hori zons

AG LEADERSHIP >> International Travel Seminar
Lesson: Old Cultures – New
Governments
India and Nepal are based on civilizations
with rich histories and established cultures
that have lasted for centuries. Like other
parts of the world, each country’s history
is marked by invasions, wars and power
struggles. Although invaders or colonial
occupation have shaped these countries
into their present forms, their unique
ancient cultures have survived. From a
leadership perspective, we learned that
people cannot come into either country
and apply western world norms upon
either culture and expect immediate
success. India and Nepal, although
very different, seem to be reinventing
themselves to fit the modern world, but
at the same time are holding on to their
unique backgrounds, which must be
understood in order to understand the
people and current practices.
Cameron Boswell: “Through our
experience I can see how India has been
successful at adapting culturally and
politically to preserve the rich traditions
of its ancient civilization and diverse
culture with a modernized democracy and
economy. This is a tribute to their virtues
formed from a long history of cultural
diversity, from language to religion. The
independence movement, led by one of
the world’s most highly regarded leaders
– Mahatma Gandhi – helped lay the
foundation for a modern democracy in
which the means are just as important as
the ends. Nepal’s leaders, despite their
rich cultural history, have yet to overcome
the fractious political movements
hindering Nepal’s quest for modernity and
prosperity.”
Justin Micheli: “I found myself
admiring Gandhi’s determination, fortitude
and vision. These values and convictions
allowed him to steer his people and in
a sense give birth to a nation. In Nepal,
among the slopes of the Himalayas, lies
a nation struggling to respect their rich
and colorful past with the balancing of
a modernizing force of present. The view
from a restaurant roof top table provided
me with an understanding of Nepal.
Heavens became mountains, mountains
became terrace farms, terrace farms
became roads, roads became arteries and
veins of a civilization. And in the center
of Nepal’s living society was a Buddhist
temple serving as a heart of a nation.”
Lesson: Economic Potential
There are complaints about the
burdensome regulatory environment
in California, but India arguably has
a much more oppressive regulatory
environment – although only in some
traditional sectors such as mining and
manufacturing. Regulations have not
caught up to newer growth areas such as
technology and biotechnology. There was
also evidence that corruption is a problem
that restrains economic development.
But Indians are prospering in many areas
due in large part to their innovative spirit
and make-do attitude, allowing them to
creatively find work-around answers. India
can become a major economic power if
some infrastructure problems, regulatory
restrictions and corruption do not hinder
progress.
Anne Coates: “The air and water
pollution was so prevalent that many
fellows mentioned how surprisingly
appreciative they are of regulations
in California. I agreed. I call myself a
‘recovering regulator’ – having played a
role in the sometimes overly oppressive
regulatory environment here at home. I
hope that as India grows into an economic
powerhouse, the people are able to
harness the ‘jugar’ spirit ingrained in their
culture and find innovative incentivebased
approaches to pollution instead of
solely relying on regulations. The ingenuity
that lies in their human resources could
possibly achieve a far greater positive
outcome if a balanced approach is
recognized and sought as they continue to
grow.”
Robert Grether: “It was clear that
there is a significant gap between where
India’s ag economy is today and where
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