How US democracy nearly came undone

waelfareed January 09, 2021

 In a sign of the stark divisions that have taken root in the US, a pro-Trump mob breached and briefly took over the US Capitol building on Wednesday (Photo: Reuters)

How US democracy nearly came undone

9 min read . 07 Jan 2021
  • With its seat of power descending into chaos and violence, America’s democratic traditions hang in the balance
  • The violence, coupled with the president’s tepid response, appeared to drive Republicans to the breaking point after years of allegiance. Many resignations might be in the offing
In June, when the three new farm bills were imposed by way of an emergency ordinance, very few, including the government, anticipated any strong resistance. (Photo: Pradeep Gaur)

The faces behind the farmer revolt

9 min read . 07 Jan 2021
  • Unlikely alliances brought the disquiet to Delhi’s doorstep. Here’s the definitive behind-the-scenes account
  • Many of the farmer leaders who are out on the streets have not seen eye-to-eye for years, if not decades. Yet, decisions are being taken jointly, brushing aside years of acrimony
With low footfalls at stores and stocks stuck at various warehouses, taking orders and getting customers to buy new clothes is nothing less than a logistical nightmare for fashion retailers.

The race to take fashion retail online

9 min read . 06 Jan 2021
  • Post-covid, apparel retailers are scrambling to build e-experiences. It’s turning out to be a steep learning curve.
  • Retailers will have to quickly build more sophistication with online channel, including battling issues around fits, returns, putting full-price of products online and ensuring speed of delivery.
While full literacy and education for all is currently envisioned for 2030, this date now looks uncertain.raj k raj/ht
An economics consultancy recently predicted China would displace the US as the world’s largest economy in 2028, five years sooner than it had predicted just a year ago. (Photo: Getty)

A year on, China is shaking up the world

9 min read . 04 Jan 2021
  • The Middle Kingdom has come out stronger than ever after the pandemic. What are the implications for India?
  • The risk for China as well as the world is that over-confidence in Beijing and persisting worries within that country about the West seeking to curb its rise might tip over into conflict
Perhaps the most defining image was the long march undertaken by millions of migrants. (Photo: Hindustan Times)

The march of 2020 in 10 key long reads

6 min read . 30 Dec 2020
  • A quick snapshot of the terms, trends and events that defined the year and how #MintLongStory responded
  • Many stories focused on what the Centre should do to alleviate economic angst. The science behind the virus was a recurring theme, as well as developments on the vaccine front.
(From left) Economist Tim Harford; former RBI governor Urjit Patel; and Maruti Suzuki chairman R.C. Bhargava

Ten books from 2020 you must not miss

9 min read . 30 Dec 2020
  • The pandemic has put paid to airport reading, but there’s always Mint’s listing of top business and economy books
  • It’s tough to make predictions. But Mauro F. Guillén’s 2030 uses insights, data and research from different subjects in making predictions about how the world will look 10 years from now
One of the most significant impacts of the covid-induced lockdown was with respect to work lives, with people being compelled to work from home wherever possible. (Photo: Getty)

How Indians lived online during 2020

7 min read . 29 Dec 2020
  • Many businesses and lifestyles were upended thanks to the pandemic. What hidden patterns does data reveal?
  • Niche categories like e-grocery and online gaming have suddenly turned into whole new industry segments, which continue to register strong growth even after the end of lockdowns
India Inc is now at the crossroads. The challenges on the road ahead will need it to assume a much larger social role. (Photo: iStock)

The global drive to reimagine capitalism

9 min read . 25 Dec 2020
  • The pandemic has intensified calls for business to change its role in society. What will India Inc do?
  • This is an opportunity for India Inc to do the right thing, put in place a template that resonates with the highest standards of corporate governance, and India’s civilizational ethos.
Lakhbir Singh, 80, from Tarn Taran in Punjab is among thousands of farmers who have made the national highways bordering Delhi their home for close to a month

Inside the farmer disquiet at Delhi’s doorstep

9 min read . 24 Dec 2020
  • The protesting farmers have rejected all offers by the government. What will make them change their mind?
  • Farmers from Punjab and Haryana, for now, are unwilling to trade the assured prices guaranteed by the MSP regime for the uncertainty that free markets may bring.
Starting in the mother’s womb, the first 1,000 days of a child’s life provide a window of opportunity to improve the child’s nutrition and health outcomes. Those are closely linked to better education, earnings, and health outcomes in later life. (Photo: HT)

How hunger came back to haunt India

9 min read . 23 Dec 2020
  • With data showing a worrying rise in child undernutrition, urgent action is required. Where are the gaps?
  • Getting ICDS services running immediately should be top priority, along with a resumption in school meals. Since malls and cinema halls have reopened, anganwadis should too
Wistron’s Narasapura factory has 1,343 permanent workers and 8,490 contract workers on the rolls of six staffing firms (Photo: AFP)

Dark underbelly of India Inc’s shop floors

9 min read . 22 Dec 2020
  • The Wistron incident shows the need to bring industrial relations on the front burner. What are the first steps?
  • Companies serious about more harmonious relationships with the contractual workforce should offer them a pathway to up-skill and be employed as a permanent worker over time
In August, WhiteHat Jr was bought by Byju’s, India’s most valuable education firm, for $300 million in an all-cash deal. (Photo: iStock)

Inside the rumble in India’s coding jungle

10 min read . 21 Dec 2020
  • WhiteHat Jr’s anxiety to create a new market has made it vulnerable to criticism. Can it now maintain growth?
  • The market for coding is getting crowded. All firms are vying for the same customer base that caps out at 15-20 million. Apart from affordability, another limiting factor is infrastructure
Zheng Zhiyong (left), a fund manager, puts away a lapel microphone after a livestreaming session in his office in Beijing.

Livestreams light up China’s mutual funds

9 min read . 17 Dec 2020
  • Bullish markets have turned mainland fund managers into streaming super-influencers. Could this go global?
  • The market is ultra competitive. Platforms, including those operated by Nasdaq-listed Bilibili and TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, are racing to beef up their finance channels to attract viewers
Digital firms like Amazon (seen in picture) are leading the pack in fresh hiring. Sales and marketing roles are also seeing a revival across sectors. (Photo: Mint)

Finally, good news on white-collar jobs

9 min read . 17 Dec 2020
  • After a wretched six months, the jobs scene seems to be turning. Who is hiring and will it last?
  • Apart from technology services, sectors such as education, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, e-commerce, financial services, KPOs, and telecom have turned the corner and are looking to hire
The vacant premises of a private primary school in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh (Photo: Sayantan Bera/Mint)

How rural schooling is going into the dark

10 min read . 16 Dec 2020
  • Urban India has witnessed a boom in online education this year. In sharp contrast, students in Bharat are suffering
  • Experts are suggesting a country-wide post-pandemic survey. Additionally, public schools need to be strengthened as more students are likely to join govt schools due to financial duress.
RBI governor Shaktikanta Das, who completed two years in office this month, has been under pressure to review the central bank’s inflation-targeting framework. (Photo: Bloomberg)

Why RBI needs to look beyond inflation

9 min read . 15 Dec 2020
  • The pandemic has revealed the limitations of India’s monetary policy. What’s a better way to approach 2021?
  • As the inadequacies become obvious, India is now paying lip service to inflation targeting while actually pursuing a de facto integrated policy framework. This needs to be formalized.
With many Indians ending up in hospitals as well as on the rolls of health insurance companies this year, the regulator will have to move quickly on some long-pending reforms. (Photo: Hindustan Times)

Why your health plan premium is suddenly spiking

8 min read . 14 Dec 2020
  • Health insurance premiums are shooting up for many Indians. Why is it happening and what can be done?
  • In light of the fact that covid-19 has popularized health insurance, it is important for India to move toward an insurance regime that is more affordable, consistent and transparent
A sound recording session for a Disney production. The studio has decided to shut down an Indian film subsidiary for the second time, signalling the increasing disillusionment among Hollywood studios with the Bollywood business model. (Photo: Reuters)
A set of unique circumstances is reshaping the geriatric care industry, with professional operators replacing the family as the caregiver. There are fewer stigmas today than a decade ago. (HT)

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