THE most important condition for any austerity measure is that it should be implemented in a realistic manner and should not be restricted to a particular group of people. The famous English economist John Keynes had opposed all forms of austerity measures as they give a wrong message to growth. Keynes believed that comprehensive economic growth was the solution for economic downturn. He stood against imposing austerity measures on productive sectors and called for raising the rate of growth to compensate the weakness or disappearance of small players as well as companies and factories that incur losses due to gratuitous spending. Austerity measures will not be successful if administrators and executives are given the freedom to make unrestrained spending. They are bound to fail if the administration tries to cut salaries of factory workers as economic and political reasons do not call for such a policy. By taking such a stand the administration gives a wrong message that it was stifling productivity and discouraging creativity. Austerity is opposite of extravagance and its measures should focus on how to cut spending without affecting the income of workers in the productive sector and these workers should not become victims of such policies. If the workers are affected, it would send a wrong message to coming generations. Our country needs economic growth but austerity as viewed by Keynes and other economists obstructs growth. Another important point I would like to highlight is that we cannot start a vision or reform based on the wrong assumption that workers' salary is the main reason for overspending by the government. The result of such austerity measures would be the loss of productivity. It will also result in the degeneration of individual skills due to rising unemployment. We have noticed such negative developments in Greece after the government imposed austerity measures and that European country suffered a lot due to this wrong policy. I strongly believe that these kinds of austerity measures would not be successful if they are directed against the working class. At the same time, it would be successful if it addressed financial corruption, cut unnecessary expenses and overspending in unproductive sectors. Austerity measures should focus first on trimming expenditures in nonproductive sectors. Secondly, it should reduce unwanted expenses like exorbitant hotel bills. Thirdly, it should reform government salary scales, linking productivity with salary and these steps would definitely would have a good impact and send a positive message to the working class. Austerity is the opposite of extravagance, not of productivity. Everybody knows the difficulties associated with cutting expenditures if it was done in a haphazard manner without proper planning. It would be a difficult decision and should ensure the welfare of all groups of people. We should think deeply and with a nationalistic spirit before adopting any policy that would harm the working class, the nucleus of productivity and economic growth in the country. Before going ahead with austerity measures and treading on an unknown path to the future by cutting public spending, we should have given a clear definition for economic austerity. We should also realize that criticizing the government does not mean dissent. The government is made up of ministers and officials, and their decisions are liable to public scrutiny. With regard to the state, we will all stand united in support of our beloved nation and confront its enemies.
