Topic: Governments should focus on solving the immediate problems of today rather than on trying to solve the anticipated problems of the future.
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position.



The recent Covid-19 pandemic has proved that future planning as necessary as solving immediate issues, however the later needs more attention than the former concern. A Government, once elected, gets only 5 years to solve quotidian issues of it’s concerned citizen. Common issues such as unemployment, lack of infrastructure for healthcare system and education system, religious and communal violence, racism and inflation are not unbeknownst to both the newly elected government as well as the common people. Diving deep into the problem solving, one realizes serious issues such as economic downfall, cold-war and international relations are even bigger hindrances to the progress of the country, and need immediate attention. One may argue that planning for the future is necessary but the focusing on solving the present’s problems are far more fruitful. A government follows a 5-year plan and not a 10-year plan. Any long-term plan requires a reserve of considerable sum of money, which can otherwise be used to solve immediate issues.

In a recent interview, the President of the United States, Mr. Joe Biden, has revealed the downfall in the annual GDP, which is a shocking 9 percent fall since the last financial year. Critics have cursed the Biden government for this massive economic slowdown. However, major countries have been facing similar or even bigger economic slowdowns since the Covid-19 pandemic has stuck. The previous government, under the presidency of Mr. Donald Trump, didn’t plan for pandemic since it’s inception in 2017, as any pandemic is a sudden event. On the contrary, Mr. Donald Trump focused on immigration issues, which seemed worth attention at the moment.

In India, unemployment and corruption in the public sector companies was a huge issue until 2019. The Modi Government focused on merging multiple public sector companies to reduce the overall losses from those companies. While this move reduced unemployment to a certain extent, but since the Covid-19 pandemic has struck the country in February 2020, more than 15 million people had lost their jobs, raising the unemployment rate to an all-time high of 38 percent. What should the government do now? Focusing on the next pandemic or next election campaign doesn’t sound feasible. Hence, the government is trying it’s best to speed the vaccination drive, which is the need of the hour.

The government of Saudi Arabia never planned regarding green energy and oil has been their major source of income. Recent dips in oil prices has forced Saudi King to focus on renewable forms of energy as well. Had the previous Kings focused on greener forms of energy some 20 years backs, this need wouldn’t has arrived. But looking at the massive economic growth of Saudi, over the same span, would make any other country jealous of them. It didn’t take a long time to the policy makers of Saudi, to find an alternate source of income for the country, which is export of sand, an evergreen material for the construction sector.

Clearly, the above mentioned examples are enough to prove that improvisation is the key to keep up with the world where change is the only constant. Thus, planning for too long term is not only inconsequential but also financially challenging. It is completely unrealistic to expect that a 2021 government will reserve a fund of $100 or $200 mn USD to fight a pandemic or economic crisis of 2050 or beyond.