How to spend 2 Crores...

A few months ago, I had asked a generic question about what one would do with Rs. 2 Crore if one were to win while playing with Shahrukh Khan (or a lottery). Not too many people replied (only my dear friend Murugeshbabu, who is also the only person who reads this blog), which basically shows the quality of the blog. Regardless, I had also mentioned that I would announce what I would do with the money should I play the contest and win. However, time went by and I never got to writing what it is what I would do with the money. So here it is:

 

I would start a political party. A party with a difference.

 

Yeah, yeah, sure.. You say.. every party says it is a party with a difference. What is so different about your party. Well, there is. I shall float the party on the stock exchange.

 

Stock Exchange????

 

Yes, and I do think it is a very smart thing, and really surprised that no one has thought of it yet. Governance is the product we sell. People who believe in our style of governance, buy our shares. When more people buy shares, the stock price goes up. When the stock goes up, people make money. What else would cause the stock price to go up? Votes, of course. More people vote for us, more the stock rises, greater the profit people make. You can call it bribing for votes, but hey at least it's legal. Also, if it is run like a company, the political party has greater accountability and less corruption, since people have a direct stake in the benefit of the party.

 

There are other advantages too:

-         You can easily find out the shareholder demographic. So, you can field candidates only where you are doing well, in the initial period. Similarly if all political parties were on the stock exchange, you wouldn't need opinion polls. Just the stock price could tell you who the winner would be.

-         Since the common man has his money at stake, he is a bit better behaved since a problem would cause his own money value to drop.

-         The common voter has a stake in the party, so there's a direct voice for him/her in the running of the party. I know the elections also guarantee that, but here inaction will hit your pocket.

 

I know it is a radical idea. But I am told there is a website setup in Ireland, where you can run just about anything on an e-stock exchange. The website predicted election results with a 90%+ accuracy rates in the November 2006 US elections by listing the Republicans and Democrats as independent organizations. It's based on the theory that the in a multiple choice, the correct answer is chosen by the most number of people. Heck, even Wikipedia works the same way. And if Manchester United and Century 21 can be on the stock exchange, my political party has every right to be so as well.

 

It sure beats taking Mallika Sherawat to the Seychelles. (normal KBC answer to what you would do with 2 Crore)