Inclusive institutions as Linchpin to prosperity

Economic growth is not just a process of innovative technologies, better machines, more and better educated people, but also trans- formative  and destabilising processes associated with creative destruction. Powerful groups with vested interests often stand against engines of prosperity and economic growth.

We see in our daily lives at individual level that achievers do things differently as compare to non achievers. On magnified scale this is valid for companies, organisations, communities and countries. Failed states or third world countries are primarily plagued by certain analogous attributes. which include authoritarian style governments, lack of political centralization, extractive institutions, absence of pluralism, vertically integrated political system.

Economic and political institutions configure incentives for businesses, individuals and politicians, each society operates by set of certain economic and political rules created and enforced by state and citizens collectively. We see this in more detail by taking different examples and see how the industrialised countries evolved from retrogressive to progressive societies.

Lets start by looking at industrial revolution which started in England . its first success was to revolutionise cotton cloth production using new machines which were powered by water wheel and later by steam engines.

First country to experience sustained economic growth was Britain union of England, wales and Scotland after 1707. Growth emerged in later half of 18^th century with industrial revolution and it outspread  to more than 30 countries which are now amongst the richest countries in the world.

Broad distribution of political rights in US have created equal opportunities to access finance and loan, and people can have check at politicians and their cronies who create monopolies for themselves. 

City of Nogales for example is divided between Arizona, located in santa cruz county in US and Sonora in Mexico. Household average income in Sonora Nogales is one third that of Nogales in santa cruz county in Arizona US .

There is a little relationship between religion and economic successes of modern era, France which was predominantly catholic country mimicked economic performance of Dutch and English in 19^th century, made road to prosperity. This happened due to inclusive institutions and by creating incentives for common people and public participation in decision making after French revolution.

Economic success has nothing to do with Race, creed or ethnicity. Uruguay and Argentina have far more bigger population of European descendants but both of these countries are poor. While Singapore and Japan have barely any European descendants but these countries put together remarkable progress.

Korean Peninsula:

South Korea has living standards close to Spain and Portugal while North Korea is close to sub Saharan African countries.

South Korea was not democratic country in the beginning . Both Rhee and his successor General Park Chung- Hee were authoritarian presidents. General Park in 1961 despite being an authoritarian leader put his weight behind the market economy. In south Korea investment was encouraged and politicians invested in education . South Korean industries were quick to pick educated people within the country which boomed industrialisation and resulted in higher exports and innovation.

Rapid industrialisation took place in South Korea where General Park came into power after coup in 1961 with US support. General Park was not a democrat but he made economic institutions more inclusive which manifested in the form of growth. 1980s South Korea transformed politically after the assassination of General Park in 1979. Assassination of General Park was followed by another military coup by Chun Doo-Hwan . Chun’s successor Roh Tae Woo initiated political reforms which led to consolidation of political pluralistic democracy. This thing didn’t happen in Soviet union and their growth ran out of steam in 1970s. Although USSR showed industrial growth between 1930 and 1970 under extractive institutions.

South Korea is a market economy with free institutions where people get good education and get incentives which encourage them to exert effort and excel in chosen field. Inclusive political and economic institutions encourage people to exhibit their talents, skills and make the choices freely. Government ensures level playing field where people can exchange and contract.

In North Korea people had no property rights so they had no incentive to invest or put an effort to increase productivity. In 1990 there was 10 fold gap between south and north Korea. In North Korea education curriculum is a mere propaganda, much to shore up the legitimacy of the regime where everyone has to spend 10 years in Army after finishing the education.

Countries with similar environment, culture, race, dietary habits are so different , answer is to be looked at institutions. Difference is lack of public participation in decision making and giving them respect as the biggest stake holders.

Inclusive institutions:

Secure property rights are central to inclusive economic institutions. Since only those with such rights will be willing to invest and increase productivity. A businessman who expects his output to be stolen, expropriated and entirely stolen by taxes will have little rational motive to work.

Inclusive institutions pave the way for two other engines of prosperity i.e technology and education. Sustained economic growth is almost accompanied by innovation.

The low education level for poor countries is caused by extractive economic and political institutions that fail to force the government to build, finance and support schools and the wishes of parents and children.

Inclusive political institutions distribute power broadly in society, instead being vested in a single individual or narrow group, political power rests with plurality of groups. On the other hand in Somalia there is no political centralisation. Power is so pluralistically distributed in antagonistic clans. This infighting between clans, tribes and groups with vested interest destabilise the country.Power of one clan is constrained by the guns of another clan. This lack of political centralisation and antagonistic pluralism results in chaos.

Botswana got independence in 1966, At that time it had 12 km of paved roads, 22 students graduated from university, 100 from secondary school, in next 45 years Botswana became on of the fastest growing country in the world with highest GDP in sub-Saharan Africa. It is by virtue of inclusive political and economic institutions. As compared to other African countries where majority of people have no food, clothes, clean drinking water and deprived of basic amenities of life, Botswana made real progress. Education rate is more than 80% ,Students are provided with full scholarships with living expenses in the University, elections are held regularly. Institutions are free from political influence. Due to inclusive political and economic institutions there is good political centralisation in the country.

USSR: After the death of Lenin came  joseph stalin came to power in 1927 who diverted resouces towards industry at the cost of agriculture . Bolsheviks built powerful centralized state and allocated all resources towards industry. people were not allowed to have their own land, Which led to decline in agriculture output and finally Soviet union suffered worst famine and more than 6 million people died because of that. Mikhael Gobachev started to move from extractive economic institutions after 1987, the power of communist party crumbled and with it, Soviet union.

Extractive institutions:

Extractive institutions are parasitic in nature. Its a parasitic relationship between two segments of societies, where one subset is benefited at the cost of other . Absolutist or Authoritarian regimes discourage inclusive institutions and don’t want economic institutions to prosper, because pluralism and public empowerment would eventually tone down their political might.

Extractive institutions by their very logic create growth to give benefit to the ruling elite. Growth under extractive institutions is different from growth under inclusive institutions. Because it is not sustainable as it is based on existing technologies and lack innovation. While in inclusive institutions growth involves technological advancement, encouraged by public participation and innovation.

The extractive institutions can not generate sustained technological change for two reasons. Lack of economic incentives and resistance by elites, based on protectionism so that Elitist of elites and their cronies can benefit from the system.

Extractive institution create extra ordinary incentives for the ruling elite. Which encourages other elite to replace the current elite. Infighting and instability are thus inherent attributes of extractive institutions. This creates political decentralization and further inefficiencies leading to break down of law and order and descent into chaos.

Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia and Nepal are located in different parts of the world but they have much in common institutionally with most nations in sub Saharan Africa, thus more of the poorest countries in the world.

Economic growth and prosperity:

British soceity which evolved politically by people empowerment and this led to the industrial revolution driven by textile industry. Like an emotional contagion this also revolutionized the world economy. Industrial revolution made biggest strides in England because of its inclusive political and economic institutions. It was glorious revolution that made political institutions that strengthened and rationalized property rights , improved financial markets, undermined state- sanctioned monopolies in foreign trade and removed the barriers to the expansion of industry. Glorious revolution actually opened up the political system and made it receptive to the economic needs and public aspirations .

After Glorious revolutions in England , inclusive institutions came into being and industrialisation started. US and Australia followed the suit and joined the path to industrial growth and prosperity.

French revolution in 1789 led to end of absolutism and opened the way for inclusive institutions. This happened not only in France but in other European countries as well.

Once in a society pluralism and rule of law is established, there would be demand for even greater pluralism and greater participation in the political process. Not all radical changes are doomed to failure. Glorious revolution was one of the most important political revolution of known history. French revolution was even more radical with its chaos and excessive fierceness and ascent of Napoleon Bonaparte.

England didn’t become democracy by Glorious revolution of 1688 . A pluralistic society started developing. Once pluralism was enshrined . there was propensity of institutions to become more inclusive overtime.

Inclusive economic and political institutions enforce property rights, level playing field, encourage investment in new technologies and skills that are more conducive to economic growth. Inclusive economic institutions are backed up by inclusive political institutions . political rights are distributed, resulting in political centralisation helping to establish law and order foundations of secure property rights and inclusive market economy. 

Note: Inspired by the work of Thomas Friedman, Micheal Mendelbaum, Paul collier, James Robinson and Daron Acemoglu.

Decoding Child's Psychology

Children reap the premier of emotional and mental health of their parents. Which means integrating and plowing your own brain is one of the most loving and generous gifts you can give to your children. You can use all interactions  I.e demanding, frustrating, fuming, miraculous and adorable which you share with them as opportunities to help them to become more responsible, compassionate, empathetic.

Human brain has different parts which have different functions.

Left brain (Mammalian brain) helps you think logically and organize thoughts in sentences.

Left brain cares about letter of law .Left focuses on text while right brain focuses on context.

(Reptilian brain= right brain) . Right side of the brain helps you experience emotions and read nonverbal cues. It takes care of spirit of law. Right brain cares for big picture, meaning and feeling of an experience, We get the gut feeling and “heart felt sense from our right side brain.

Upper Brain: is similar to left brain which is responsible for action and work attributes.

Lower Brain: is similar to right brain. It is responsible for instinct, gut reaction and survival features.

Our brain has multiple personalities , rational, irrational, reflective, reactive and proactive.

When these parts are not well integrated we anticipate tantrum, meltdown, aggression as the result . We aspire for horizontal i.e right brain left brain (Emotions and logic) integration and Vertical (actions, work) higher and lower (instinct , gut reaction and survival ). Brain matures and blossoms fully at around the age of 20.

Whole process can be envisaged as swimming in a river. There are two extremes between which we have to swim, on one extreme there is chaos and lack of control while on the other extreme is rigidity, too much control, lack of flexibility and adaptability.

When we are closest to the bank of two extremes (chaos and rigidity), we are farthest from mental and emotional health and vigour. In the middle flows the river of well-being, rationality, confidence and pro activity. The longer we avoid either bank, the more time we spend enjoying the river of well-being. Chaos and rigidity occurs when integration is blocked.

Goal is to abstain from living in emotional desert or an emotional flood. Two halves promulgate and integrate together so that we would get the best of our logic and emotions.

Every child is right hemisphere dominant. When stakes are high like a meltdown, tantrum or chaos. It is very important to first try to connect your child’s right brain (Emotions) through feeling, emotions, bodily sensations, images and then with right brain try to connect and redirect the surfing emotional waves. When child is upset, logic often won’t work until we have reciprocated to the right brain’s emotional demands.

Step 1: Connect with right brain.

Communication with right brain, non verbal signals like physical touch, emphatic facial expressions, nurturing tone of voice, non judgmental listening and compassion.

Step 2: Redirect to the left.

Instead of command and demand , try to connect to the left and redirect to the right.

Tell stories to calm big emotions and hyperactive state. Actually telling stories is often exactly what children need, both to make sense of the event and to move on to a place where they can feel better about what had happened. Instead of “dismiss and repulse” try "name it to tame" it to subdue the emotion. 

In high emotions state it is good to take a breather before complying to consider consequences, to reckon about feelings of others, to make ethical and moral judgements.

In upper brain intricate mental processes, sophisticated analytical thinking take place, It performs some other functions as well

1. Sound decision making and planning
2. Mastery over emotions and body
3. Self-understanding
4. Empathy
5. Integrity and Morality

The more your kids think about what’s going on within themselves, the more they will develop the prowess to comprehend and respond to what’s going on in the worlds within and around them.

Give hypothetical situations to children and ask questions to promote ethical and empathetic thinking. Research shows physical movement directly affects brain chemistry. If child has lost touch with upstairs brain (logical), a compelling way to help him regain balance by making him able to shake his body.

When we change physical state we actually change our emotional state. Our psychology is dependent on our physiology. Try smiling for a minute make you feel jubilant. Quick, shallow breaths coexist with anxiety, and if you take a slow deep breath, you will likely feel calmer. Neurons that fire together, wire together, also called Neuro-associative connections.When we experience, focus or concentrate on something, activates neural firing (Neurons which spring into action) Neural firing leads to the production of proteins that facilitate new connections to be wired among the activated neurons. Merely by asking questions and prompting recollection, you can assist your kids to commemorate and understand important events from the past that will help them better understand what’s happening to them in present.

Let the clouds of emotions roll by, Educate your kids that feelings and emotions come and go by . Emotions are states not traits. These are feelings. Sometimes we feel happy about anything and can be sad about something else. . Let’s take an example of weather rain is real, we would be foolish to stand in downpour and act as if it were not raining, but we would be just as fatuous to except that sun will never emerge again. Emotions and feelings are short-lived on average an emotion comes and goes in ninety seconds. for example I am not dumb i am feeling dumb right now.

Being born with muscles don’t make us athlete we have to train hard and develop skills. The same way we have to help our child develop the phrases of “we” “” our, instead of “me and mine”. Cultivating a “Yes” state of mind: helping kids be receptive to relationships

Yes makes them calm, peaceful and even light.

When our whole focus is on self defence, we remain in negative and reactive mode, “no” state of mind, do not listen to others. We just try to protect ourselves. 

When we are receptive. “Yes” switch of the brain becomes active, produces positive experience. Muscles of face and vocal cords relax , blood pressure and heart rate normalizes.  

Even as you maintain your authority, don’t forget to have fun , play games, tell jokes, be silly, take interest in what children care about, more time they enjoy and spend with you the more they will value relationships and desire more positive and healthy relational experiences in the future.

Brain cells communicate through neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Dopamine is the chemical of reward, play, fun and amusement. During “Dopamine squirts ” something cheerful happens.

How much fun kids have together in their determines good sibling relationship later in the life. Siblings have moments and memories of joy and conflicts. As parent we need to make sure that we should give them those activities that produce positive emotions and memories,  

Your state of mind can influence your child’s state of mind, phenomenon called “Emotional contagion” letting you transform fussiness and peevishness into enjoyment, laughter and connection.

Instead of command and demand .....try playful parenting. Connection through conflict: Teach kids to argue with a “We” in mind. See through other people’ s eyes: help kids recognize other people’s point of view (Empathy). Instead of dismiss and deny......try connection through conflict. Listen to what’s not being said: Teach kids about nonverbal communication and attuning to other . Instead of saying that I don’t like the way you are talking, try. Can you think of another way to say this. The was which is more polite and acceptable.

In human dimension “Being” is “seeing”. As parents we need a paradigm shift and try to analyze the problem the way it is. Our perception of problem is the main stumbling block. Its a culture of heart to react to things egoistically and but we should follow a value based principle to respond proactively. Connecting to children with their emotions through feed back mechanism and the gradually turning them to more positive and rational behaviour.

Pseudo Science

Common people are usually obsessed with sciency-sounding claims and stories published in media by “Media scientists”. These media scientist who are incapable of reading and interpreting scientific evidence are considered major source of our information. Media actually promotes public misunderstanding of science and statistics. Pointless stories are propagated. For layman it is arduous to separate fluff from the substance.

Hypothesis comes first in science, experiments are conducted to validate this hypothesis, results are analyzed and conclusions are made. These conclusions can both be positive or negative. To validate authenticity in science it is crucial that results are reproducible.

Science is not a method but monolith, mystery or probably authority for those who have never done any experiment by their own hands or never thought about scientific idea. To learn very basics of science it is preeminent to dismantle pseudo-scientific claims. Media scientists and marketers have rudimentary knowledge of science, they rely on authority figures and take their words of mouth as a sermon from a Rabbi, Priest or Imam. They like to discuss notions like Magnetism, oxygenation, toxins, detoxification etc .

Sometimes journalist don’t understand the difference between hypothesis and evidence. Media work around authority figures, like scientists say or scientists claim . This in fact is very antithesis to science. In science it is evidence which is to be followed not the authority figures. The beauty of science is in its appraisal of evidence, regardless of its conclusions.

Scientific jugglerry

Detoxification: Quacks talk about toxins, junk food, sedentary lifestyles, stress. They claim for their techniques to detoxify, but are unable to name a single chemical, poison or toxin. Burgers and pizzas for that matter  all junk food is not good for health but saying that eating junk food leaves some sort of residues or toxins in our body which can be detoxified by specific detox systems is utter non sense. In medical science this concept of detoxification doesn't exist.

Creams: There are tall claims about expensive moisturizing creams but a tube of Vaseline or hydro base does the same job exceptionally well at fractionally low cost. There are basically three main components in creams.

1. Alpha hydoxy acids.

2. High levels of vitamin C.

3. Molecular variation of vitamin A which make skin youthful.

This is only effective in high concentration or high levels of acidity. Which causes burning, irritation, stinging and redness. These are prescription medicines and have grave side effects.

Some Anti aging creams claim to have a protein called “Hydrolysed X- Microprotein Nutri-complexes” . These are soggy long chain amino acids which are not absorbed through skin and when the cream dries out on the face it tightens and contracts,temporarily shrinking fine wrinkles. This is short lived solution and not a miracle cure for looking young and sparkling.

Our skin is meant to be largely impermeable and we don’t absorb many things through our skin. We don’t get fat by just sitting in baked beans bath. Cream containing cellular DNA complex is made from specially treated Salmon Roe DNA, it is highly unlikely for a large molecule like DNA to get absorbed from skin pores.

Many creams claim to oxygenate skin as these contain hydrogen peroxide, which according to manufacturer’s claim contain water and extra oxygen. Water evaporates and extra oxygen oxygenates the skin. This is exactly saying like getting your skin oxygenated by rusted iron bridge near you as it is a pile of iron with some extra oxygen.

Central Nervous system depressants: Oxazepam similar to Valium( Diazepam) is more effective in treating anxiety in green tablets and more effective for depression when yellow. A survey suggests that stimulants usually come in red, orange or yellow tablets while antidepressants and tranquilizers are generally blue green or purple. A study from 2002 shows that response to placebo has increased significantly in recent years for anti depressant drugs. Perhaps as our expectations of those drugs have increased.

Nutritionists love to quote basic laboratory science research. One should be cautious while extrapolating results from some cells in Petri dish and lab bench to complex human living system. For example washing liquid can kill cells in Petri dish while we can’t drink washing liquid to kill cancer cells. Using “Holistic” phrases and rhetoric is reductionist proposition.

Antioxidants: A theory about free radicals says that free radicals can damage lining of arteries , Damaged DNA can lead to ageing or cancer. Antioxidants are meant to “Mop up” the free radicals by reacting with them.

Not all free radicals are bad. Some free radicals are used to kill pathogenic bacteria in infections. Extra antioxidants added to supplements or diets are simply excreted from body or turned into something else.

(HRT) hormone replacement therapy: had been a good idea for many decades until followup studies revealed flip side of the picture. Same is the case with Calcium supplements in osteoporosis which increase heart attacks in older women, Science is not static but ever changing phenomenon.

Turmeric as anticancer agent: Some nutritionists say that Turmeric is highly protective against some forms of cancer. Few speculative studies from rat cells are done under turmeric extract. Growth of cancer cells is observed. While animal model data (In vivo) is very limited. Can eating curry with lots of turmeric be curative for different cancers especially prostate cancer without taking in account other confounding variables?

One example for cherry picking is Turmeric which contains curcumin (believed to have anticancer properties). We have to eat more than 100 g of turmeric to get few g of curcumin. Very small portion of that is absorbed to show some pharmacological effects. To have sufficient level of anticancer curcumin we need to eat even bigger portion of turmeric. "Between research and recipe there’s a lot more to think about".

Giving unusually high doses of chemicals to animals can distort the outcomes because it can damage the metabolic pathways, just because something can up or down regulate in a model doesn’t mean it will have the effect within more complex human system.

When people don't learn tools of judgement and merely follow their hopes, the seeds of political manipulation are sown. (Stephen jay Gould). Journalist sometimes cherry pick the evidence, massage or poison the statistics to prove their point. Scientific evidence should be reviewed on its merit and then conclusions be drawn. Conclusion can not be drawn from one or few studies. Meta analysis should be done where possible to give unbiased conclusion so that recommendation guidelines can be made.