LifeHack International

 After the Indian independence in 1947, India embarked on a journey of planned economy until 2014 under Planning Commission. Afterwards, NITI Aayog replaced Planning Commission on 1 Jan 2015. It is much debatable whether Five Years planning system really worked or not. If India could have aligned itself more with the USA or adopted capitalist system earlier, the Indian economic picture could/might have been different. But there is no denying that it was not as easy choice as it seems today. Topics Covered: Why Planning? Types of Planning Historical Background: Planning Commission Five Year Planning Overview Why Planning? As long as the state-system exists in the world, there will always be some short of planning. Because not everything can be produced under market system. For example, infrastructure, schools, defense and others. That's why, Indian leaders after the independence took the road to plann...

  Whether you are preparing for competitive exams or just want to understand the Indian Economy, you  need books which makes you understand the micro and macro economic concepts. Most of the competitive exams mostly focus on Macroeconomy. But Microeconomy shouldn't be completely discarded as it helps to understand the logics behind the macroeconomy. So studying and making notes from NCERT books from IX to XII should be your founding stone. Once you become accustomed with concepts, you can study any of the five books given below: 1. Indian Economy by Shankar Ganesh  If you want to understand the basic concepts of Indian Economy, then this book should be your first choice. Every economic concept is provided with relevant examples which makes it easy to read . However, it shouldn't be treated as one stop solution, you need to supplement this book with either any of the other four books.  2. Indian Economy by Sanjeev Verma  If you want to read only one book for Indi...

The common perception among Indian public is that India and Russia shares a friendly relations. This perception has been build upon the stories about Russia helping in Indo-Pak war 1971; Russians helping in building various plants; supplying arms, and others. But the reality is something different often discarded in Indian media. I will try to summarize the Indo-Russian ties from Indian independence to present. USSR and India during Cold War The beneficial and reliable relationship didn't take off until Stalin died in 1953. Till that time, Soviets viewed Indian state as bourgeois-landlord dominated. USSR was in an ideological war against the US-led capitalist system. So they also wanted to spread communism to India, but Indian leaders were skeptical about Soviet intentions. However, once Nikita Khrushchev came to power, the relations started to improve.  Soviet premiered made a visit to India in 1955 which was highly publicized event that time. India as world's second largest d...

 The world, today, will soon be a past in the future. We are obsessed with the future although we live in the past. We are not alone, people all around the world have predicted a world that never came into being.  Here are the top 7 predictions made by famous personalities that proved wrong: 1. Nikita Khrushchev (1958): We Will burry you. Soviet Premiere Khrushchev once predicted that Soviet Communism will win over the US capitalism. 2. Albert Einstein (1932) There is not the slightest indication that nuclear energy will ever be obtainable. It would mean that the atom would have to be shattered at will.    3. Margaret Thatcher (1969) It will be years - not in my time - before a woman will become Prime Minister.  4. Herman Goering (German Commander) 1942 The Americans are good about making fancy cars and refrigerators, but that doesn't mean they are any good at making aircraft. They are bluffing.   5. Tommy Franks (The US General) 2003 There is no doubt...

 After 27 years when Samuel P Huntington's article titled "Clash of Civilizations published in the Foreign Affairs magazine, there are people (mostly liberal) who completely refute to acknowledge any cultural clashes, and conservatives who believe in everything that is argued in the article. The truth lies in between, thus I will try to answer objectively in the question-answer format. Q. What is all about Clash of Civilization? A. The crux of Huntington's article is that future conflicts will mostly occur on the line of culture and civilization. According to Huntington, "world-politics is entering a new phase" in which "the fundamental source of conflict will "occur between nations and groups of civilizations".  Q. How many civilizations did Samuel Huntington see in the world? A. Huntington identifies eight major civilizations in the world: 1. Western  2. Confucian 3. Japanese 4. Islamic  5. Hindu 6. Orthodox  7. Latin American 8. African Q. How ...

At the close of 19th century, tired of negotiating with the British government, a militant nationalism came to the fore. The writings of Tilak, Chattopadhay and Aurobindo Ghosh ignited a new kind of nationalism often called Militant Nationalism.  Bal Gangadhar Tilak's Gita Rahasya originally written in Marathi in 1915 was a pioneer work which asked for Nishkam Karmayoga  (selfless action), rather than  Karma Sanyasa  (renouncing of actions). Tilak argued that one's salvation depended not merely on devotion and knowledge, but also on action. Willingness to engage in righteous violence. Another great work, similar to realist tradition emerged in the writings of Bankimchandra Chattopadhay in 1888. His book Dharmatattva  depicted the western influence on Hindu philosophy in 19th century. This seminal text focuses on whether the patriotism or the willingness to fight for one's own country is essential for human race. The answer: Just as dogs in the rural m...

George Tanham (1992) famously argued that political elites in India showed "little evidence of having thought coherently or systematically about national strategy." This narrative is build upon the old idea of India under British rule but no doubt; it holds some merit in saying this. Indian foreign policy objectives were never clearly defined. It doesn't make sense advocating 'non-alignment' policy and securing a friendship treaty with one of the powers. Neither it makes sense having a closer ties with the US but expecting Russia to remain friend. India always has this contradictory foreign policy approach since late 19th century. Indian view on world politics still resembles the precedents rooted in the past. If we have a closer look between 1857 to 1947, we might get some clue on why India lacks a cohesive foreign policy outlook. The 19th Century India The Indian view on International Relations was shaped by three underpinning thoughts: 1. Universal Brotherhood ...