Panch Tattva Wisdom

Why does deprivation feel sharper even as prosperity rises?
In the early 1990s, India’s per capita income was around ₹20,000 a year. Today, it is over ₹1.7 lakh—an increase of more than 7–8 times.
Access has expanded just as dramatically:
Mobile phones: from near zero to almost universal
Banking: from limited reach to widespread financial inclusion
Consumer goods: from luxury to routine
Even everyday items reflect this shift.
For example, a packet of Maggi cost about ₹2.50 in the 1980s; today it is around ₹25.
That’s a 10x increase—but incomes have risen in a comparable or higher proportion.
In absolute terms, affordability has not worsened—if anything, it has improved.
Yet dissatisfaction persists—and often feels stronger.
Why?
Because human perception works differently:
What is unavailable does not disturb us much
What is visible and attainable—but not attained creates stress
In a growing economy:
Access increases
Expectations rise faster
Comparisons become constant (especially in the digital age)
So at every stage of development, some will feel deprived—not necessarily due to lack of basics, but due to relative position.
This is the reality of relative deprivation.
That said, real inequalities do exist and deserve attention. But much of the anxiety in improving societies comes from expectations running ahead of outcomes.
Progress reduces poverty—but it also raises the bar of satisfaction.
Understanding this balance helps us stay grounded: Recognize progress, even as we work to close genuine gaps.