<< Back 12/25/02 Small state in India is doing things right By Doug Wingeier Kerala is a small state in southwestern India along the Arabian Sea. It covers 15,000 square miles and has a population of 31 million, of whom 60 percent are Hindu, 20 percent are Muslim, 19 percent are Christian, and the rest Buddhist, Jewish, Parsis, and followers of tribal religions. My wife and I recently spent two weeks there on a Global Exchange Reality Tour with the aim of learning about Kerala’s high material quality of life despite slow economic growth and low incomes. The high quality of life is due to its remarkably just and equitable economic system. Statistical evidence of this is found in its 91 percent adult literacy rate (rest of India 48 percent; poor countries 51 percent; U.S. 96 percent), 71-year life expectancy (India 62; poor countries 59; U.S 77), infant mortality of 12 per 1,000 (India 65; poor countries 80; U.S. 7), and birth rate of 17 per 1,000 (India 29; poor countries 40; U.S 16). All this has been achieved on a per capita GNP of $324 (India $390; poor countries $350; US $28,740). How has this come about? Here is some of what we learned: We were impressed by Kerala’s grassroots participatory democracy, decentralization of development funds and planning to the local level, women’s self-help groups and cottage industries, effective long-standing land reform and redistribution, the presence in every village of schools, libraries, literacy programs, and clinics staffed (both Western and Ayurvedic) by well-trained doctors and nurses, innovative efforts to combat globalization, small families (1.2 children per family), high voter participation (85 percent in the last election), and pervasive inter-religious and inter-caste harmony. Persons we spoke with — academics, villagers, legislators, religious leaders — attributed these achievements to two millenia of trade and communication with the outside world, the influence of Christian missionaries (There is a strong tradition that the Apostle Thomas brought Christianity to its shores in 52 A.D., and there has been a significant Christian presence ever since.), a vibrant political process, the impact of a Hindu saint (both mystic and social activist) named Sree Narayama Guru, having a popularly-elected socialist government off and on since 1957, and the equalizing of opportunity through land reform. Globalization and privatization, with accompanying multinational influence, foreign debt, and consumerism, are making inroads. But the people seem determined to keep what they call the “Kerala Model,” and are adopting some creative approaches such as village industries, diversification, local autonomy, and decentralization. We visited four cities and many villages, learned much about the history and culture through visiting temples, churches, palaces, museums, private homes, village councils, factories, and farms, and were highly impressed with what we saw and learned. (Dr. Doug Wingeier lives in Waynesville and can be reached at dcwing@dnet.net)