Why is India poor?

I’ve spent a long time thinking about why India is still poor despite gaining independence decades ago. Many countries that were once colonized like Japan, South Korea, and Singapore managed to become rich with a high quality of life, while we still call ourselves a “developing” country. For me, poverty isn’t just about money; it’s about quality of life. It shows up in poor infrastructure, pollution, corruption, lack of civic sense, crime, and the constant struggle to live with dignity. I don’t believe colonial looting or lack of natural resources fully explains this. Those excuses don’t hold up when I look at other countries’ histories. My theory is that we haven’t matured as a society. We are deeply selfish, more so than societies that function better. This selfishness affects government, companies, and daily life. I think centuries of colonial subjugation damaged our collective mindset, and that mentality continues in a vicious loop. I believe only strong, benevolent dictator that enforces discipline and cooperation can break this cycle and truly raise our quality of life.