Sunday Posts

English is fast becoming the world's language. While some Frenchmen are perturbed, and call the language penetrating even their universities 'American' rather than English, the Tower of Babel seems to be reaching a final solution.  Why does this matter? The apologists of English do not see this as an imperial project but a triumph of pragmatism, a natural corollary of globalisation and rise of an uniform consumer ethics. And, indeed, there is one view that it is the 'democratic' nature of English - the language can be molded and adapted to its host cultures infinitesimally - that makes it so popular. They claim this is not about English or American, but the story of many Englishes. So, you can speak any language as long as it is called English, which means an expansion of what some observers will call an Anglosphere. This is a sphere of influence of a certain kind of rhetoric, enabled by the unity of media and thinking. In one way, this is a function of te...

Britain has to decide tomorrow which way it wants to go. It isn't going to be an easy choice. Democratic politics usually pushes all contenders towards the middle, the area of majority, which rules out dangerous ideas but also the possibility of innovative thinking. So we have today three parties slightly different from each other, raging a debate over pounds and pence and indulging in accountant-talk: three equally bad, good or indifferent choices. The truth is - Britain is standing at an inflection point in its history and nothing but fresh thinking will be needed to save it. But none of the plausible alternatives offer any fresh thinking. Let me try an example: Let's talk about Change. Gordon Brown says Britain needs a change, and he is the only one who can deliver change. He says he is change himself. That's a surprising statement from the incumbent - especially from a Prime Minister whose back most Britons want to see. But Brown's change is about many forgettable ...

One month to go for the elections in Britain, and the newspapers united have written off Gordon Brown. The verdict is unanimous: He is too grey, too serious and too unsexy to lead us for next five years. They are saying - spare the horrors, please - the whole newspaper industry will fold if they have to live with Brown for another term. David Cameron, in more than one sense, will be better. Because he looks better, to start with. Besides, he says a lot, without giving out much, which bodes well for newspapers, which can then analyze and fill the columns. He may be a touch less interesting than Nick Clegg, and may not have the Lib-Dem leader's army of lovers, but he is more plausible. The public seems to agree. Enough of labour rule, had we not? Brown can't escape the blame for everything that is wrong in our lives, including the fact that most footballers cheat on their wives and most new chart toppers are atrocious. He is clueless about what happens next in our lives, never mi...

I am contributing in the blog on the Institute of Wellbeing website. This is an interesting assignment, as this will allow me to reflect and write on various subjects on the news on British tele . Here is another post I sent last week. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alistair Darling is looking angry. He has a right to be - his dream job turned out to be one of 24x7 crisis management almost the day he started. And, just when he seems to be getting a grip, there is an embarrassing possibility that some bankers, the same bankers who gambled with their depositors' money and rewarded themselves with hefty bonuses, may be at it again. This time, they may play with taxpayers' money, of which Mr Darling is in charge. He can clearly see something coming. AIG , the ailing insurance company which was kept in business by a huge injection of taxpayer's money in the United States, decided to reward its executives and traders few months...

England's department for higher and further education has been scrapped, just two years after its creation. The prime minister has created a new Department for Business, Innovation and Skills under Lord Mandelson. Universities do not figure in the name of the new department, whose remit is "to build Britain's capabilities to compete in the global economy". Number 10 said it would invest in a higher education system committed to widening participation. The role would include "maintaining world class universities, expanding access to higher education, investing in the UK's science base and shaping skills policy and innovation". "It also puts the UK's further education system and universities closer to the heart of government thinking about building now for the upturn," the statement said. 'Unhelpful' The new department will be headed by Lord Mandelson. John Denham, the secretary of state for the former Department for Innovation, Unive...

Yesterday, as the Works and Pensions Secretary James Purnell sent his resignation to the media first, and Downing Street next, and in the carefully crafted four page letter asked Gordon Brown to go as well, he was gambling on a rather obvious bet: That Gordon Brown will surely go soon. Mr. Purnell's intent may have been to play greater role in the incoming administration, or may be switch over to Tories at some point, as some have alleged, but he was just following his political instincts. Luck is fast running out for Gordon Brown, as several Ministers stepped down recently and the Labour Party's poll ratings have become abysmal since he took over. It is indeed ironical how fast good things turn to bad. In the harsh light of reality, how a thorough and professional Chancellor turn into an incompetent, radar less Prime Minister. There is also a sense of tragedy in observing the flighty nature of public attention - the man was seen as one of the finest Chancellors in history w...