Thoughts in Tangles

The Sri Lankan Civil War, which lasted from 1983 to 2009, was rooted in deep-seated ethnic tensions between the majority Sinhalese and the Tamil minority. After gaining independence from British rule in 1948, the Sinhalese-dominated government implemented policies that marginalized Tamils, such as the Sinhala-only language policy introduced in 1956. These measures fostered resentment and demands for autonomy among Tamils, ultimately leading to the emergence of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the late 1970s. The LTTE aimed to establish an independent Tamil Eelam in the northern and eastern regions of the country. Despite the brutality of the war, which included widespread violence and human rights violations, Sri Lanka’s economy demonstrated resilience during this period. The geographic concentration of the conflict primarily in the north and east allowed the southern and western regions, including the capital, Colombo, to remain relatively stable. Key industries, such as...

Dr. Mahbub ul Haq is a name that resonates globally, particularly in the sphere of development economics. He is best known for pioneering the concept of the Human Development Index (HDI), which revolutionized how the world evaluates progress by shifting the focus from mere economic growth to human well-being. However, while Haq's legacy has had a profound international impact, particularly through his work at the United Nations, Pakistan—his homeland—has failed to fully harness his expertise to transform its own economy. Mahbub ul Haq’s work was groundbreaking because it challenged the traditional measures of development that focused solely on economic metrics like Gross Domestic Product (GDP). He argued that economic growth alone did not capture the true essence of development, which should be about improving people's quality of life, health, education, and overall well-being. This led to the creation of the HDI in 1990, a composite index that considers life expectancy, educat...

Grigori Rasputin, Painting by Sergey Levin Gregory Rasputin remains one of the most enigmatic figures in Russian history. Born in 1869 in the Siberian village of Pokrovskoye, Rasputin’s journey from peasant to mystic is nothing short of extraordinary. While he had no formal education, Rasputin developed a reputation for having spiritual gifts after embarking on a religious pilgrimage that he claimed deepened his connection to God. He believed he could heal the sick and foresee the future, abilities that would later draw him into the inner circle of the Russian royal family. The Romanovs’ fate became inseparably linked to Rasputin when he was introduced to them in 1905 as a healer capable of treating their son Alexei’s hemophilia, a genetic disorder that caused severe, often life-threatening bleeding. Tsarina Alexandra, desperate to save her son, was convinced that Rasputin’s prayers and presence were the only things that could soothe Alexei during his crises. Robert K. Massie, in his a...