: January 14, 2021: Both India and Pakistan are new (created since World War II) nations that could have done better. India is a functioning democracy but crippled by epic corruption. The British colonial government suppressed the worst of the pre-conquest corruption but independent India tolerated a revival as a necessity to make the world’s largest democracy work. Pakistan also allowed corruption to return to pre-colonial levels but was hurt more the most by eventually accepting and trying to manipulate Islamic radicalism and terrorism. Both nations, independent for over 70 years now, are recognized as having major problems. Pakistan is recognized, and shunned, as a supporter of international Islamic terrorism. India is more infamous for sliding into so much dysfunction that it may become a failed state. There is an international survey to measure that. Although the term “Failed State” was recently rebranded as “Fragile State” the degree of change is measured ann
January 7, 2021: The Chinese economy is back in action after nearly a year of covid19 disruptions. Schools, theaters and businesses are open without restriction. China is still blocking efforts by international health agencies (like WHO) to study the emergence of covid19 in China, as well as concealing the actual damage the virus did. Like other East Asian nations, China kept its infection rate low. That had little to do with being a communist police state because democracies like Taiwan, Singapore, Japan and South Korea produced verified results that showed how a disciplined response can keep covid19 infections and deaths and very low levels.