalism and its discontents in Italy: Protests without movement?. In Late neoliberalism and its discontents in the economic crisis (pp. 201-241). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Bush, R., & Martiniello, G. (2017). Food riots and protest: Agrarian modernizations and structural crises. World Development, 91, 193-207.
Romanos, E. (2017). Late neoliberalism and its indignados: Contention in austerity Spain. In Late neoliberalism and its discontents in the economic crisis (pp. 131-167). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Srivastava, V. (2020). Farm Acts 2020: Farmer Unions and the Logic of Survival.
