MeisterEckhart
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Indofication – A neologism that will soon find its way into the modern Australian vernacular due to the massive influx of Indic peoples (including from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan).
It is a term that William Dalrymple, in his latest book, The Golden Road, could have used. In it, he demonstrates the almost unparalleled influence that the Indic peoples had on shaping both the Roman Empire and East/Southeast Asian cultures for over 1000 years—from before 100 BCE to 600AD in the West and even longer in the East.
Now, after over another 1000 years of hiatus, they’re poised to do it again.
The rumblings of concern that can be heard here are eerily reminiscent of many distinguished Romans’ complaints expressing alarm at the gargantuan influx of Indic luxury goods, spices, and foodstuffs that, they feared, would bankrupt the Empire—as hundreds of tons of gold and other precious metals flowed eastwards.
Now the subcontinent’s main trade is its peoples.
In September 2024, more than 500,000 people from the subcontinent were living in Australia on Temporary Visas (mostly as students) with the vast majority seeking permanent residency.
And, according to the actions of both sides of politics, more are needed.
Both sides of the aisle have turned a blind eye to the student visa racket that has been simmering for years in Australia and the reason isn’t hard to work out…
It’s the economy, stupid!
The average Indian earns the equivalent of $2 per hour (much higher, of course, in the subcontinent’s metropolises; lower in rural regions). With Australia’s minimum hourly wage currently at over $24/hour, it doesn’t take an Einstein to work out that subcontinentals could work for considerably less than that and be quids in (or should that be rupees in) at the end of the day.
It has been the fate of all affluent societies to require the labour of an underclass to do the menial work that affluent locals will not do.
As slavery is out, modern societies like Australia need to be creative, hence subcontinental ‘students’.
The cost? Indofication… and a housing crisis.
The benefits? Uber drivers, Uber Eats deliverers, 24-hour gas station attendants, IT service support, cleaners, chefs, aged care staff, furniture and white goods deliverers, pizza house staff, nightshift security staff, low-level shop assistants, fruit and veg pickers…
Namaste!
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