Post on 23-Dec-2015
Prime MinisterSingh
• Today the PM of India is a Sikh, M. Singh.
• Political party that wins the majority of seats in the Parliament chose the Prime Minister!
• Coalitions are often needed to gain power to chose the Prime Minister.
1950- New government faced many problems.
• Had to establish own economy, improve education, agriculture etc.
• At first established a “Socialist Economy”- the government owned most business.
Education
•Only 10% of population was literate at time of Independence•Less than half of all children went to school.
Prime Minister Nehru 1947 and 1962.
•He remains a legendary and much-loved figure in his country's early history
•Nehru is known as the architect of modern India.
•1964: Light goes out in India as Nehru dies
Economic Changes
• Rajiv Gandhi, Indira son, was elected to replace his mother in 1984.
• He began leading in a direction significantly different from his mother's socialism.
• He begins to “open” the economy to foreign trade and allowing more individual ownership of businesses and economic resources.
New Liberalization Plan 1990s
• 1990s-Indian leaders realized that the “closed economy-socialist” wasn’t working
• The economy is opened to foreign investments, and more individuals own business and factories such as control of the TV stations.
• Now Cable TV with access to western media • Rate of economic growth - 6.8 % • American companies & “outsource”-software
services to India- providing jobs for educated Indians.
History• Achieved independence in 1947 from
India after a brutal civil war.• West and East Pakistan was created.• West & East Pakistan fought a war in
1971, and Bangladesh was born as result. India supported East Pakistan.
• Now we have Pakistan, Bangladesh and India
General Information• Population 184.7 million• Religion Islam• Education 46.6 % adult literacy- There is no
formal education system in country!!• Languages Urdu , Punjabi, Pashtun, Sindhi,
Balochi, Arabic • Provinces Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan, Khyber
Pashtun Khoa• President : Asif Ali Zardari
Why are they fighting over Kashmir?
• Both India and Pakistan claim the Himalayan region of Kashmir!
• The headwaters of the Indus River are located in Kashmir. Beautiful Mountains area!
• Kashmir is predominately Muslim. The ruler of Kashmir fled to India and agreed to place Kashmir under Indian rule.
• Pakistan & India have gone to war 3 times, now area is split between the 2 countries.
Corrupt leaders; political instability & dictatorships
• History of leaders were either military dictatorships or so called democracies.
• Many say all of these leaders are corrupt and none of them help the people of Pakistan. Very poor country, no education system, weak infrastructure etc.
• President Zardari is called Mr. 10%- he gets 10% of everything!!!