Laura Chappell Articles

“We’re done for.” Western Europe that is – or at least in the opinion
of my fiancée, after spending an hour or so talking with our neighbour
Vijay.

Trust in politicians in the UK appears to be at an all time low. The
expenses scandal seems to have obliterated any remaining confidence
that the public had in our political leadership. But those interested
in the survival of ethical politics should take heart. Whilst turning
things around will not be easy, India offers a cautiously optimistic
tale of how things can go from very bad to at least a little better.

15 per cent is a significant number in urban India. But it isn’t the
annual rate of growth in high-end shopping malls (stocking Debenhams,
Benetton and Louis Vuitton) – which is almost certainly higher. And it
isn’t the proportion of drivers who make their journeys without beeping
their horns – which is almost certainly lower. It is the percentage of
women who participate in the labour force. This makes urban Indian
women almost four times less likely to be in or looking for work than
urban Indian men (whose participation rate is 57 per cent). Clearly,
gender is a major issue in India.

India is voting. And with elections lasting a full month, it feels like
the kaleidoscope has been shaken, but the pieces are refusing to
settle. The questions of who will form the next government, and where
they will take the country will hang in the air for several weeks yet.