Did the British change India's caste system?

2023-10-10 11:57:38

Yes, the social categories of religion and caste, as they are perceived in modern India, developed during the British colonial rule, at a time when information was scarce and the colonizer's power over information was absolute.

This was originally done in the early 19th century by elevating selected and convenient Brahmin-Sanskrit texts such as Manusmriti to canonical status; the alleged caste origin in the Rig Veda (the oldest religious text) was most likely added retroactively after it was translated into English decades later. These categories were institutionalized in the mid- to late 19th century through the census. These were acts of convenience and simplification. The colonialists established an acceptable list of local religions in India - Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism - and their boundaries and laws by reading what they claimed were the definitive texts of India.

Officially, castes are prohibited by law in India, but changing the caste division of Indian society, which has been cultivated in the minds of Indians for centuries, is not so easy.

Point of view: how the British changed India's caste system

Elon Musk wants to start producing his own phones, can he beat Apple and Google?

2025-04-11 06:05:27

Musk can establish the production of phones if he wants, and he can even compete, but he cannot defeat the world giants

The United States has imposed protective tariffs on all countries. Apple and Google phones are not made in America, but in other countries. In the near future, their prices will skyrocket. Musk wants to establish production in the United States, making phones at competitive prices. But the main problem is that his reputation is ruined. And there are more and more competitors, and they are already putting pressure on his business, especially on the business of electric vehicles. And because of the trade war, goods and services from the United States will be less in demand. And this is already a trend.

The analytical divisions of UBS, Mizuho and Goldman Sachs revised downward the target levels of Tesla shares. Experts note that the slowdown in the global economy and the strengthening of trade barriers may continue to put pressure on Tesla quotes.

When will the AI bubble burst?

2025-12-14 07:43:49

In 2031.

Why is everyone talking about a bubble? 1) Huge investments with uncertain returns for many startups. 2) Thousands of AI startups that are essentially just a shell for other people's models. 3) High expectations: AI will replace everyone tomorrow. 4) Limitations of the models: hallucinations, high cost, dependence on data and computing power. OpenAI alone has attracted $300 billion in investments. Such investments will not pay off under any circumstances. By 2030, the company will need to show record profits, which it does not have.

Many AI startups will shut down or be acquired. Investors will become stricter: they want a real business case, not just 'we have AI'.

What will be the consequences of the war?

2024-06-19 07:49:13

Europe will be left without resources. The collapse of the EU. The loss of U.S. influence. The Beginning of China's Growth

After the collapse of the USSR, Europe gained access to Russian resources for a song, actually selling goods made from Russian resources to Russia. Now, if Russia wins, relations with Europe will deteriorate, it will not receive resources, and China has already received the Russian market at no cost, European companies themselves left it without a fight. In addition, Europe will have to rebuild Ukraine, because it was Europe and the United States that pushed it to war. Many people in the EU will not like it, and they will start leaving the European Union. Becoming poorer, Europe will buy fewer goods, including American ones. Russia will begin to recover at the expense of the former Soviet republics. China will grow.

If Russia loses, it will be plundered.