Fury erupts as India opens door to Wal-Mart, other big foreign firms

[ellisonz]

By Mark Magnier, Los Angeles Times
November 25, 2011, 5:20 p.m.

Reporting from New Delhi—
The Indian Parliament adjourned in an uproar Friday over the government's decision to let large international retailers enter this long-protected market, leading an opposition leader to threaten to burn down any Wal-Mart that opened in the country.

The fury underscores the gap between the India of glitzy shopping centers, conspicuous consumption and increasingly efficient service catering to a rapidly emerging middle class and the India of dusty shops, limited inventory and 5-cent shampoo packets serving hundreds of millions of poor.

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On Friday, a senior leader of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party told the news media that poor people would lose under the new policy. "If Wal-Mart attempts to open any shop anywhere, then I will personally burn them down," Uma Bharti said.

After operating since 2009 as a wholesaler under a joint venture with India's Bharti conglomerate, Wal-Mart can now focus on opening its own retail outlets. Raj Jain, Bharti Walmart's chief executive, declined to comment on the incendiary threat but said he didn't expect the retail industry to change rapidly, given land, regulatory and infrastructure constraints and the need to comply with state rules. "This is a slow burn," he said.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-india-walmart-20111126,0,7284957.story

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. I think I like Uma Bharti. nt

[Skittles]

2. their "rapidly emerging middle class"

is at the cost of our disappearing middle class

[Initech]

4. I call it "vulture captialism".

Our middle class has disappeared and has moved to India. Soon, the vultures who run things will find an even cheaper market to exploit, and then India's middle class will disappear. And then that will disappear when they find an even cheaper cheaper market (Ecuador? Nicaragua? South Africa? Malaysia?). It's all in the pursuit of the almighty profits that destroy us all.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

10. Try again...

Less than 0.1% of the Indian workforce, said to be 400,000,000 people is employed in outsourcing and it amounts for about 1% of GDP.

[Skittles]

11. yet it affects EVERY IT worker I know

I've seen who has lost their jobs and who has gotten them and there is NO COMPARISON - they've simply lowered the standards

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

12. That may be true,

But it still doesn't change the fact that outsourcing has little to nothing to do with the plight of the Indian middle class. The largest customer for the Indian IT and professional services industry is other Indian enterprises and government.

[Skittles]

15. start regularly talking to folk in the IT sector

in America, India, China, Argentina, Malaysia, Brazil, etc - then you might know what I KNOW - ask any American IT worker how many people they know who are out of work or underemployed because their jobs are pimped overseas - get a feel for HOW BAD THIS PROBLEM REALLY IS instead of spouting statistics

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

16. What are you talking about?

I am not denying that outsourcing exists, I am saying it is an inconsequential part of the Indian economy and the fortunes of the Indian middle class. For you to say "their rapidly emerging middle class is at the cost of our disappearing middle class" is a ridiculous statement when the proportion of the Indian middle class that is actually stealing "jerbs" is inconsequential. I have encountered people over there who aren't even entirely clear as to what outsourcing is.

[lbrtbell]

3. After the way they've been taking our jobs?

Screw India. I hope there's a Wal-Mart on every corner.
Let THEM know how it feels, for a change.


ON EDIT: My message doesn't apply to those Indians in poverty, just the people who are taking American jobs.

[Initech]

6. They haven't been taking our jobs - our jobs are being GIVEN to them. Big difference.

[ellisonz]

8. +1

[limpyhobbler]

14. This is a decent movie about outsourcing

This video is from season 2 of that show 30 Days from that guy Morgan Spurlock.

It's a documentary about a guy that loses his computer programmer job in America because an Indian took it.

The guy actually goes over to India to see about getting his job back.
I thought it was a pretty good show. Everyone might like it if they are interested in this subject about outsourcing.

Part one:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?c=1&i=4ea_1195705444

Part 2:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=de4_1195705936

I don't know, the video is a little goofy though, you can't skip through it at all or it just starts over again.

It is available for streaming on netflix.
If you have Netflix it would be better to watch it that way.

[shanti]

5. pretty soon

all incomes will be leveled. that appears to be the plan.

[phasma ex machina]

7. All? Careful there. Our central bankster royalty is exempt. Only little people get leveled.

[Initech]

9. Yeah but through history we've revolted against the rich.

The French revolted against Marie Antionette, the Bolsheviks revolted against the Czars, it's inevitable that we're going to revolt against Wall St.

[ellisonz]

13. And very few of those revolts...

...have achieved what they set out to truly do beyond an inexplicable amount of violence. I think our best bet is to work within the current system, and that means taking back the ballot box by shooting Democratic turnout through the roof.

[Butch350]

17. Didn't you just do the ballot box in '08

have you been in a coma?