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If you want Russia to steer away from our traditional model of extractive economy, nothing less would work than a return of Communist rule.The easy road“Easy Road” was my favorite Uriah Heep track when I was a teenager. The line “If you're looking for a place / You can fly together / And you're really afraid of / What you're leaving behind / Take the easiest road” had a mesmerizing effect on me.When you sit on a bottomless source of natural resources that you can simply dig up and sell to those who needs them abroad—and are willing to pay a lot of money!—the good old logic of rent-seeking sets in. ILet me put it this way. In the mating game, do you want a gorgeous, smooth, easy babe for partner, or a hard-to-get, high-maintenance, constantly busy, ever-controlling, constantly complaining hag that never seems to be content with anything you do? That’s the difference between an extractive economy and a resource-poor, knowledge-based, manufacturing-oriented economy.Human natureRent-seeking expresses the two most powerful drivers of our economic behavior: (1) greed and (2) laziness. If your political platform declares a war on even one of these beasts, prepare for a non-stop uphill struggle. Even if a quirk of fate or your own awesomeness somehow hand state power to you, no matter what you do, at some sharp turn ahead someone weaker and stupider that you is certain to take you down—simply because he has these two big, hairy, nasty beasts on his side.Apart from the Communists, our rulers had the sense not to challenge human nature. Likewise, President Putin chose to let powerful streams of oligarchical greed and public laziness work for him—now, look how far they have taken him!Marxism is kingTo get rid of these two powerful bitches, you need to change human nature. Among ideologies, only Communism in its Stalinist incarnation seems so far to be remotely able to deliver. Slave labor, indoctrination and fear may not eradicate greed and laziness, but at least hold them in check.Stalinism was the era of most successful colonization of our part of Eurasia. Despite a colossal waste of wealth, human capital, wealth and millions of lives lost in wars, famines and purges, the pressure cooker of Soviet rule delivered big time. It gave us rapid industrialization, universal education and healthcare, a world-class space program, and a military-industrial complex at par with the US.In the USSR, once a year around the birthday of Lenin in April, we had something called subótnik (“Saturday work shift”). Also called “Communist subotnik”, It was a day of unpaid work for the entire nation. Formally “voluntary”, this was in essence an unobtrusive test for loyalty. Only the most asocial types like patented drunkards failed to show up. If you didn’t show up, you would not only demonstrate your shaky ideological foundation but also irritated your colleagues that had to do your bit of work without you.Below, a Soviet Army unit lined up for a subotnik in 1980. For the uniformed men, this usually meant a day of spring cleaning. Some of them were also sent to more challenging places like construction sites or vegetable storages where they had to salvage edible rests of potatoes, cabbage and carrots from half-rotten heaps of the last year’s harvest. The banners they are holding for the photo-op say: “Let’s do the Communist subbotnik!”, “Glory to the celebration of labor!”, “Let’s celebrate Lenin’s birthday with a Communist labor effort!” The mash-up of newspaper clippings with a portrait of Lenin waving his hand at the front of the line was a standard showpiece item that military units prepared to demonstrate their impeccable ideological work.The Communist subotniks were part of a systematic, 74-year long attempt to kill human laziness and greed, these two beasts of Capitalism. To me, it seems like even ISIS couldn’t dream of coming closer to the objective than we we did.

If you could design a perfect country, which existing countries/places would you use?Here are my 15 criteria in order of importance:1.) Safety - Iceland: A low crime rate is paramount above all else. And Iceland has been ranked #1 on the Global Peace Index for decades.(Standing at this angle behind Iceland’s Seljalandsfoss with my wife a few years ago is precisely the picture in my mind of what my Utopia would look like)2.) Ability to handle the coronavirus - Switzerland + Taiwan: If you asked this question in 2019, this category wouldn’t even be on our radar. But in 2020, it’s become a reality. And still in the moment, I’m so desperate for a country with almost no threat of coronavirus, and the ability to quash it when it arrives.If you’ve read the post Peter Wade's answer to What countries are still safe from COVID-19?, you’ll see there are only nine countries unaffected by the pandemic. Taiwan was ranked by Time magazine as the best at responding to the pandemic. With only 0.002% of the nation infected, that’s the ability to deal with a health crisis that I want in my country! Switzerland has cases, but they’ve been ranked tops for COVID-19 safety!3.) Freedom and human rights - Iceland + Malta + Netherlands + New Zealand: What are these Utopian characteristics worth if we have no freedom? Can you imagine all these ideal attributes while living in a dictatorship like North Korea? According to the Human Freedom Index, places like Canada and the U.S. rank very high in freedom. But New Zealand takes the top spot based on a variety of factors.Additionally, the Netherlands ranks first in religious freedom, which appeals to me as a Christian. Iceland has the greatest gender equality. Malta ranks #1 in LGBTQ rights and happens to be one of my top five favorite places in the world. In my Utopian country, these rights are vital for every citizen, no matter their race nor sexual orientation nor religion nor gender!I would also give a nod to Botswana and Canada for ranking high in racial harmony. Sadly, the 2019 Freedom Index ranked Hong Kong third among the nations with the most freedom. Thanks to the antics of China, that’s changing as we speak.4.) Economy - China + United States: Clearly a strong economy is imperative. Based on GDP and economic strength, these two countries top every list. Even with big losses during the pandemic, they’ll remain on top, and what one country doesn’t manufacture, the other country often does.5.) Government - Canada + Switzerland: We’ll need strong leadership with considerable diplomacy! Well, I know what country I’m NOT picking! Meanwhile, the government of Canada is ranked the most politically stable in the world, and quite popular through citizen perception. Switzerland ranks as the best-governed country in the world. So I’ll combine both of these.6.) Medical care - Denmark + Japan + South Korea + United States: These countries are world leaders in heart attack treatment, recovery from strokes, cancer treatment, and overall quality of doctors respectively.7.) Public healthcare system - Canada + France: Nearly every list compiled by experts indicates that either Canada or France has the world’s best healthcare system. Combine that with the doctors in #3 and we have a medical Utopia.8.) Food - China + Japan + United States: Before you accuse me of Americentrism, just hold on. I don’t actually mean American food. I mean the food that’s offered in America from everywhere on the planet! And yes, including American food.Thai cuisine is my favorite. But living in Thailand, could I ever taste authentic Peruvian food again? Indian food is my second favorite, but I once lived in India. I couldn’t find an acceptable pizza anywhere! Greek food is amazing, but I’ll never find that perfect fried chicken from the Southeastern U.S. in Greece.Here’s my solution. Because the United States is such a melting pot of cultures, I can find authentic Thai, Indian, Greek, Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, etc. cuisine (we could keep listing categories forever) if I go to the right immigrant-operated restaurants. No country covers all the world’s cuisines better than the U.S., and I’ve been to a lot of countries!However, I find that proper Chinese and Japanese food is the most difficult to find in America, so I’ll need to add those two countries to the list. I’ll also say that in all my travels, China had the best local cuisine I’ve ever tasted, Japan was second, and Peru and Italy were tied for third. But the U.S. already has Peruvian and Italian covered.9.) Friendliness - Canada + Japan + Norway + Taiwan: People tell me Taiwan has the friendliest citizens in the world. I haven’t been yet. Norway and Japan have been the most welcoming to me.Now, about Canada. As Americans, we absolutely LOVE Canadians, more than any other people in the world according to polls (although the U.K. comes close). Sadly, according to similar polls, they don’t like us back. But injecting that well-known Canadian politeness and kindness into this ideal country we’re creating, I’ll no longer have to worry about their disdain because we’ll all be citizens of the same country.10.) Coastal scenery - Fiji + Seychelles + United States: Large bodies of water have always appealed to me, so this category is important. If you read the link at the bottom of this post, you’ll see my top-ranked countries in the world based on oceanfront beauty. Fiji has the best coastline I’ve ever seen, and Seychelles is a close second.The United States alone, with its picturesque beaches in Southern California, its unique mountainous coastline of Northern California and forested oceanfront in Washington, the majestic shores of Oregon, the Fiji-like beaches of Hawaii, and the glacial bays of Alaska, pretty much covers everything!11.) Mountainous scenery - Chile + Nepal + Switzerland: Nepal has the highest mountains, Switzerland has those gorgeous alpine views, and Chile features my favorite combination of the coastline and the razor-sharp Andes.12.) Miscellaneous scenery - Antarctica + Argentina + Iceland + New Zealand + United States: In this ideal country, I cannot forgo the jaw-dropping national parks of remote Argentina, scenic New Zealand, and the globally famous parks of the U.S.I must mention that Antarctica is the most stunning place I’ve ever been, while Iceland is so beautiful it might as well be one giant national park. But limiting myself to five countries/regions, I sure hate to give up some of the beauty I’ve enjoyed in Peru, Pakistan, India, Norway, Australia, Canada, Samoa, Vietnam, and many other nations. That’s why I’m happy I can travel the world each year to see it all (well, after the pandemic).(Argentina)13.) Climate - United States: I really tried not to pick the U.S. for climate. But let’s consider this. My ideal temperature is right around 70 F (21.1 C). I also like to see snow and periodic rain showers. The country closest to my ideal average temperature is Zimbabwe, averaging 69.8 F (21 C), but they have no snow.Pakistan averages 68.4 (20.2 C) with snow and rain, nearly the perfect pick! But being mostly desert, that leads to blistering highs and chilly lows that produce a deceiving average annual temperature. Burundi and Botswana have wonderful climates too, but no snow.Fine, just give me the U.S. which has a tremendously diverse climate, partially because it’s so large while not as far north as Canada and Russia. I could live in Southern California from November through June, Seattle from July to September, and Boston in October. I’d never have to experience a temperature above 72 F (22.2 C) for the rest of my life! And I can pop up to New England or over to Colorado when I want to see a nice, thick snow, or Alaska for the glaciers.(The warm Christmas weather of Los Angeles will always have a special place in my heart)14.) Diversity - Canada + South Africa: The people in this perfect country of mine could be majority black, majority white, or Asian, or Hispanic, or whatever. To me, skin color doesn’t matter. But I do love diversity, so my country is going to feature diverse ethnic and religious groups all getting along.Canada is among the most balanced and harmonious countries when considering the most prevalent races populating the world. And South Africa has the most diverse religious beliefs.15.) Happiness - Finland: Yes, there are statistics on everything posted to the Internet. And of course, there is an annual World Happiness Report. If all the above characteristics don’t already make you happy, let’s inject a major dose of cheer into this Utopian country. Finland perpetually takes the top spot in the world for happiness. I want what they have!Note: There is also a Where-to-be-born Index published periodically, ranking countries by quality of life and the best opportunities for a safe and prosperous life. Switzerland usually captures the top spot, but with all the aspects already listed above, we’ve already manufactured plenty of prosperity and safety.DisclaimersEven before the first comment is added to my post, let me just mention the following disclaimers up front. Inexperienced Quorans seem to struggle with these concepts.Disclaimer 1: This is MY list, it’s not YOUR list. This is just a fun way to express my opinions based on my extensive world travels to all seven continents. If you don’t agree, then post your own answer so we can read your list. You don’t have to comment to express your disagreement. I’m allowed to form my own opinion.Disclaimer 2: This is especially for European Quorans! I will not tolerate America-bashing. I also do not think America is the greatest country in the world. In fact, far from it. I do cherish certain aspects of the U.S. when compared to the nearly 80 countries I’ve visited. However, as someone who has traveled internationally for over 40 years, I am extraordinarily impartial and objective and open-minded, and I truly value every country I’ve visited.Disclaimer 3: Inexperienced people of Quora, please do not answer the original question by making a comment on my post. To answer the original question:Click Answer under the original question, not the comment bubble under my answer.Write an answer for all of us to enjoy.You might be interested in:Countries with the best beachesBest climates in the worldFriendliest countries

To understand why Bihar has remained largely a poor and an under-developed state even after more than six-and-a-half decades of independence, it is important to first become aware of the following facts:1) Bihar is India’s third-most populous state after Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. According to the 2011 Census, the population of Bihar is 103 million, which is about 8.58 percent of the total population of the country.2) Over the last decade, the state has witnessed a 25 percent growth in its population, which is among the highest in India; and with a fertility rate of 3.7, it is only going to increase further.3) The state also has the highest density of population of over 1,000 persons per sq km4) With a literacy rate of 63.82%, Bihar ranks lowest among all the states of IndiaNow if we go back in history, we would find that:1) Bihar, actually, was a centre of power, learning and culture in ancient India. The ancient universities of Nalanda and Vikramshila, established in the 5th and 8th century respectively, were important centres of learning that attracted a large number of foreign students and scholars.2) Ancient Bihar, which consisted of Anga, Videha/Mithila, Magadha and Vajji, gave India its first and greatest empire, the Maurya empire.3) During the Gupta empire that also originated from Magadha in 240 AD, the country flourished in science, mathematics, astronomy, commerce, religion and philosophy. It was during this period that India was called the ‘Golden Bird’.4) From Magadha, also arose one of Asia’s most popular religions, Buddhism. Lichchivi, or modern day Vaishali in Bihar, gave the world its first democracy with a duly elected assembly of representatives and administrators.5) Ancient Bihar was also an important centre for scientific developments and Aryabhatta, who was a resident of Patliputra, observed in 498 AD that Earth revolves on its own axes and around the Sun.Bihar tragedy can be traced to the British period when it was a part of the Bengal Presidency:1) One of the early interventions of the colonial administration was deindustrialisation of the country, which included the extreme act of extermination of the artisans. Bihar had suffered considerably because of this policy. Please see the table below:2) As regards the agricultural sector, all its potential was slashed, thanks to the Permanent Settlement that was introduced in Bengal presidency which included Bihar, which meant the creation of a class of landlords whose only objective was collection of rent, with no interest for agricultural development. Thus, the scope for new cultivation had become negligible by the 1880s and 1890s (According to the Cambridge Economic History of India).3) Highly unequal regional pattern of public expenditure and investment.For example, in 1927-28, the per capita expenditure on general administration in Bihar (which included present Orissa) was only Rs. 75, compared to Rs. 411 in Bombay Presidency. The lower per-capita expenditure on basic services like health and education in the eastern region, especially in United Bihar, under the colonial administration is an important factor that led to a sharp deterioration in the social development indexes in the post-independence period.4) With the demise of industrial economy of Bihar during the nineteenth century and agrarian crisis becoming acute, significant migration of labour force from the state became a steady phenomenon. The statistics of migration from Bihar are alarming. According to 1921 census, whereas 4,22,000 people came to Bihar, 19,17,000 went out of Bihar. The migration was not limited to Calcutta or Assam alone. Many went as far away as Fiji and Mauritius.Now lets look at what happened in Bihar during Post-Independence Period:1) When India became independent in 1947, it was obviously hoped that the regional disparities that had emerged in the country during the colonial rule will be gradually lessened through appropriate policies. Unfortunately, it was not to be the case. The Freight Equalization Policy of 1948, whereby basic raw materials like steel, coal and other minerals became available at the same price, destroyed the comparative factor advantage for Bihar. This did not allow the state in developing manufacturing and value-added activities. It also destroyed all incentives for industry to locate in a mineral rich State like Bihar since they could purchase all inputs at same price in other states as well.2) The failure to break away from the past in implementing tenurial and land reform changes resulted in excessive social stratification which prevented both vertical and horizontal mobility.3) Excessive preoccupation with caste dominated political discourse in the matrix of Governance pushed the developmental agenda to the margins.4) The failure to transit from a feudal based economy to a market oriented economy did not facilitate rapid economic development.5) Poor governance also resulted in decline of well established institutions which impacted adversely also in key areas like education and health.In-spite of above, the indicators of economic and social development suggest that Bihar was close or even better in some cases, compared to the national averages during 1950-91.But, 1991 onwards the deterioration in every sphere of economic and social development seems to be sharp in Bihar as compared to the national averages. This resulted in a phase of economic stagnation in the State.India on the other hand, after experiencing a Hindu Rate of Growth for almost three decades, accelerated its growth rate from the 1980s and which gathered momentum after 1991.However, starting with 2005, Bihar has witnessed rapid economic growth with an average growth in GDP of more than ten percent outperforming the growth achieved by India during this period.The acute poverty in Bihar can be traced to the economic backwardness of both the agricultural and industrial sectors. The reasons for the extreme backwardness of agriculture are both institutional and technological. Whereas structural and institutional factors acted as a powerful barrier to the agrarian transformation (there is limited occupational opportunity outside the agriculture sector in Bihar), the technological factors such as poor development of infrastructure like irrigation and power, non-availability of modern inputs, low quantum and high cost of credit and poor extension services, contributed much to the dismal performance of the state's agricultural sector in the post-independence period.Even before bifurcation, the state lagged much behind other states in respect of industrialization. After division, however, the situation became worse as the bifurcation of the state also changed the parameters of development matrix in Bihar, particularly in terms of resource endowments.Though the colonial legacy had a role to play for the poor social development of Bihar, but in the post-independence period it further worsened owing to inadequate attention paid by successive governments in the areas of education and healthcare.But its not as if Bihar is doomed to remain a tragedy in the geography of India. Post-2005, with a new government under Nitish kumar, Bihar has made good strides to erase the ills of stagnant economy and poor human development index. Still, the recent turn-around notwithstanding, the development challenges facing Bihar remain huge and staggering.Future of India is inextricably linked with the future of Bihar which in-turn depends on the quality of governance, political stability and the template of inclusive development. If the present development pattern of Bihar is any indication, the State can only move upward and forward.Sources:BiharEconomy of BiharLiteracy In Bihar