Analyzing Reservations

Reservations as an affirmative action have found place in several countries of the world. India is one of them. I was thinking about where does this idea of reservation come from and what is the real psychology behind it. Here is my take on it.

To poach is a human tendency. The classic story of the camel pushing the Arab out of the tent is an ugly truth of human behavior. The power flux has the ones at the bottom trying to get up and the ones up trying to maintain their status quo. It is a very animalistic thing and their is nothing very "human" or "fair" about it. You either win or loose. That's about it.

But may be that's not all about it. The Hindu scriptures say that when a man is in hell he does penance to come out of it. Out of the penance comes dominion. By reigning over the dominion a man falls down to hell again and the cycle continues.

A step ahead of poaching is parasitism- to somehow get things done without having to work hard for it. While poaching is relentless greed, parasitism is that topped with sheer laziness.

In society at different times different people have monopolized resources to repress a big part. What comes after that is, generally, a bloody revolution or genocide. Either way a new order comes up which monopolizes the resources for itself. Some make a pretense that all is being done to "equalize" and change. Nothing changes. Only the controlling hands do.

I see reservations as an instrument of reversing the power flow. Hence the repressed and the untouchables of yesterday will become the repressors of future. The villages in India today have still not let go the caste but the order is reversing itself. It is not about merit, development, uplifting poor or economy. It is about who is powerful at this moment and who controls. Nothing more and nothing less.

And there is no use lamenting about it. People who find it unfair will leave the country, die frustrated or work hard and make a mark in the private sector (provided private sector is not brought under reservations). It is not possible that ALL 50% of the reserved category guys will be incompetent duds. Some will be good too and that should keep the economy afloat. Government will get its votes. Only losers will be people who are not labeled as the "disadvantaged".

People talk about meritocracy. A true meritocracy is a very hard thing to achieve. In the end people get what they deserve. With 50% of people in India living a life of poverty things are hard. Development is an enemy of the state. Developed, well-informed people are difficult to mislead. Fortunately the Governments around the world do a good job of that. It is left to the individual to find his/her safe haven.

On the ending note, he was born poor but worked hard and played mean. When he finally got power, he became corrupt. And then he fell again to somebody who had worked harder and been meaner.. And that my friend is the psychology behind reservations.