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Hiroshima lessons

The world has seen in Hiroshima and Nagasaki how utterly destructive the nuclear weapons can be. Yet there are many countries today that can do anything to possess them. Ironically, many states in the developing world may not have enough resources to feed their people but they are prepared to spend their precious wherewithal on the efforts to have a nuke or two of their own.

Interestingly enough, many rich nations in the developed world like Japan —which saw and experienced the nuclear destruction first hand —have enough economic resources but aren’t interested in developing and possessing nukes. On the other hand, poor and bankrupt states like North Korea are incredibly keen to lay their hands on these dangerous arms perhaps to sate the delusions of grandeur of their leaders. While the developed world is cutting down on its existing military strength, the developing world is chasing after more lethal and destructive arms. For example, Britain, the former world superpower, today has the army of a little more 100,000 full-time soldiers. Soon it will be left with only one aircraft carrier.

In the Third World though, the arms race is growing hotter by the day. Perhaps because life is cheap in these parts and leaders are seldom answerable to their people. So who cares if a couple of thousands of incredibly low paid soldiers die in a military expedition? Also, few eyebrows are raised when one third of a developing country’s budget is taken away by defence spending.

About time the developing countries learn a lesson or two from the rich and developed world. It’s not the weapons, nuclear or otherwise, that dictate the balance of power in the 21st century but economic muscle and clout. The developed world realised the folly of arms race in the last century and is today completely focused on economy. It’s economy, not nuclear arms, that rules our world today.

The emphasis now is on creating more jobs and improving living standards. The stress is on scientific research and economic development. No wonder most leaders of the developed world today look, think and act like CEOs of multinational companies.

Few in the developing world appear to have woken up to this strategic shift. To be fair, Asia appears to be catching up with the trend. China, ruled by Maoist dictators, appears to have got it right. It’s completely focused on building itself as an economic superpower as it invades world markets. India, which in ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s was preoccupied with military grandeur, has realised the power and effectiveness of economic progress. It is keen to catch up fast with the rest of the world.