The Demographic Disconnect

2

Since his election as the leader of the Conservative party, David Cameron has posed some searching questions for the British political terrain. With the Labour party in the middle of intense warfare over Blair's succession, the principal beneficiary of its paralysis has been Cameron. Like a prized blue chip share in a bullish market, the Cameron stock continues to soar. Last week, as he flew Jet Airways back to London after visiting India, his presence among India's political elites also unwittingly poses some revealing questions for the Indian political culture. Age is a good place to begin. David Cameron is just 39 years old - he'll turn 40 this October. Michael Howard, his predecessor was in his mid-sixties. By electing Cameron as leader, the Tories boldly jumped a generation. His youthful persona is turning out to be a vital facet of his appeal. Contrast this with the tepid....