The world has become a global village, we are often told, all thanks to technological reform. But it hasn’t closed distances for us, the patriotic citizens of the third world, carrying the dreams of the First World in our minds. Living inside weak systems, we wait for an economic boom.

A few years ago, I met a British undergraduate, born to Kashmiri parents in England. A very dedicated student of science, he was aware of the taxes he was paying and concerned about where they were going. Not to mention his good knowledge about his Kashmiri roots and culture. He worked part-time and the title of his job his mother simply described as a bus conductor in Kashmir. He was earning around Rs 1400 per hour.

“Which party would you vote for?” My friend pursuing a master’s in Germany asked a local. “As a student, there’s nothing there for me in any of the parties’ agendas. So why should I vote?” He replied. Beyond indifference, it showed a clear understanding of how things stood. Such civic sense is instilled early into young minds which my children will have to learn in their 20s on their own.

Germany provides ground for an interesting analogy. Germany is the world’s third largest economy and the size of the state of Rajasthan. With an income tax of about 40%, education is free not only for the natives but for........

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