Author: Atanu Dey

This is a parable that succinctly illustrates why socialism fails. It fails because of one fundamental feature of human nature: people respond to incentives. Actually, the most important lesson one learns from a study of economics is just that – incentives matter. Here’s the story. Continue reading “Why Socialism Fails: A Parable”

I think nothing better reveals character than things that a person gets worked up about and is upset by. Perhaps that holds good at the level of the collective as well. I believe that people are more propelled to act on their revulsions than their attractions because the former protects them from harm and has survival value. People more often take to the streets against a negative (or a perceived negative) than for a positive. What brought this to mind was a recent column TIME magazine column by Joel Stein.
Continue reading “You are what upsets you”

June 25th, 1975 was the day that Indira Gandhi revealed that within her beats the heart of a ruthless dictator. On the 35th anniversary of that day, it is appropriate to remember that the Congress party brought authoritarian rule to India for the first time after independence. More accurately, Indira Gandhi brought dictatorship to the land. What matters today is that the descendants of Indira Gandhi are becoming increasingly powerful and could very well revert to dictatorial ways. Let’s ponder that for a bit. Continue reading “India’s First Dictator — Indira Gandhi”

Every once in a while I get frustrated trying to figure out whether someone said “t” or “d” or “p” while spelling out a word. So as a public service, I urge people to learn the phonetic alphabet. It makes life easier — and on top of that it is very very cool to spell words quickly. My name for instance is spelled as “alpha tango alpha november uniform.” Continue reading “Use the Phonetic Alphabet”