New Message

[Peter J. Claus]

Date: December 3, 1996 
 
Indology List
indology at Liverpool.ac.uk
 
Dear Members,
 
"South Asia - and particularly India - for a number of
reasons (political, economical, military and cultural)

will be much more important to the global community in
the years to come than what has been the case so far." 
 
While I, and I'm sure everyone on this list share Mr.
Fosse's hopes that India will have a bright future, my
mutual fund broker, far less optimistic, advises me not
to put my money on it.  Yet.
 
But, in any case, this was not the "pragmatic service"
I had in mind. Nor was it Frank Conlon's, I think.  The
lesson learned by government (Nixon, Reagan ... ) from
the (irrational, paranoid defense) funding of the 50's
and 60's was that academics are not the best group to
fund even if America's interests DO lie in SA.  Clinton
sent the Secretary of Commerce there with groups of US
businessmen.  The language most important for these
pragmatic concerns is C++.
 
I agree with Fosse's conclusions, though. But outside
the university, I think our arguments would be better
made to the INDIAN government, to US industries with
significant involvements and image to protect in India,
and to such charitable agencies as the Ford Foundation. 
 
 
Peter J. Claus                        
fax: (510) 704-9636
pclaus at csuhayward.edu