Hey readers,
Welcome again after a week's gap. This gap was unannounced. The reason was the Delhi protests; I didn't want to put something out in such times. It also gave me a little more time to think.
We all have moments when we feel held back. Sometimes it's money. Sometimes it's family responsibilities. Sometimes it's fear, bad policies, poor health, lack of opportunities, or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. We often assume talent and hard work are enough. But they rarely are. We all have potential. So do cities and countries. The interesting question is: what stops them from realising it? That's exactly what I found myself writing about this week.
Take labour markets.
We usually talk about unemployment. But I found a far more interesting indicator: NEET - people who are Not in Employment, Education or Training. These are people who are completely out of the labour force. They aren't employed anywhere, they aren't studying in any institution, nor are they searching for jobs. To me, that's a far more concerning indicator. In a way, it captures the untapped potential of every individual and, in turn, India's untapped potential too.
Across India's million-plus cities, only around 6% of men fall into this category. For women, the number is 56%.
The really surprising part is what happens with age. Men gradually enter the workforce, while women move out as they age.
Then I looked deeper at city-level data, and each kind of city has its own different story to tell. I will keep that a suspense. Read more here: Men And Women Follow Different Labour Market Paths.
That naturally led me to another question. What happens to women who are already part of the labour force?
It turns out the answer depends almost entirely on where they live. Some cities create manufacturing jobs, some create teaching jobs, while in others domestic work like housemaids becomes the only fallback. Even when women enter the workforce, their opportunities remain far narrower than men's. That highlights the Uneven Realities Of Women's Jobs In Indian Cities.
Then, I moved on to analyse informal businesses in Indian cities.
The data showed me something fascinating. A worker in Pimpri-Chinchwad generates almost three times the value created by a worker in Gwalior. And the differences don't just run city to city - they run within states, and even within metro regions. Mumbai's suburbs are actually more productive than core Mumbai. Delhi's are more uneven.
So what matters? The size? Infrastructure? It turns out neither tells the full story. What matters more is the economic ecosystem that develops around a city over decades. You will get more information here: Informal Sector's Productivity Differs By Cities.
Then I studied a bit about biology, the subject I hated in school.
We've all heard the debate: nature versus nurture. But biology tells us it's not one or the other. It's both. Genes give us the blueprint. They define our potential. But whether we ever reach that potential depends a lot on the environment we grow up in. Good nutrition, stable homes, safe neighbourhoods and quality education don't just make childhood better. They shape how we learn, take risks, plan for the future and even build wealth. That completely changed the way I started thinking about inequality and opportunity. That's what You Pass More Than Trauma To The Next Generation is really about.
I also found myself thinking about how we discuss ideas.
Harry Truman famously wanted a one-handed economist-someone who wouldn't keep saying "on the one hand... on the other hand." I can understand his frustration. Leaders want clear answers. But that "other hand" is needed. They need to highlight trade-offs and other impacts of certain policies such that we avoid problematic situations later. However, social media and political polarisation reward taking sides. Nuance doesn't go viral. That's the story behind Let's Keep One-Handed Economists Away.
Around the same time, I kept seeing another debate online. Some argued that entrepreneurs change the world while philosophers merely question it. But that is not true.
Many of the biggest economic and technological shifts began with ideas before they became businesses. Today's conversations around AI are bringing philosophy back into boardrooms for exactly that reason. Entrepreneurs ask, Can we build this? Philosophers ask, Should we? Neither question is sufficient on its own. That's why I wrote We Need Both, Philosophers & Entrepreneurs.
All in all, the last week has been all about potential.
Sometimes what holds us back is a lack of opportunities. Sometimes it's the environment we grow up in. Sometimes it's poor institutions, bad incentives or the inability to appreciate different perspectives. We often chase new ideas to solve old problems. But perhaps one of the biggest opportunities lies in unlocking the potential that already exists around us.
That's the week.
If you made it this far, I'd love to hear from you.
Which of these stories stayed with you? What stories can you share around these topics?
And more importantly, what should I dig into next?
An everyday object, a policy, a price that suddenly changed, a trend that's growing around... send it my way. Just hit reply. I read everything.
See you next Saturday.
Cheers, Swapnil
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of NDTV Profit or its affiliates. Readers are advised to conduct their own research or consult a qualified professional before making any investment or business decisions. NDTV Profit does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented in this article.
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