Criminality and Sanctity of Economics

Pay hike for civil servants have just been announced. Its suppose to be a celebration time in the town. But the irony is that there is an avalanche of angry opinions gushing every where. While the topic has infuriated many, civil servants are musing and quite. Surely, there seem to be an issue. First People, it seems are angry with the Government for using a mathematical tricks. Second, People are angry with the way revisions are proposed for politicians, who have otherwise promised to sacrifice many things including their perks like car and pay during the electoral campaigns. And surely, Economists' who worked on this trick for the last many months, must be blushing, scratching and melting somewhere. Read the excerpt below: 

 " 'A mathematician, a Statistician and an Economist apply for the same job. The interviewer asks the Mathematician. "what's two plus two? The Mathematician replies, "Four". The he interviewer calls in the Statistician and asks the same question. The statistician says, "on an average, Four -give or take ten percent." The the interviewer calls in the economist, and asks, "what does two plus two equal?" The economists locks the door, leans close to the interviewer and whispers, "what do you want it to equal?" "

In our case, the Economists' have now equaled "two plus two" to something like 19%, 20%, 21% ....25% for the civil servants and suddenly to 50%, 60%, 70% .....and shockingly to 130% or even more to the Politicians. I am not sure. As I said earlier, I am indifferent and I am yet to do the analysis myself. But if what general public are crying for is true than it is a plain criminal Economics. It simply shows the kind of disregard concern people have shown to the sanctity of Economics and Maths. 

After having read my earlier post, I got a call from one of my reader. He told me about how he is coping with a pair of shoes like me.  And with recent pay hike, he told me that he could afford some thing extra. - a tin of  polish and a shoe brush. We both laughed and said good bye. 

Before I close this post, I want to write something very auspicious and important, Its 2nd June today and every Bhutanese knows the significance of this day. Since its not marked in the calender its understandable for some people to have slipped from their mind. On this day in 1974, our beloved King, His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyelpo was crowned. It is our national event. Its called 'Social forestry day'. Tress are planted with a prayers, -prayers that would bring long life to our king and prosperity to our nation. But I am still wondering why the holiday is being removed from our calender.

Long live the King. Pelden Drukpa, Gyelo!