http://www.telegraphindia.comThe Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) | Opinionen-usThu, 23 May 2013 17:53:23 GMTThu, 23 May 2013 17:53:23 GMTThe Telegraph Webdeskttfeedback@abpmail.comttfeedback@abpmail.comOpinionCopyright (C) 2013, The Telegraph. All rights reserved.http://www.telegraphindia.com/images/logo_small.gifhttp://www.telegraphindia.comhttp://www.telegraphindia.com/1130524/jsp/opinion/story_16922618.jspWhen the Treaty of Maastricht was signed in 1992, and even endorsed by a number of European countries in referendums, there was a general belief that the world was witnessing a new chapter in international relations. A Europe that had witnessed two bloody wars in the first half of the 20th century and a Cold War in the next four decades had, it seemed, consciously chosen to turn its back on history.http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130524/jsp/opinion/story_16929432.jspThe last lap is often too late to recover ground that has been lost in the previous laps. The United Progressive Alliance and the Congress may have left themselves with very little time to make up for the inadequacies of the present government. The UPA in its second term in office is tainted by charges of corruption and by its complete inability to put in place a credible structure of governance. It is true that the opposition parties have made it impossible for Parliament to function. But it will be facile to only blame the Opposition for the government's non-performance. An Opposition is an integral part of any parliamentary democracy. It should, therefore, be a part of the consultative and dialogic process of any democratic government and polity. Under the UPA, however, the opposition parties are always kept at arm's length and hardly every consulted or taken into confidence on crucial matters. The inability of the treasury benches to function is at least partially the product of the great wall of mistrust that has been erected between the government and the Opposition. It is unlikely that this wall will come tumbling down in the last year of the UPA government. But an attempt should be made.http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130524/jsp/opinion/story_16929434.jspFew things stir a nation like an agenda to heal wounded national pride. For decades, Japan has nursed a sense of injured merit, thanks to a stagnant economy, the country's marginalization in global politics and the rise of its traditional rival, China. The new Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, wants to change all that. And he has stirred hopes among a people who had grown sceptical of their leaders' ability to revive the economy and to lift the nation's morale. Early in his second tenure in office, Mr Abe has taken steps to increase public spending, pump more money into the financial system and initiate some structural reforms of the economy. The measures have resulted in a spectacular rise in the stock market and in Mr Abe's popularity rating ' a whopping 70 per cent compared to around 30 per cent at the end of his first term. All this is good news not only for Japan but also for the world. A revived Japanese economy will create new global demand and may be just the thing a recession-hit world badly needs. How far Mr Abe goes with structural reforms will decide if he can live up to the promise he has held out. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130524/jsp/opinion/story_16929383.jspSinecures doled out by the State to loyal subjects are the primary hurdles to all new ideas and necessary correctives. Sadly, the government of India has become adept at finding such jobs for their men and women who are retiring from administrative posts. Having been great at maintaining status quo particularly in their final years as government employees, these senior civil servants crave for plum post-retirement positions which give them the freedom to live off the perks they have been used to from the start of their careers. It does not occur to them that they ought to let go with dignity. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130524/jsp/opinion/story_16918393.jspLevels of Life By Julian Barnes, Jonathan Cape, Rs 399http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130524/jsp/opinion/story_16929428.jspIslamic Societies to the nineteenth century: a global history By Ira M. Lapidus, Cambridge, Rs 995